Why are my emails going to the spam box in Hotmail?
Summary
What email marketers say14Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Webmaster Forum suggests segmenting your email list to send more targeted and relevant content to subscribers. Sending the same email to everyone can increase spam complaints and negatively affect your sender reputation with Hotmail.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that if you're being put in the spam folder, your best bet is to fill out the mitigation form and make your case.
Email marketer from Email Geeks responds that this seems to have been the case since Microsoft moved from the old Hotmail infrastructure to Outlook Protection about 2 years ago.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection emphasizes the importance of monitoring feedback loops from email providers like Hotmail. Feedback loops provide information about spam complaints, allowing you to identify and remove problematic subscribers from your list.
Email marketer from StackOverflow suggests including a clear and easy-to-find unsubscribe link in your emails. Making it easy for people to unsubscribe reduces the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam, which can improve your sender reputation with Hotmail.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that content is key. Avoid spam trigger words and phrases, and ensure your email content is relevant and engaging. High image-to-text ratios can also trigger spam filters. Personalize emails and avoid sounding overly promotional.
Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that ensuring your subscription process is clear and opt-in based is critical. Avoid adding people to your list without their explicit consent. Use a double opt-in process to confirm subscribers and reduce spam complaints.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that in most cases where the sender isn't spamming, the mitigation form helps.
Email marketer from EmailOversight explains that one of the most common reasons for emails landing in Hotmail's spam folder is a low sender reputation. This reputation is based on various factors like bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics. Microsoft is strict about spam, and a poor sender reputation can lead to emails being filtered.
Email marketer from Reddit recommends warming up new IPs or domains before sending large email volumes. Gradually increasing the sending volume over time helps build a positive reputation with email providers like Hotmail.
Email marketer from GlockApps advises to regularly check your IP and domain reputation using tools like SenderScore and Talos. Monitoring these scores helps identify and address any deliverability issues before they significantly impact inbox placement with Hotmail.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests checking your domain and IP reputation using online tools. Blacklisting can cause emails to go to spam. Also, ensure proper authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set up correctly.
Email marketer from Email Geeks says there are head scratchers sometimes where they won't budge on good mail, but its rare
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that deliverability teams deal with inbox placement at Microsoft pretty much daily.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Microsoft's SmartScreen filter analyzes various signals, including sender reputation, content, and user complaints, to filter spam. They suggest that senders focus on building a good reputation by sending wanted mail and avoiding spam traps.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Microsoft (Hotmail/Outlook) uses a combination of reputation, content, and user feedback to determine if an email should be placed in the inbox or spam folder. They advise checking your sender reputation and ensuring that your email content is not triggering spam filters.
Expert from Word to the Wise advises that being on blocklists can cause deliverability problems. They recommend regularly checking if your IP or domain is on any blocklists and taking steps to get removed if necessary.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that Microsoft believes their filtering is what their subscribers want and they seem loathe to change anything based on feedback from senders.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that he has trouble getting any decent engagement from Microsoft users and even less luck getting any help from Microsoft themselves.
Expert from Word to the Wise advises that maintaining a good sender reputation is key for avoiding the spam folder at Hotmail. She says to monitor bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics, and promptly address any issues.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from DKIM explains that DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) provides an email authentication system that allows email senders to digitally sign their messages, which email receivers can then verify. Implementing DKIM can significantly improve email deliverability to Hotmail by proving email authenticity.
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a policy that tells email receivers what to do with emails that fail authentication checks. Implementing DMARC and monitoring reports can help identify and address spoofing attempts, improving deliverability to Hotmail.
Documentation from IETF explains best practices for email formatting and transmission. Adhering to these standards, such as using valid MIME types and proper header formatting, can help ensure your emails are correctly interpreted by Hotmail's spam filters.
Documentation from RFC explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records help prevent email spoofing. Creating and maintaining an accurate SPF record for your domain is crucial for authenticating your emails and improving deliverability to Hotmail.
Documentation from Microsoft outlines that Outlook.com has strict policies regarding spam and unsolicited email. Senders must adhere to best practices for email authentication, list management, and content creation to ensure deliverability. High bounce rates or spam complaints can result in IP or domain blacklisting.