Why are my emails bouncing with REASON 552 5.7.0 in Gmail?
Summary
What email marketers say14Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that bounces were caused by email addresses in pixel/tracking links, and using subscriber IDs instead resolved the issue.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor advises implementing strong email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify the sender's identity and improve email deliverability. They provide guides on how to set up these protocols correctly.
Email marketer from HubSpot describes the process of warming up new IP addresses before sending large email volumes to establish a positive reputation with ISPs like Gmail. Gradually increasing sending volume over time helps avoid being flagged as a spammer.
Marketer from Email Geeks recommends changing the "?e=" to something else and keeping the email address at the end of the URL to avoid the bounce.
Email marketer from Mailjet recommends A/B testing different email elements (subject lines, content, links) to identify what performs best with Gmail's filters. This iterative approach helps discover content patterns that minimize bounce rates.
Email marketer from emailgeek.com answers by explaining the error is triggered when Gmail's security filter identifies a potential threat within the message content, such as suspicious links or attachments. Common solutions involve removing or modifying the offending content and ensuring sender reputation is in good standing.
Email marketer from Email on Acid recommends using URL checkers and expanders to inspect the destination of links contained in emails. Sometimes malicious redirects or compromised websites can cause email content filters to flag the message as a security risk.
Email marketer from StackOverflow responds that the 552 5.7.0 error frequently occurs when Gmail's spam filters are triggered by certain words or phrases. Experimenting with subject lines and message bodies can help identify content patterns that cause bounces.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains Gmail bounces emails with email addresses at the very end of tracking URLs. They are investigating if Gmail might close the gap on emails found anywhere in the URLs.
Email marketer from Litmus advises using email testing tools to check email content against common spam filters, including those used by Gmail. Identifying and removing content triggering these filters can prevent bounces with the 552 5.7.0 error.
Email marketer from Reddit shares various users speculate that aggressive link shortening, inclusion of certain file types as attachments, and sender reputation are major factors in emails getting blocked by Gmail. Some recommend warming up new sending IPs and diversifying email content.
Email marketer from SendGrid explains the importance of a positive sender reputation, recommending steps like authenticating your sending domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, maintaining consistent sending volumes, and actively managing bounce and complaint rates.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests using redirect tools like wheregoes.com to trace URL hops and checking Google's scenarios for the specific bounce error.
Email marketer from MailerLite suggests a bounce with error 552 5.7.0 indicates content is being flagged as a security risk. They advise carefully reviewing email content, links, and attachments for anything that could be misconstrued as malicious. Furthermore, they suggest testing email content to identify specific triggers.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks suggests examining the content and links of the messages causing bounces, especially for domains hosting phishing or malware sites.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Belgray, explains the error often arises from spam filters, which scrutinize email content for specific triggers. She recommends avoiding excessive use of spam trigger words, being mindful of link destinations, and ensuring your content aligns with audience expectations.
Expert from Email Geeks advises identifying common links across bounced emails, looking at CDNs, hosting sites, or third-party providers with potential security vulnerabilities.
Expert from Spam Resource, John Levine, shares that 552 errors can be caused by problems with email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) or with the content of the email itself triggering spam filters. He suggests checking email headers for more specific information and using tools to assess sender reputation.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Google Support explains that the error message '552 5.7.0 This message was blocked because its content presents a potential security issue' indicates that Gmail blocked the message due to suspected malicious content. They advise reviewing Google's policies to ensure compliance.
Documentation from Postmark explains while Postmark does not have information specific to the Gmail 552 5.7.0 error code, Postmark says this error code often signals a problem with email content as perceived by the recipient server's security policies. Ensuring emails adhere to best practices for content and authentication can improve deliverability.
Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that, while not specific to Gmail, if you're routing emails through Exchange online then Microsoft’s outbound spam filters are flagging the email. Ensure that you do not have any compromised accounts, that your email adheres to their policies, and that your domains are correctly configured.
Documentation from RFC Editor shares RFC 5321 discusses SMTP error codes. While it doesn't directly address the 552 5.7.0 error, it provides context on the general nature of permanent negative completion codes, often related to content filtering or policy restrictions enacted by the receiving mail server.