Guide
How to stop your business email going to spam
Business email goes to spam mainly because of missing authentication, a poor sender reputation, risky content or sending to people who did not ask for it. Fix the records first, with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, send only wanted mail from your own domain and use a mailing service for bulk messages. Our plans include spam protection and an external mail relay to help delivery.
The decision
How a message ends up in spam
- AuthenticationDo SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass?
- ReputationHas this sender behaved well?
- ContentDoes it look like spam?
- ReactionDo recipients open or report it?
- VerdictInbox, spam or rejected
Why
What receiving servers look at
Mail providers want to protect their users, so they judge every message on several signals at once. No single factor decides, and a message that is strong in most areas can survive a weakness in one.
The main signals are technical (are the DNS records correct and does the sending server have a clean history), behavioural (do people open and reply, or delete and report) and content-based (does the message look like known spam). You control most of them.
Fix these first
The most common causes and cures
Missing authentication
Add SPF and DKIM, and a DMARC policy. See our explainer.
Bulk sending from a mailbox
Newsletters and mailings should go through a dedicated service, not an ordinary mailbox.
Unwanted recipients
Sending to people who never asked for mail leads to spam reports, which damage your reputation.
Spammy content
Shouting subjects, heavy images with little text and shortened links can all trigger filters.
A compromised account
A hacked mailbox sending junk will wreck your reputation. Use strong passwords and two-factor login.
A new or changed domain
New domains have no history. Warm up slowly with normal volumes of wanted mail.
Worked example
A trade business finds its quotes landing in spam
A small electrical firm sends quotes from a mailbox on its own domain. Several customers say they never received them. The owner checks and finds that SPF is present but there is no DKIM signature and no DMARC policy.
The firm turns on DKIM in the mail system, publishes the key and adds a DMARC record in monitor mode. It also notices that the quote template is a single large image with almost no text, which spam filters dislike. The template is changed to plain text with a small logo.
A week later, test messages reach inboxes at the major providers. The DMARC reports show only the firm's own server sending mail in its name. The fix needed no new software, only correct records and a better message.
A checklist
Ten things to check when mail goes to spam
When messages are landing in spam, work through the list in order. Most problems are solved by the first four.
- SPF exists, and there is only one SPF record
- DKIM is enabled and the key is published
- A DMARC record exists
- The "from" address is on your own domain
- The message has real text, not just an image
- Links are not shortened or mismatched
- The recipient list contains only people who want your mail
- The mailbox has not been compromised
- The sending server is not on a blocklist
- You are not sending large bulk mailings from a mailbox
Patience
Reputation takes time
Records take effect quickly, but reputation recovers slowly. If your domain has had a poor record, expect days or weeks of consistent, wanted mail before inbox placement improves. Do not send test blasts. Send normal messages, ask regular contacts to reply and be patient.
If you changed providers recently, your new sending server also has to earn trust. Start with modest volumes and build up. The steadier the pattern, the better your standing.
Prevention
Make good habits part of the routine
Deliverability is easier to keep than to repair. Review your records whenever you add a new sending service, keep your contact lists clean, and make unsubscribing easy for marketing mail. Ask a colleague to check that messages arrive on a couple of different providers.
If you ever send a campaign and see a spike in complaints or bounces, stop and investigate before sending more. A day of care protects months of reputation.
Asking for help
What to send support if it keeps happening
If you have worked through the checklist and mail still lands in spam, gather the facts before you contact anyone. Note the sender and recipient addresses, the date and time, the recipient's provider and, if you can, the full message headers. Headers show which checks passed or failed and which servers handled the message.
With those details, our live chat can usually spot the cause quickly. Without them, a good deal of time is spent guessing. It is also worth telling us what changed recently, such as a new service, a new domain or a spike in sending, because the cause is very often something that changed.
Email built for delivery
Spam protection and an external mail relay come with every plan.
Action plan
A practical plan to improve delivery
Check your records
Verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC with a testing tool.
Send from your own domain
Avoid free webmail addresses as the "from" address for business mail.
Clean your list
Remove addresses that bounce or never engage.
Write plainly
Use clear subjects, real text and your real name and address.
Ask people to reply
Replies are a strong positive signal. Encourage them where it is natural.
Diagnosing
What the symptom usually means
| Symptom | Likely cause | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Mail to one provider goes to spam | A reputation or content issue with that provider | Check records and send plain test messages |
| Mail to everyone goes to spam | Missing authentication or a compromised account | Test records and change passwords |
| Mail bounces | A wrong address or a block | Read the bounce message carefully |
| Replies never arrive | MX records or full mailbox | Check DNS and mailbox size |
| Mail is delayed | Greylisting or server load | Wait, then contact support with headers |
Rules
UK rules on marketing email
In the UK, sending marketing email to individuals generally needs their consent, with limited exceptions for existing customers, and every message must make it easy to opt out. Business-to-business rules differ for some recipients. Read the Information Commissioner's Office guidance, or take advice, before you start a campaign.
Good practice and good deliverability point the same way: send mail people expect, make unsubscribing easy and honour requests quickly.
FAQ
Common questions
Why do my emails go to spam even though they are genuine?
Usually missing authentication, a poor sending reputation or content that triggers filters. Check your records first.
Does your hosting help with delivery?
Yes. Spam protection filters incoming mail, and an external mail relay helps outgoing messages reach inboxes.
Can I send newsletters from my mailbox?
We recommend a dedicated mailing service for bulk mail.
How long does it take to fix?
Correct records take effect quickly. Reputation recovers over days or weeks of good sending.
What if only one person is affected?
Ask them to mark your message as not spam and add you to contacts, and check for a block on their side.
Keep reading
Related pages
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