Why are emails from a Google Workspace account dropping, especially to banks?

Summary

Emails from Google Workspace accounts may be dropping, particularly to banks, due to a complex interplay of factors. These include technical issues like incorrect MX record setup, SPF/DKIM misconfiguration, and strict DMARC policies. Sender reputation plays a vital role, with low reputation, being on blacklists, or using new domains triggering spam filters. Content can also cause issues, with specific keywords or poor design triggering filters, particularly in the highly sensitive financial sector. Google Workspace's rate limiting and sending limits for new accounts can also contribute. Monitoring feedback loops and sender reputation is essential. In some cases, direct communication with bank IT security or even using a Gmail account might be more practical.

Key findings

Technical Configuration: Incorrect MX records, SPF/DKIM settings, and overly strict DMARC policies are major contributors to deliverability issues.
Sender Reputation: Low sender reputation, blacklisting, and new domain status negatively impact email delivery.
Content-Related Triggers: Specific keywords, poor email design, and financial-related content can trigger spam filters, especially at banks.
Workspace Limitations: Google Workspace's rate limiting and sending limits for new accounts can affect deliverability.
Bank Specifics: Banks employ highly sensitive and often opaque filtering systems that block legitimate emails.
Location: The sender's location is not a factor in deliverability issues.

Key considerations

Technical Audit: Thoroughly audit and correct MX records, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations in Google Workspace.
Reputation Management: Monitor domain and IP reputation using Google Postmaster Tools and other services, and address any issues promptly.
Content Optimization: Review email content to avoid triggering spam filters, especially in financial contexts. Optimize email design for deliverability.
Gradual Warm-up: Implement a gradual warm-up strategy for new Google Workspace accounts.
Bank Communication: Consider direct communication with bank IT security teams if issues persist.
Pragmatic Solution: As a last resort, explore using a standard Gmail account for critical bank-related communications.
Dedicated IP: Consider using a dedicated IP address to isolate and manage sender reputation, especially when sending to sensitive sectors like banks.
Feedback Loop: Implement and monitor feedback loops to identify and address spam complaints quickly.

What email marketers say
8Marketer opinions

Emails from Google Workspace accounts may be dropping, particularly to banks, due to a combination of factors. These include content triggering spam filters (especially financial keywords), IP address blacklisting, aggressive bank security filters, Google Workspace rate limiting, low sending limits for new accounts, poor domain reputation, and poorly designed emails. Direct communication with bank IT security may be necessary in some cases.

Key opinions

Content: Specific keywords or phrases, particularly those related to finance, can trigger spam filters and block emails.
Blacklists: Being listed on an email blacklist can prevent email delivery.
Bank Security: Banks use very stringent security protocols that can block legitimate emails.
Rate Limiting: Google Workspace may limit sending rates to prevent abuse, impacting high-volume senders.
New Account Limits: New Google Workspace accounts have low sending limits and require a warm-up period.
Domain Reputation: New or unused domains have low reputations and can be flagged as suspicious.
Email Design: Poorly designed emails can be marked as spam.
Direct Contact: Resolving issues with banks might require direct engagement with their IT security teams.

Key considerations

Content Review: Carefully review email content to avoid triggering spam filters, especially in financial contexts.
Blacklist Monitoring: Regularly check IP addresses against blacklists and take steps to delist if necessary.
Warm-up Strategy: Implement a gradual warm-up strategy for new Google Workspace accounts.
Domain Reputation Building: Focus on building a positive domain reputation through consistent and responsible sending practices.
Email Design Optimization: Ensure email designs are optimized and render correctly across different email clients.
Authentication Configuration: Ensure SPF, DKIM and DMARC are correctly configured.
Investigate Bank Specifics: If issues persist specifically with banks, attempt direct communication with their IT security teams.

Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass says that new Google Workspace accounts may have low sending limits and require a warm-up period to establish a positive sending reputation. Sending emails gradually over time can improve deliverability.

January 2024 - GMass

Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that certain keywords or phrases in email content can trigger spam filters, especially in the financial sector. It suggests avoiding overly promotional language or suspicious links.

April 2022 - Mailjet

Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that poorly designed emails with broken HTML or excessive images can be flagged as spam. Optimizing email design and ensuring proper rendering across different email clients is crucial.

April 2022 - Litmus

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forums shares that he has experienced issues with financial organisations and suggests it is almost impossible to resolve without speaking to the specific bank IT security team.

May 2022 - Email Marketing Forums

What the experts say
9Expert opinions

Emails from Google Workspace dropping, especially to banks, is a multifaceted issue. DMARC settings, particularly strict policies, can cause issues, highlighting the importance of monitoring DMARC reports. Banks employ highly sensitive filtering systems, potentially blocking legitimate emails due to keywords or patterns associated with fraud. A dedicated IP can help isolate sending reputation. Regularly monitoring sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools is crucial. Location changes shouldn't affect deliverability. In some instances, using a Gmail account for bank communication might be more practical than troubleshooting domain-related issues.

Key opinions

DMARC: Incorrectly configured DMARC settings (especially enforcement policies) can block legitimate emails. Reviewing DMARC reports is critical.
Bank Filtering: Banks use extremely sensitive filtering systems that can flag legitimate emails due to content triggers.
Dedicated IP: Using a dedicated IP address can isolate sending reputation and improve deliverability to specific sectors.
Reputation Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of sender reputation through tools is essential for identifying and addressing issues.
Location Irrelevant: The sender's changing location does not generally affect email deliverability.
Pragmatic Solutions: In some cases, using a standard Gmail account for bank communication may be a more practical solution than troubleshooting.

Key considerations

DMARC Adjustment: Temporarily relax DMARC policy (p=none) to identify if it's causing issues and carefully review DMARC reports.
Content Scrutiny: Analyze email content to avoid keywords or patterns that might trigger bank filters.
IP Strategy: Consider using a dedicated IP address to better control sending reputation, especially if sending to banks.
Monitoring Implementation: Set up and regularly monitor Google Postmaster Tools and similar services to track sender reputation.
Troubleshooting Alternatives: If domain-related issues persist with banks, explore using a standard Gmail account as a workaround.

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise recommends consistently monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to quickly identify and address any deliverability issues.

May 2024 - Word to the Wise

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says that changing locations shouldn't matter regarding email delivery issues.

May 2024 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says it's important to review DMARC reports to confirm if emails are passing authentication checks.

June 2024 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that banks use highly sensitive filtering systems, and even legitimate emails can be caught if they contain certain keywords or patterns associated with fraud or phishing.

December 2021 - SpamResource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Gmail delivery problems from Google Workspace, particularly to banks, can arise from several technical factors. Incorrect MX record setup, SPF and DKIM misconfigurations are common causes. Low sender reputation, identifiable through Google Postmaster Tools, leads to emails being marked as spam. Overly strict DMARC policies without proper alignment can inadvertently block legitimate emails. Monitoring feedback loops provided by services like SparkPost is critical for identifying and addressing spam complaints.

Key findings

Authentication Issues: Incorrect setup of MX records, SPF, and DKIM is a common source of Gmail delivery problems.
Reputation: Low sender reputation leads to emails being flagged as spam or blocked.
DMARC Enforcement: Strict DMARC policies, without proper SPF/DKIM alignment, can block legitimate emails.
Feedback Loops: Monitoring feedback loops is essential to identify and address spam complaints.

Key considerations

Authentication Verification: Thoroughly check and correct MX records, SPF, and DKIM settings in the Google Admin console.
Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor domain and IP reputation using Google Postmaster Tools and other relevant services.
DMARC Policy Adjustment: Start with a relaxed DMARC policy (p=none) and gradually tighten it as authentication alignment improves.
Feedback Loop Implementation: Implement and monitor feedback loops to understand when recipients mark emails as spam and adjust sending practices accordingly.

Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that feedback loops allow email senders to receive reports when recipients mark their emails as spam. Monitoring feedback loops can help identify and address deliverability issues.

March 2022 - SparkPost

Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that low sender reputation can cause emails to be marked as spam or blocked. It suggests monitoring your domain and IP reputation in Postmaster Tools to identify any sudden drops.

March 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools

Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that strict DMARC policies (p=quarantine or p=reject) without proper SPF and DKIM alignment can lead to legitimate emails being blocked. It advises starting with a relaxed policy (p=none) and gradually tightening it as authentication improves.

July 2024 - RFC Editor

Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that Gmail delivery issues can stem from incorrect MX record setup, SPF record misconfiguration, or DKIM not being properly enabled. It recommends checking these settings in the Google Admin console.

March 2025 - Google Workspace Admin Help