How do multiple domain reputations affect email deliverability, and how can I improve my Google email reputation after sending spam?

Summary

Improving email deliverability and Google's reputation after sending spam requires a comprehensive approach. Key areas include prioritizing a clean and engaged email list through double opt-in and regular cleaning, authenticating emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to verify sender identity, creating engaging and valuable content to foster higher engagement rates, and carefully monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. Furthermore, domain reputation is affected by all domains involved in sending, and recovering from spam events requires patience, consistent application of best practices, and focusing on providing recipients with wanted mail.

Key findings

  • Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication are essential for establishing trust and improving deliverability.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list through double opt-in and regular cleaning is crucial for deliverability.
  • Engagement: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal that your emails are wanted, positively impacting reputation.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to identify and address issues.
  • Multiple Domain Impact: All domains involved in the email (return-path, from, DKIM signing, URLs) affect deliverability.
  • Deliverability First: Focus on fixing delivery issues first, as reputation is a trailing indicator.
  • Patience Required: Recovering from spam events and rebuilding domain reputation takes time and consistent effort.

Key considerations

  • Implement Double Opt-in: Ensure subscribers genuinely want your emails by implementing a double opt-in process.
  • Segment Your Audience: Send more targeted and relevant content by segmenting your audience.
  • Analyze Bounce Messages: Troubleshoot deliverability issues by analyzing bounce messages and feedback loop data.
  • Engaging Content: Focus on creating valuable and engaging content to solve problems for subscribers and encourage interaction.
  • IP Warming: Rebuild trust through gradual IP warming if using dedicated IPs, particularly after spam issues.
  • Encryption with TLS: Employ TLS to secure and encrypt the emails
  • Negative Feedback: Address any negative feedback and react quickly

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

Improving email deliverability after sending spam and managing domain reputation involves a multifaceted approach. Key strategies include cleaning email lists to remove inactive addresses, implementing double opt-in to ensure genuine subscriber interest, segmenting audiences for targeted content, and authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Monitoring sender reputation via tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS is crucial. Recovery from spam events requires patience, gradual IP warming, and a focus on delivering engaging and valuable content to build trust and demonstrate that emails are wanted by recipients. Regularly review email configuration, troubleshoot deliverability issues by analyzing bounce messages, monitor spam complaint rates, and maintain consistent sending schedules.

Key opinions

  • List Hygiene: Cleaning email lists and using double opt-in significantly improve deliverability by ensuring only engaged and valid subscribers receive emails.
  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication protocols is critical for verifying email legitimacy and reducing the risk of being marked as spam.
  • Engagement Matters: High engagement rates, driven by valuable content, positively influence sender reputation and inbox placement.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS are essential for monitoring sender reputation and identifying deliverability issues.
  • IP Warming: Gradual IP warming is crucial for establishing a positive sending history, particularly after sending spam or for new IP addresses.
  • Segment and Target: Segmenting audiences and sending targeted, relevant content increases engagement and improves deliverability.
  • Patience is Key: Recovering from spam events and improving domain reputation requires consistent effort and time.

Key considerations

  • Multiple Domain Reputations: If multiple domains are used in the email sending process (e.g., From address, DKIM signing domain, URLs), each domain's reputation can affect deliverability.
  • Content Relevance: Ensure the content is relevant and provides value to subscribers to encourage engagement and reduce spam complaints.
  • Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops and address spam complaints promptly to prevent further damage to your reputation.
  • Deliverability Tools: Utilize deliverability testing tools to identify configuration issues and improve inbox placement rates.
  • Monitor Bounce Messages: Analyze specific bounce messages and feedback loop data to diagnose and fix deliverability issues. Consistently sending wanted mail is key.
  • Email Sending Frequency: Maintain consistent sending practices, proper authentication, and low spam rates for maintaining a positive sender reputation.
  • Review Configuration: Review error codes, address any authentication failures, and check your configuration.
Marketer view

Email marketer from NeilPatel.com shares that improving email deliverability involves several key steps: cleaning your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses, segmenting your audience to send more targeted and relevant content, authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and monitoring your sender reputation to identify and address any issues promptly. Engaging content and consistent sending schedules can also positively impact deliverability.

August 2022 - NeilPatel.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that creating engaging and valuable content is a critical factor in improving email deliverability. Ensure that your emails provide relevant information, solve problems for your subscribers, and encourage interaction. High engagement rates (opens, clicks, replies) signal to mailbox providers that your emails are wanted, which improves your sender reputation.

June 2023 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that recovering from a spam event requires patience and consistent effort. Start by segmenting your list and only sending to engaged subscribers. Use double opt-in for new subscribers to ensure they genuinely want your emails. Gradually increase your sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters. Continuously monitor your deliverability and adjust your strategy as needed.

February 2024 - Reddit r/emailmarketing
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass responds that IP warming is essential to rebuilding trust and reputation with mailbox providers. The process involves gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new IP address over time, starting with small numbers of engaged subscribers and progressively expanding to larger audiences. This helps establish a positive sending history and demonstrates that you're not a spammer.

August 2024 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow responds that domain reputation is built by the actions of the email sender over a long period of time. If the user has been flagged as spam, it may take weeks or months of regular user signups and email sending before email deliverability can be restored

March 2021 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that if your emails are landing in the spam folder, it is likely because of a poor domain reputation. Improving this involves warming up your IP addresses, using double opt-in, keeping a clean mailing list, properly authenticating emails, and tracking reputation with Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.

February 2023 - EmailToolTester
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog suggests focusing on building a clean and engaged email list. Implement a double opt-in process to ensure subscribers genuinely want your emails. Regularly clean your list to remove inactive or invalid addresses. Segment your audience to send more targeted and relevant content. Monitor your sender reputation and promptly address any issues identified. Sending valuable content and maintaining consistent sending practices can also help improve deliverability.

August 2023 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares a guide on improving email deliverability, which suggests using tools like GlockApps, Mail-Tester, and MultiRBL to understand your current spam score and identify any issues with your email configuration. Also, focus on sending personalized emails and A/B test different email elements to optimize engagement.

May 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog explains that domain reputation is affected by factors like spam complaints, bounce rates, and engagement levels. To improve a damaged reputation, focus on sending relevant and engaging content to a clean email list. Regularly monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and promptly address any issues identified. Consistent positive sending behavior over time will help rebuild trust with mailbox providers.

September 2021 - Sendinblue Blog

What the experts say
7Expert opinions

Improving Google email reputation after sending spam and handling multiple domain reputations requires a comprehensive strategy focusing on sending wanted mail and addressing underlying issues. Key steps include analyzing bounce messages and feedback loops to understand why Google filters your mail, adhering to email marketing best practices like double opt-in and regular list cleaning, and ensuring proper authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Every domain used in an email impacts deliverability, and the worst reputation signal determines filtering. Consistent sending to engaged recipients, especially those opening emails, is crucial for exiting 'jail' with Google and rebuilding trust.

Key opinions

  • Domain Reputation Matters: All domains used in an email (return path, From, DKIM d=, URLs) have a reputation that impacts deliverability.
  • Worst Reputation Wins: Email filtering is based on the worst reputation signal among all domains used in the email.
  • Fix Delivery First: Reputation is a trailing indicator; improve delivery practices to improve reputation.
  • Send to Engaged Users: Focus on sending email to recipients who are opening and interacting with your mail to signal 'wanted mail' to Google.
  • Address Underlying Issues: Analyze bounce messages, feedback loops, and spam complaints to identify and resolve the root causes of deliverability problems.
  • Best Practices Essential: Following email marketing best practices like double opt-in and regular list cleaning is vital for maintaining a good sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Analyze Signals: Examine bounce messages, error codes, and feedback loop data to understand Google's spam filtering reasons.
  • Authenticate Properly: Ensure proper authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prove legitimacy.
  • Clean Your List: Remove inactive or invalid addresses to reduce bounce rates and improve engagement metrics.
  • Prioritize Engagement: Focus on sending valuable, wanted mail to improve open rates and reduce spam complaints.
  • Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address issues promptly.
  • Recent Spam History: Recent spam history impacts trust and requires consistent efforts to demonstrate wanted mail.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the relevant domains for email reputation are the return path, the visible From domain, the d= used for DKIM signing, and the hostnames of URLs in the email body.

June 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that every domain in an email has a reputation and they're all important. One domain with a bad reputation will bulk folder your mail, regardless of the reputation of other domains. Your mail is filtered based on the worst reputation signal in your email.

March 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes the importance of following email marketing best practices to maintain a good sender reputation. This includes using double opt-in, cleaning your email list regularly, authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and monitoring your sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools. High engagement rates and low complaint rates are crucial for avoiding the spam folder.

July 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that reputation is a trailing indicator, you fix your delivery, and your reputation improves. You can't fix your reputation and expect your delivery to improve.

February 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that the fix for getting out of the 'jail' at Google is to send mail to people who are getting the mail in their inbox and interacting with it in ways that tells Gmail this is wanted mail. The easiest way to do that is to stop mailing anyone who isn’t showing opens.

January 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the sender sent a bucket of spam in early December, had a recent 2.3% spam complaint rate due to a signup form being bombed with fake addresses, and this pattern of sending email to people who haven't asked for it is why Google may be suspicious of the mail stream.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that to troubleshoot deliverability issues, especially at Gmail, it's important to analyze the specific bounce messages and feedback loop data. Understanding why Google is blocking or spam-filtering your mail requires examining the error codes and addressing the underlying problems, such as spam complaints or authentication failures. Consistently sending wanted mail is key.

March 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Improving email deliverability and Google reputation, as outlined in technical documentation, centers on authenticating your domain, maintaining consistent sending practices, reducing spam complaints, and increasing encryption. Proper authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is emphasized to verify email legitimacy and improve sender reputation. Monitoring reputation through tools like Microsoft SNDS and addressing negative feedback are also critical. Adhering to best practices protects emails from fraudulent activities while maintaining list hygiene and engagement.

Key findings

  • Authentication is Key: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication are crucial for verifying email legitimacy and improving sender reputation.
  • Sender Reputation Matters: A good sender reputation is essential for avoiding the spam folder and ensuring messages reach the inbox.
  • Consistent Practices: Consistent sending practices and low spam rates are necessary for maintaining a positive reputation.
  • Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like Microsoft SNDS.
  • Encryption: Encrypting email with TLS improves domain trust assessments.

Key considerations

  • Domain Authentication: Ensure your domain is properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability.
  • Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops and address spam complaints promptly to prevent further damage to your reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses to improve engagement metrics.
  • Reduce Spam Complaints: Implement a double opt-in process and send relevant content to reduce the percentage of recipients marking your messages as spam.
  • Use TLS: Encrypt emails with Transport Layer Security (TLS) to protect email from fraudulent and deceptive practices
Technical article

Documentation from RFC-Editor states that email should be encrypted using TLS, and be authenticated with SPF, DKIM and DMARC. This improves the ability to demonstrate trust of the sending domain, which leads to more accurate domain reputation assessments.

July 2021 - RFC-Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Dmarc.org says that Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is a technical specification created by a group of email senders, receivers and intermediaries to improve and monitor protection of email from fraudulent and deceptive practices

June 2022 - Dmarc.org
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Learn outlines that several factors can cause email delivery issues, including poor sender reputation, high spam complaint rates, and improper email authentication. To resolve these issues, ensure that your domain is properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Monitor your sender reputation using tools like Microsoft SNDS and address any negative feedback promptly. Sending engaging and relevant content can also help improve deliverability.

June 2022 - Microsoft Learn
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that your sender reputation is based on several factors, including your domain's authentication, sending frequency, and the percentage of recipients who mark your messages as spam. A low reputation can cause your messages to be delivered to the spam folder or blocked entirely. Consistent sending practices, proper authentication, and low spam rates are crucial for maintaining a positive reputation.

September 2024 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp Knowledge Base emphasizes the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) for improving deliverability. Proper authentication helps verify that the emails you send are genuinely from your domain and reduces the likelihood of being flagged as spam. This, in turn, boosts your sender reputation and increases the chances of your emails reaching the inbox.

June 2021 - Mailchimp Knowledge Base