How do I interpret 'Rejected' errors in Gmail Postmaster Tools?

Email marketer from StackOverflow shares that having a properly configured reverse DNS (rDNS) record that matches your sending IP address to your domain name is important for email deliverability. A missing or incorrect rDNS record can lead to rejections, as it makes your emails appear less trustworthy.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum answers sudden spikes in email volume can trigger rejections. Gradually increase your sending volume, especially when sending to new subscribers, to avoid being flagged as a potential spammer. Regular sending patterns are better than irregular ones.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that clicking on the data points in Gmail Postmaster Tools should provide more detailed information in a chart below the graph, which can help determine the cause for concern. They also suggest that if bounces aren't visible, the errors could be temporary failures (tempfails).

Email marketer from Reddit shares that temporary rejections (also known as greylisting) can occur when a mail server temporarily refuses to accept an email. This is often a spam prevention technique. Retrying the email delivery later may resolve the issue. Temporary issues don't necessarily mean a sender reputation problem.

Email marketer from Litmus explains that Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for verifying the authenticity of your emails. Implementing these protocols helps prevent spoofing and phishing, and significantly reduces the likelihood of your emails being rejected by ISPs like Gmail. Correct configurations are required.

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that to avoid rejections, you should monitor your sender reputation by regularly checking feedback loops. Implement a double opt-in process to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails. Ensure high quality content within your emails.

Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that improving sender reputation is key to avoiding rejections. This involves ensuring proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining consistent sending volumes, and actively managing your subscriber list to remove inactive or problematic addresses. High bounce rates negatively impact reputation.

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that clicking on a data point in Gmail Postmaster Tools should display the errors Gmail saw below the graph, which can help in understanding 'Rejected' errors.

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests a temporary increase in deferrals from Gmail might cause the 'Rejected' errors, which may resolve on its own. He notes that seeing deferrals depends on whether the ESP saves them or if they persist long enough to become bounces.

Email marketer from GMass answers question about ensuring that your email content doesn't trigger spam filters. Avoid using excessive capitalization, exclamation points, and spam trigger words (e.g., 'free,' 'guarantee'). Test your emails using spam checker tools before sending to identify and resolve any issues.

Email marketer from Email on Acid answers that maintaining a clean email list is crucial. Regularly remove inactive subscribers and those who have bounced or complained in the past. Sending emails to invalid addresses leads to rejections and harms your sender reputation.

Email marketer from Twilio SendGrid answers question about IP warmup - Sending large volumes of email from a new IP address can trigger rejections. Warming up your IP address gradually by increasing sending volume over time establishes a positive sending reputation with ISPs like Gmail. Monitor your deliverability during the warmup process.

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that actively monitoring your sender reputation through tools like Gmail Postmaster Tools is essential for understanding and addressing rejection issues. Tracking metrics like spam complaints and IP reputation provides valuable insights into why your emails are being rejected.

Expert from Email Geeks asks about the bounce messages received from Google on the day the 'Rejected' errors appeared in Gmail Postmaster Tools, suggesting that examining the bounce messages can provide insights.

Expert from SpamResource explains that understanding the difference between 'bounces' and 'blocks' is crucial when interpreting rejections. Bounces typically indicate temporary issues, while blocks often point to more persistent problems like poor reputation or policy violations. Review bounce codes for more clarification.

Documentation from SparkPost explains SMTP error codes which can give a clearer explanation of why an email was rejected. Common SMTP codes that indicate rejections include 550 (mailbox unavailable) and 554 (transaction failed). These codes provide more specific reasons than a general 'Rejected' status.

Documentation from Microsoft explains Non-Delivery Reports (NDRs) provide specific information on why an email was rejected. Analyzing the error codes and messages within the NDR can help pinpoint the cause of the rejection, such as authentication failures, content issues, or policy violations.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that the Rejection Rate metric in Gmail Postmaster Tools shows the percentage of emails rejected versus the total emails sent. A high rejection rate can indicate problems with your sending practices or authentication. Review your setup, authentication, and sending practices.

Documentation from RFC describes how DMARC reports provide detailed information about email authentication failures, including rejections. Analyzing these reports helps identify issues with SPF, DKIM, or alignment, allowing you to correct your email sending practices to reduce rejections.