Why did my email go to 100% inbox then back to 0% in Gmail?

Email marketer from Reddit shares that seed list results can be unreliable. A small seed list might show temporary positive results that don't reflect real-world deliverability.

Email marketer from Postmark discusses that CAN-SPAM Act requires that you include a physical postal address in your emails. Not including a valid physical postal address can get emails flagged as spam.

Email marketer from SendPulse explains that hitting spam traps, even briefly, can drastically lower sender reputation and cause deliverability issues. Once the reputation recovers, inboxing may improve, but hitting spam traps a second time will cause the issues to come back.

Email marketer from Litmus shares that using spam trigger words or poorly formatted HTML can cause emails to be filtered. Testing email content with spam checkers is crucial before sending.

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that missing or improperly configured authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) makes it harder for mailbox providers to verify your sending identity. Ensure to authenticate your emails with industry-standard protocols to improve deliverability.

Email marketer from GlockApps mentions that if the IP wasn't properly warmed up, email providers are wary of sudden spikes in volume, as this could indicate spamming activity. Gradual warm-up builds trust and a positive reputation.

Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital shares that poor list hygiene, including sending to inactive or unengaged subscribers, negatively impacts sender reputation. Cleaning your list regularly is important and improves deliverability.

Email marketer from Quora explains that mailbox providers monitor how users interact with the emails. If users are deleting emails without opening them, marking them as spam, or not engaging, the mailbox provider can begin sending emails to the spam folder.

Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that using a shared IP address can affect deliverability if other users on the IP engage in spammy behavior. Monitoring the IP's reputation is important.

Email marketer from Gmass explains that drastically increasing sending volume without warming up the IP address can trigger spam filters. Gradual increases are essential for maintaining a good sender reputation.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that a low or inconsistent sender reputation is often the primary cause of erratic Gmail inboxing. A single campaign performing well might not outweigh a history of poor engagement or deliverability.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Google doesn't rely on spam traps. Recipient behavior and engagement are more important factors.

Expert from SpamResource explains that inconsistent filtering can occur if only a specific segment of your list is experiencing the issue, or if variations in your email content are triggering different filters. Review the content of the emails that are being filtered to identify potential issues.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that compliance with the CAN-SPAM act, which requires accurate headers, a physical address, and an opt-out mechanism, is critical for maintaining inbox placement. Failure to comply can lead to penalties and damage to your sending reputation.

Expert from Email Geeks states that experiencing a single email achieving 100% inboxing is unusual, although they note that Google is currently making many changes.

Expert from SpamResource explains that deliverability can be impacted by factors such as sender reputation, the content of the email, and recipient engagement. They recommend to test and monitor your email campaigns to identify any issues.

Expert from Email Geeks says that Gmail may be filtering based on the recipient audience. The fact that an email was delivered when fewer Gmail addresses were included suggests the importance of stringent targeting.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests focusing sends to the 6% of Google addresses showing opens/clicks until reputation improves. A key part of boosting reputation is avoiding the spam folder. Once reputation improves, the remaining addresses can be re-warmed.

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that sending to harvested addresses is detrimental for inbox placement. Spam filtering systems exist, however, using email addresses obtained without consent is a practice that significantly damages sender reputation and deliverability rates.

Documentation from RFC 4871 shares that if the DKIM signature is invalid, modified during transit, or not present, the email may be flagged as spam. Check the DKIM signature and record validity.

Documentation from DMARC.org explains that a DMARC policy set to "reject" or "quarantine" can prevent unauthenticated emails from reaching the inbox. Incorrectly configured DMARC can cause deliverability problems.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that Gmail filters consider various factors, including the sender's reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), content quality, and user engagement. Sudden shifts in these factors can cause inboxing fluctuations.

Documentation from RFC 4408 explains that incorrect or incomplete SPF records can cause authentication failures, leading Gmail to filter emails as spam. Even a temporary SPF misconfiguration can affect deliverability.