What should I do when Google blocks my emails?
Summary
What email marketers say13Marketer opinions
Email marketer from EmailGeeks Forum suggests to check IP reputation, remove any spam traps, make sure the sending domain is properly authenticated and check the content for spam triggers.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares the need to improve your sender reputation by authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, cleaning your email list regularly to remove inactive subscribers, and consistently sending valuable content.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that if blocking is significant by Google, they recommend stopping sending until an RCA and remedy are determined. The approach is generally recommended for any provider-specific blocking of marketing messages, not just Google, because it can't hurt and it is easier to measure changes when re-introducing messages as opposed to "tweaking" an existing mail stream.
Marketer from Email Geeks recommends stopping sending to both Gmail and GSuite, suggesting a minimum of 7 days of zero sending, followed by a slow restart with the most engaged users. They mention that fixing the underlying issues is crucial for long-term success.
Email marketer from Reddit shares the advice to slowly warm up your IP address and domain after a block. Start by sending to highly engaged users and gradually increase volume, while monitoring deliverability metrics closely.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests the cause of Google blocks could be that the list of addresses was bought instead of organically grown. They recommend checking them through a checker and investigating how the addresses were obtained.
Email marketer from HubSpot answers that you need to avoid using spam trigger words and phrases (e.g., "free," "guaranteed," "earn money") in email subject lines and body copy. Create clean, well-designed email templates to avoid being flagged as spam.
Email marketer from Gmass explains the need to avoid sending unsolicited emails, maintaining a consistent sending volume, and immediately removing subscribers who mark your emails as spam. They also stress the importance of providing an easy way for subscribers to opt-out.
Marketer from Email Geeks asks if the client actually stopped emailing or if another division is sending with the same domain. He suggests reviewing DMARC reports to verify the mail stopped.
Email marketer from SendPulse shares to gradually increase sending volume over time to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. Start with a small number of recipients and gradually increase the volume as you monitor deliverability.
Email marketer from Litmus shares the importance of DMARC implementation and the need to start with a 'p=none' policy to monitor email flows before enforcing stricter policies like 'p=quarantine' or 'p=reject', to avoid accidentally blocking legitimate emails.
Email marketer from ReturnPath (Validity) answers to use tools like Sender Score or Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your sender reputation and identify potential deliverability issues. Monitoring allows you to proactively address problems before they escalate.
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares to clean your email list, segment based on engagement, and remove unengaged subscribers to improve deliverability and avoid being flagged as a spammer. Regular list cleaning is essential for maintaining a healthy sender reputation.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource explains that sender reputation problems are the most common cause of delivery problems for legitimate emailers. To fix this you need to analyze traffic patterns, list quality, and authentication practices and that it's critical to understand the cause of the reputation damage before attempting to correct it.
Expert from Email Geeks mentions Google's recommendation to "rest your resources" when blocked, interpreting it as stopping sending mail that is being rejected to allow time for bad practices to fade.
Expert from Spamresource explains to be wary of blocklist removal services that promise instant delisting from blocklists. These services often make false promises and can't guarantee removal, as blocklist operators make their own decisions.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that diagnosing email deliverability requires reviewing bounce messages for clues to determine the reason emails are being blocked, which includes identifying the specific error codes and messages.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that list bombing attacks could be the reason for deliverability problems. Hackers sign up email addresses to numerous lists to try and overload the recipient's inbox to hide other more malicious emails.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost highlights the importance of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify the sender's identity and improve deliverability. Properly configured authentication helps receiving mail servers trust that the email is legitimate.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that emails might be blocked due to the sender's IP address or domain having a poor reputation. This can occur if the IP or domain is on a blocklist or has a history of sending spam.
Documentation from Mailjet explains that understanding bounce codes (like 550) can help identify the reason for email delivery failures. A 550 error often indicates that the recipient server has rejected the email due to spam-like characteristics or a problem with the sender's reputation.