Can images in emails cause them to go to spam?

Summary

Images in emails can significantly impact deliverability, potentially causing them to land in spam folders. Multiple factors contribute, including the image's hosting domain reputation, the text within the image, excessive image size, a high image-to-text ratio, missing or irrelevant alt text, broken images, improper embedding or linking methods, poorly implemented CID images, use of tracking pixels, and rendering issues. Machine learning filters evaluate everything in the email, making proper formatting, optimization, and mindful implementation essential to avoid triggering spam filters and maintain a positive sender reputation.

Key findings

  • Image Hosting: Hosting images on domains with poor reputations can negatively affect deliverability.
  • Image Attributes: The text within an image and its attributes can impact spam filters.
  • Image Size: Excessively large, unoptimized images trigger spam filters due to slow loading and suspicion.
  • Image-to-Text Ratio: A high image-to-text ratio can increase the spam score.
  • Alt Text: Missing or irrelevant alt text makes emails look less legitimate and impacts accessibility.
  • Broken Images: Broken images make emails look unprofessional and trigger spam filters.
  • Rendering Issues: Rendering issues with background images can raise red flags.
  • CID Images: Improperly implemented CID images can be flagged as suspicious.
  • Tracking Pixels: Using tracking pixels can be detected and penalized by spam filters.
  • ML Evaluation: Everything in an email is evaluated by machine learning filters.
  • Image Linking: Linking directly to images can be problematic as loading is often blocked and may trigger flags.

Key considerations

  • Reputable Hosting: Use reputable domains for image hosting to maintain a good sender reputation.
  • Optimize Image Attributes: Carefully consider text within images and optimize image attributes.
  • Optimize Image Size: Optimize images for size to improve loading times and user experience.
  • Maintain Text Balance: Maintain a balanced image-to-text ratio.
  • Implement Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for accessibility and legitimacy.
  • Avoid Broken Images: Regularly check emails for broken images.
  • Test Rendering: Test how background images render across different email clients.
  • Implement CID Carefully: Implement CID images correctly.
  • Use Tracking Pixels Cautiously: Be cautious when using tracking pixels.
  • Email Elements: Be mindful of all email elements.
  • Embedding vs Linking: Carefully consider the implications of embedding vs linking to images.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Images in emails can significantly impact deliverability and potentially cause emails to land in spam folders. Factors contributing to this include large image sizes, poor image hosting reputation, high image-to-text ratio, missing or irrelevant alt text, broken images, and the use of tracking pixels. Even rendering issues with background images and improper implementation of CID images can raise red flags with spam filters. Ultimately, it is important to carefully optimize images to avoid negatively affecting sender reputation and user experience.

Key opinions

  • Image Size: Very large, unoptimized images can trigger spam filters due to slow loading times and perceived suspiciousness.
  • Image Hosting: Hosting images on domains with poor reputations can negatively impact email deliverability.
  • Image-to-Text Ratio: A high image-to-text ratio can increase spam scores.
  • Alt Text: Missing or irrelevant alt text can make emails seem less legitimate to spam filters and impacts accessibility.
  • Broken Images: Broken images can negatively impact deliverability by signaling unprofessionalism.
  • Background Images: Rendering issues with background images across different email clients can trigger spam filters.
  • CID Images: Improperly implemented CID (Content-ID) images can be flagged as suspicious.
  • Tracking Pixels: The use of tracking pixels can be detected and penalized by some spam filters.

Key considerations

  • Optimize Images: Ensure images are optimized for size and dimensions to reduce loading times and improve user experience.
  • Use Reputable Hosting: Host images on reputable domains with good sender reputations.
  • Maintain Text Balance: Maintain a balanced image-to-text ratio to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Implement Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for all images to enhance accessibility and legitimacy.
  • Avoid Broken Images: Regularly check emails for broken images to maintain a professional appearance.
  • Use Background Images Sparingly: Be mindful of how background images render and test across different email clients.
  • Implement CID Properly: If using CID images, ensure they are implemented correctly to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Use Tracking Pixels Carefully: Be cautious when using tracking pixels, as some spam filters are designed to detect and penalize them.
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow warns that using CID (Content-ID) images, especially if improperly implemented, can be flagged as suspicious and lead to deliverability problems.

November 2021 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the text on an image can impact spam filters by changing image attributes.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests that if images are hosted on domains with poor reputations, this can lead to emails being marked as spam.

January 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass shares that using tracking pixels or very small images can be used to track email opens. Some spam filters are specifically designed to detect and penalize the use of tracking pixels.

June 2023 - GMass
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot shares that missing or irrelevant alt text for images can negatively impact deliverability, as it makes the email seem less legitimate to spam filters.

December 2022 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that background images in emails, while visually appealing, can sometimes cause rendering issues across different email clients. This inconsistency might raise red flags with spam filters.

June 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign answers that while personalized images can be great for engagement, they need to be implemented carefully. Using too many unique images in a single campaign may impact sender reputation if it appears like you're trying to evade filters.

November 2023 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that emails with a high image-to-text ratio can increase spam scores, as spammers often rely heavily on images to convey their message.

December 2021 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that very large images can trigger spam filters because they can slow down email loading times and appear suspicious.

July 2024 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that broken images can make an email look unprofessional and potentially trigger spam filters, as they indicate poor attention to detail and might be associated with malicious content.

July 2022 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor shares that unoptimized images (large file sizes, incorrect dimensions) can affect loading times and cause frustration. This can lead to lower engagement, which might indirectly impact deliverability.

June 2024 - Campaign Monitor

What the experts say
6Expert opinions

Images in emails can contribute to emails landing in spam. Factors include hosting images on domains with poor reputations, using excessively large images without optimization, failing to provide descriptive alt tags, and linking directly to images instead of embedding them. Email content is evaluated by machine learning filters and improperly implemented elements could affect deliverability.

Key opinions

  • Image Hosting Reputation: Hosting images on domains with poor reputations can lead to emails being marked as spam.
  • Image Size & Optimization: Excessively large, unoptimized images contribute to triggering spam filters due to slow loading times and negative user experience.
  • Alt Tags: Failing to provide descriptive alt tags makes emails inaccessible and can negatively impact sender reputation, potentially triggering spam filters.
  • Linked vs. Embedded Images: Linking directly to images hosted on a server can be problematic as many email clients block external image loading.
  • ML Evaluation: Everything in an email, including images and HTML code, is evaluated by machine learning filters for spam detection.

Key considerations

  • Reputable Hosting: Use reputable domains for image hosting to maintain a good sender reputation.
  • Optimize Image Size: Optimize images to reduce file size and improve loading times.
  • Descriptive Alt Tags: Provide descriptive alt tags for all images to enhance accessibility and avoid potential spam triggers.
  • Embedding vs. Linking: Embed images directly in the email rather than linking to external sources to ensure visibility.
  • Email Elements: Take all the elements in an email into account and ensure the email is properly formatted.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that linking directly to images hosted on a server, rather than embedding them in the email, can be problematic. Many email clients block external image loading by default, and depending on how it's implemented it could raise deliverability flags.

May 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that anything in the email is evaluated by machine learning (ML) filters.

April 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource highlights that failing to provide descriptive alt tags for images makes your emails inaccessible to users with disabilities and those who have images turned off by default. Neglecting accessibility best practices can negatively impact your sender reputation and potentially trigger spam filters.

September 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that if an image is hosted on a domain with poor reputation, it could cause emails to go to spam.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that there is rarely any one thing that causes mail to go to spam, and anything in the email is evaluated, including HTML code.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that using excessively large images in emails, without proper optimization, can contribute to triggering spam filters. Large images slow down loading times and negatively affect user experience, which is a factor considered by some filters.

March 2023 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

Email servers scrutinize the structure and content of emails, including how images are embedded. Improperly formatted images can lead to parsing errors and spam classification. Using images in a way that triggers spam filters can contribute to exceeding spam rate thresholds, negatively impacting deliverability. Content filters analyze images, and their properties contribute to the overall spam score.

Key findings

  • Email Structure: The structure and content of the email body, including image embedding, are scrutinized by email servers.
  • Spam Rate Thresholds: Exceeding spam rate thresholds, partly due to improper image use, negatively impacts deliverability.
  • Content Filters: Content filters analyze images, and their properties contribute to the email's overall spam score.
  • Improper Formatting: Improperly formatted images can cause errors and lead to spam classification.

Key considerations

  • Proper Image Formatting: Ensure images are properly formatted to avoid parsing errors and potential spam classification.
  • Monitor Spam Rate: Monitor spam rates and adjust image usage to stay below threshold levels.
  • Optimize for Content Filters: Optimize images for content filters by following best practices for image size, alt text, and embedding methods.
  • Image Properties: Be mindful of the properties of images and how they may affect the overall spam score.
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that exceeding spam rate thresholds can negatively impact deliverability. Using images in a way that triggers spam filters contributes to the overall spam rate.

August 2023 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that their Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) uses content filters to identify potentially unwanted emails, and images are a part of this analysis. The properties of the images can contribute to the overall spam score.

December 2024 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the structure and content of the email body, including how images are embedded, are scrutinized by email servers. Improperly formatted images can lead to parsing errors and potential spam classification.

October 2022 - RFC Editor