Why do emails sometimes end up in the spam folder?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that one of the primary reasons emails land in spam is due to low engagement. If recipients don't open, click, or respond to your emails, ISPs may start filtering them as spam.
Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailExpert shares that using purchased email lists is a surefire way to end up in spam. These lists often contain outdated or invalid addresses, leading to high bounce rates and spam complaints.
Email marketer from Litmus Blog explains that using deceptive subject lines that don't accurately reflect the content of the email can lead to spam complaints and damage your sender reputation.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor Blog answers that inconsistent sending patterns can be a red flag for spam filters. Establishing a regular sending schedule can improve your sender reputation.
Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that using spam trigger words in your subject line or email body can cause your email to be flagged as spam. Words like 'free,' 'guarantee,' or excessive use of exclamation points can trigger spam filters.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that failing to provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe from your emails can lead to spam complaints, as frustrated users may mark your email as spam instead of unsubscribing.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that a poor sender reputation can cause emails to land in spam. This reputation is based on your sending history, spam complaints, and other factors.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares the reason for emails going to spam is because average users mark them as spam.
Email marketer from Gmass Blog shares that a high number of spam complaints directly impacts your sender reputation and deliverability rates. Encourage recipients to mark your emails as 'not spam' if they accidentally end up in the spam folder.
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog shares that sending emails too frequently can overwhelm recipients and lead to them marking your emails as spam. Segmenting your audience and tailoring your sending frequency to their preferences is important.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that poor list hygiene, including sending to old, unengaged, or invalid email addresses, can significantly damage your sender reputation and increase the likelihood of emails landing in the spam folder. Regular list cleaning is crucial.
Expert from SpamResource explains that sending large volumes of email without proper infrastructure and reputation can lead to deliverability issues, including emails landing in the spam folder. ISPs monitor sending volume as a key indicator of potential spam.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that high complaint rates (recipients marking emails as spam) negatively impact sender reputation and cause emails to land in the spam folder. Monitoring and responding to feedback loops is essential for maintaining good deliverability.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that emails going to spam happens from time to time, even Microsoft puts other Microsoft mail in the spam folder all the time. There are no exceptions for internal teams to do bad things just because they are part of the same umbrella company.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that if your email isn't properly authenticated (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), it's more likely to be marked as spam. Authentication helps ISPs verify that you are who you say you are.
Documentation from Spamhaus shares that your email may go to spam if your sending IP has a low reputation or has been associated with spam activity in the past.
Documentation from RFC Editor says that improperly formatted emails, such as missing headers or invalid characters, can trigger spam filters. Adhering to email standards is crucial for deliverability.
Documentation from Google Support answers that emails can end up in spam if the sender's IP address or domain is on a blocklist. These lists are used by ISPs to filter out known sources of spam.