How can I unblock or improve my domain reputation with Gmail when emails are being blocked due to low reputation?

Summary

Improving domain reputation with Gmail when facing blocking requires a holistic approach combining technical setup, content quality, and sender behavior. Experts and documentation emphasize the necessity of proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and highlight that simply passing authentication isn't enough; the content must be wanted by recipients and come from reputable IPs/domains. Utilizing Google Postmaster Tools is crucial for monitoring domain reputation, spam rates, and identifying deliverability issues. Reducing sending volume to engaged users, segmenting lists for targeted content, and practicing diligent list hygiene by removing inactive subscribers are key. A 'cooldown' period for the domain followed by a gradual warm-up might be necessary. Furthermore, it's important to adhere to Gmail's sender guidelines, keep spam complaints low, test email rendering, and leverage email automation to build relationships with subscribers.

Key findings

  • Authentication is Necessary but not Sufficient: While SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial, they alone don't guarantee deliverability; content and sender reputation matter.
  • Google Postmaster Tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools to actively monitor reputation, spam rates, and identify issues.
  • Engagement Matters: Focus on sending wanted content to engaged users; segment lists for relevant content.
  • List Hygiene is Crucial: Regularly remove inactive or unengaged subscribers to improve deliverability.
  • IP and Domain Reputation: Ensure emails come from reputable IPs and domains to avoid being flagged.
  • Gmail Guidelines: Strictly adhere to Gmail's sender guidelines to avoid penalties.
  • Cooldown and Warmup: Consider a 'cooldown' period followed by a gradual warm-up if deliverability issues persist.

Key considerations

  • User Intent: Focus on sending content that users genuinely want to receive, as engagement is a key signal for Gmail.
  • Spam Traps: Ensure email lists are permission-based to avoid spam traps, which can severely damage reputation.
  • Monitor Feedback Loops: Check feedback loops within Postmaster Tools.
  • Content Quality: Poorly designed emails, especially on mobile, will affect user engagement
  • Proactive Approach: A proactive approach by testing email rendering across different email clients will improve overall user engagement.
  • Subscriber Permission: Ensure subscriber permission to receive emails.
  • Sender reputation: Focus on building and maintaining a positive sender reputation

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

To improve a domain's reputation with Gmail and overcome email blocking issues, email marketers suggest a multi-faceted approach. Key strategies include leveraging Google Postmaster Tools for insights, reducing sending volume to engaged users, improving content quality and user engagement, practicing diligent list hygiene by removing inactive subscribers, implementing email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), monitoring spam complaints, and ensuring emails render correctly across devices. Additionally, a 'cooldown' period for the domain may be beneficial, followed by a gradual warm-up. Email automation and list segmentation should also be used to improve sender reputation.

Key opinions

  • Google Postmaster Tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools to monitor domain reputation, spam rates, and identify issues affecting deliverability.
  • Engagement Focus: Prioritize sending to engaged users and segment lists for targeted, relevant content.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists by removing inactive or unengaged subscribers.
  • Authentication: Implement and maintain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for proper email authentication.
  • Content Quality: Ensure content is valuable, engaging, and avoids spam triggers.
  • Domain Cooldown: If issues persist, consider a 'cooldown' period followed by gradual warm-up.
  • Spam Complaints: Keep spam complaints as low as possible.

Key considerations

  • User Engagement: Gmail's algorithms heavily weigh user engagement signals, so prioritize content that recipients find valuable and want to interact with.
  • Rendering: Ensure proper email rendering across different email clients for a positive user experience.
  • Dedicated IPs: Consider dedicated IPs and proper DNS settings.
  • Feedback Loops: Check 'spam reports' section and 'Feedback Loop' within Google Postmaster Tools to see who is reporting.
  • Automation and Segments: Use automation to personalize communications, and email list segmentation to improve sender reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares insights on why Gmail might block emails even with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC in place. He stresses the importance of content quality, sender reputation, and user engagement signals for Gmail's filtering algorithms.

August 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares tips on boosting sender reputation by focusing on subscriber engagement, segmenting audiences based on activity, and sending targeted content that resonates with each segment.

July 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign suggests leveraging email automation to send personalized and timely messages, nurture leads, and build relationships with subscribers, which can lead to higher engagement rates and improved deliverability.

January 2025 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares advice on regaining domain reputation, recommending checking Google Postmaster Tools, reducing daily volume to engaged users, focusing on quality, and pausing sending if necessary to allow the domain to cooldown before gradually warming up.

January 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus recommends segmenting email lists based on demographics, purchase history, or engagement level, and tailoring content to each segment to improve engagement and sender reputation.

October 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's blog shares the importance of consistent sending volume, engaging with subscribers through valuable content, and actively removing inactive subscribers to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

September 2023 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass shares the benefits of the Google Postmaster Tools and the importance of ensuring that spam rates are as low as possible. Advices on looking into dedicated IPs and authenticating your domains through the appropriate DNS settings.

January 2025 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue advocates for regularly cleaning email lists by removing inactive subscribers and those who haven't engaged recently. This ensures better deliverability and a higher sender reputation with ISPs.

March 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that you should look at a 'domain cooldown' period to neutralise its current reputation if a small volume of emails is being rejected

February 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid emphasizes the importance of testing email rendering across different email clients to ensure a consistent and positive user experience, which can indirectly affect sender reputation and deliverability.

February 2023 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains the need to check the 'spam reports' section within the Google Postmaster tools to see what users are reporting messages as, as well as reviewing the 'Feedback Loop' to see who is reporting.

July 2023 - Stack Overflow

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts emphasize that improving domain reputation with Gmail involves more than just technical compliance. Emails must be desired by recipients and originate from reputable IPs and domains. Essential steps include authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, maintaining low spam complaint rates, adhering to Gmail's sender guidelines, and practicing rigorous list hygiene by removing invalid and unengaged addresses while ensuring all subscribers have given explicit permission.

Key opinions

  • Desired Mail: Emails must be wanted by the recipients to avoid being blocked by Gmail's filters.
  • Authentication: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and establish trust.
  • Spam Complaints: Maintain a low spam complaint rate by sending relevant and engaging content.
  • Sender Guidelines: Adhere to Gmail's sender guidelines to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists by removing invalid and unengaged addresses.
  • Reputable IPs and domains: Emails must come from IPs and domains that don't have a bad reputation.

Key considerations

  • Permission: Ensure all subscribers have explicitly given permission to receive emails to avoid being marked as spam.
  • Reputation is Key: Focus on building and maintaining a positive sender reputation through consistent delivery of valuable content.
  • Technical Compliance: While necessary, technical compliance (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) alone is not sufficient; user perception and engagement are crucial.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource, John Levine, explains that avoiding Gmail spam filters involves sending mail that recipients want, authenticating email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, keeping spam complaints low, and following Gmail's sender guidelines.

August 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that passing authentication isn't enough to avoid Gmail blocking. Mail must be wanted and come from IPs/domains without a bad reputation.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, shares the importance of list hygiene, including removing invalid email addresses, unsubscribing unengaged recipients, and ensuring the list is permission-based to maintain a positive sender reputation.

October 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Improving domain reputation with Gmail, according to documentation, involves email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. It also requires maintaining a low spam rate, following Gmail's sender guidelines, and gradually warming up an IP address by increasing sending volume while monitoring deliverability rates. Proper setup of SPF records and DMARC configuration are crucial for email authentication, preventing spoofing, and building trust with ISPs.

Key findings

  • Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying email authenticity.
  • Low Spam Rate: Maintaining a low spam rate is crucial for a positive sender reputation.
  • Sender Guidelines: Adhering to Gmail's sender guidelines helps improve deliverability.
  • IP Warm-up: Gradually increasing sending volume during IP warm-up is recommended for establishing trust.
  • DMARC Protection: Implementing DMARC protects domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks.

Key considerations

  • Accurate SPF: Ensuring SPF records are correctly set up is vital for authentication.
  • Monitoring: Regularly monitor deliverability rates during IP warm-up and adjust sending practices.
  • Trust with ISPs: Proper email authentication and following best practices build trust with ISPs.
  • Gradual Warm-Up: Rushing the warm-up process can negatively impact deliverability.
Technical article

Documentation from Postmark explains that warming up an IP address involves gradually increasing sending volume over time, monitoring deliverability rates, and adjusting sending practices based on feedback from ISPs to establish a positive sending reputation.

July 2024 - Postmark
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help advises to ensure that mail is authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They also emphasize maintaining a low spam rate and following Gmail's sender guidelines to improve sender reputation.

November 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from Dmarc.org details how to implement and configure DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) to protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks, enhancing trust with ISPs.

May 2023 - Dmarc.org
Technical article

Documentation from RFC-Editor details how to correctly set up SPF records, including syntax, common mistakes, and implementation tips. It emphasizes the importance of accurate SPF records for email authentication and deliverability.

August 2022 - RFC-Editor