Why are my emails from GoHighLevel landing in spam and how do I fix it?

Summary

Emails from GoHighLevel often land in spam due to a combination of factors including the platform's potential association with cold emailing practices, incorrect DNS settings, lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), shared IP addresses impacting sender reputation, poor list hygiene, and the use of spam trigger words. Experts and email marketers recommend moving opt-in mail off platforms known for spamming, using a dedicated sending domain, warming up IP addresses, rigorously implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, maintaining a clean email list, avoiding spam trigger words, building a positive sending reputation, and using double opt-in methods.

Key findings

  • Platform Association: GoHighLevel may be flagged due to its potential association with cold email and spam practices.
  • Authentication is Key: Proper implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is vital for verifying email authenticity and preventing spoofing.
  • Sender Reputation Matters: A good sender reputation, built on consistent sending volume, low complaint rates, and high engagement, is critical.
  • Clean List is Essential: Maintaining a clean, engaged email list helps prevent emails from being marked as spam.
  • Warm-up Process Important: Warming up new IP addresses helps establish a positive sender reputation with ISPs.

Key considerations

  • Consider Platform Choice: Evaluate migrating to a platform known for better email deliverability if issues persist.
  • Dedicated Sending: Use a dedicated sending domain and consider using your own Mailgun account instead of shared resources.
  • Authentication Setup: Thoroughly set up and regularly monitor SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to ensure proper authentication.
  • List Maintenance: Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid, inactive, and unengaged subscribers.
  • Content Optimization: Avoid spam trigger words and create relevant, personalized content to improve engagement.
  • Double Opt-in Usage: Implement double opt-in to confirm subscribers' interest and reduce the risk of spam complaints.
  • Monitoring and Adjustment: Continuously monitor email deliverability metrics and adjust strategies as needed to maintain a healthy sending reputation.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Emails from GoHighLevel often land in spam due to issues like improper domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), shared IP addresses affecting sender reputation, and poor list hygiene. Solutions involve using a dedicated sending domain, warming up the IP address, implementing proper authentication, cleaning email lists, avoiding spam trigger words, and ensuring compliance with email marketing best practices.

Key opinions

  • Authentication: Proper setup of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying your domain's legitimacy and preventing spoofing.
  • Sender Reputation: Shared IP addresses on GoHighLevel can negatively impact sender reputation if other users engage in poor sending practices.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean email list by removing invalid or unengaged subscribers improves deliverability.
  • IP Warm-up: Gradually increasing email volume from a new IP address helps establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs.
  • Spam Triggers: Avoiding spam trigger words in email content can prevent emails from being flagged as spam.

Key considerations

  • Dedicated Domain: Using a dedicated sending domain instead of a shared GoHighLevel domain can improve deliverability.
  • Double Opt-in: Implementing double opt-in ensures subscribers are genuinely interested and reduces spam complaints.
  • Relevance & Personalization: Keeping email content relevant and personalized can improve engagement and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.
  • Compliance: Ensuring compliance with email marketing best practices, such as CAN-SPAM, is essential for maintaining a good sender reputation.
  • Monitoring: Continuously monitor your sender reputation and email deliverability metrics to identify and address any issues promptly.
Marketer view

Email marketer from GHLPro Blog explains that using a dedicated sending domain, warming up the IP address, and setting up proper authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are crucial for improving email deliverability in GoHighLevel. They also emphasize the importance of list hygiene and avoiding spam trigger words.

June 2024 - GHLPro Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus advises regularly cleaning your email list to remove invalid or inactive email addresses. This can be done using email verification services or by segmenting and targeting engaged subscribers, resulting in higher deliverability and engagement rates.

August 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests that GoHighLevel emails can end up in spam due to shared IP addresses, which can be affected by other users' sending practices. They recommend using a dedicated IP address and properly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.

July 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that warming up an IP address involves gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new IP address to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. This prevents your emails from being flagged as spam and improves overall deliverability.

November 2022 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot explains that using double opt-in involves sending a confirmation email to new subscribers, requiring them to click a link to verify their email address. This helps ensure that your subscribers are genuinely interested in receiving your emails and reduces the risk of spam complaints.

October 2021 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid highlights that avoiding spam trigger words in your email subject lines and body can help prevent your emails from being flagged as spam. Using a natural and engaging tone can also contribute to better deliverability.

August 2024 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares tips to avoid ending in spam when using GoHighLevel, including using your own Mailgun account, a dedicated sending domain, proper DMARC, DKIM, and SPF setup, and domain warm-up with drip mode sending.

January 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from GoHighLevel Help Center explains that emails from GoHighLevel might land in spam due to factors like incorrect DNS settings, lack of domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sending unsolicited emails, or a poor sender reputation. They recommend verifying DNS records, authenticating the domain, warming up the IP address, and ensuring compliance with email marketing best practices.

May 2021 - GoHighLevel Help Center
Marketer view

Email marketer from DigitalMarketer explains that to improve email deliverability, it’s important to build a clean email list by verifying email addresses, segmenting your audience, and regularly removing unengaged subscribers. Also, it's important to keep your content relevant and personalized.

December 2024 - DigitalMarketer
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid stresses the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to prove that your emails are legitimate and prevent spoofing. Proper authentication builds trust with ISPs and improves email deliverability.

May 2023 - Email on Acid

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

Emails from GoHighLevel may land in spam due to the platform's association with cold email practices and potential for poor sender reputation. Experts recommend focusing on email deliverability fundamentals, including proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining list hygiene, avoiding spam traps, and building a good sending reputation through consistent sending volume, low complaint rates, and positive engagement metrics. Moving to a platform not associated with spam and implementing DKIM are also suggested.

Key opinions

  • Platform Reputation: GoHighLevel may be associated with cold emailing, leading to a higher likelihood of emails being flagged as spam.
  • Email Fundamentals: Correct email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and list hygiene are critical for email deliverability, regardless of the platform used.
  • Sending Reputation: A good sending reputation, based on consistent sending volume, low complaint rates, and engagement, is essential for avoiding spam filters.

Key considerations

  • Platform Choice: Consider migrating to a platform not associated with spamming to improve deliverability.
  • Authentication: Ensure proper setup and maintenance of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid and unengaged subscribers.
  • Sending Practices: Maintain consistent sending volume and monitor complaint rates to build a positive sender reputation.
  • Engagement: Focus on creating engaging content to improve open rates and click-through rates.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks agrees with Laura and suggests moving to Mailchimp and fully implementing DKIM for the domain to improve email deliverability.

December 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that GoHighLevel is likely treated as spam because most filters treat cold email as spam, and recommends moving opt-in mail off a cold email program to have good delivery.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says that using a tool that supports and encourages spam can negatively impact email deliverability, and good delivery in such cases is accidental. She recommends against using platforms used for spamming for opt-in mail.

January 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource.com answers by highlighting that building a good sending reputation is crucial for deliverability. Factors such as consistent sending volume, low complaint rates, and engagement metrics (opens, clicks) all contribute to your sender reputation, and a poor reputation can lead to emails being filtered as spam.

May 2021 - Spamresource.com
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains the importance of getting the email deliverability fundamentals right for every email you send. This includes having correct authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining good list hygiene, and avoiding spam traps, as these factors can contribute to emails landing in spam folders, regardless of the platform used.

January 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for improving email deliverability and preventing emails from landing in spam. SPF allows you to specify authorized mail servers, DKIM verifies the sender's identity using a digital signature, and DMARC provides a policy for handling emails that fail authentication checks. Adhering to the standards for SPF records ensures correct interpretation by receiving mail servers.

Key findings

  • SPF: SPF allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain.
  • DKIM: DKIM uses a digital signature to verify the sender's identity and ensure the email's integrity.
  • DMARC: DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM to provide a policy for handling emails that fail authentication, protecting against spoofing and phishing.
  • Authentication's Role: Proper setup of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC enhances email deliverability by proving email legitimacy and preventing spoofing.

Key considerations

  • Implementation: Correctly implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails and prevent them from being marked as spam.
  • Standard Adherence: Adhere to established standards and syntax when creating SPF records to ensure they are properly interpreted.
  • Policy Enforcement: Define a clear DMARC policy to instruct receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail authentication checks.
  • Regular Monitoring: Regularly monitor DMARC reports to identify potential authentication issues and refine your email security policies.
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor specifies the proper syntax and usage of SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records, including mechanisms and modifiers. Adhering to these standards ensures that your SPF record is correctly interpreted by receiving mail servers.

March 2022 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication method that allows you to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Creating an SPF record helps prevent spammers from forging your email address and improves email deliverability.

August 2022 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM to provide a policy for handling emails that fail authentication checks. Implementing DMARC helps protect your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks, and improves email deliverability.

April 2021 - DMARC.org
Technical article

Documentation from Mailgun explains that DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication method that uses a digital signature to verify the sender's identity and ensure that the email has not been altered during transit. Correctly setting up DKIM is crucial for improving email deliverability and avoiding spam filters.

October 2023 - Mailgun