Why Are My Emails Going to Spam? — Troubleshooting Guide

Cause 1: Missing SPF Record

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) tells email servers that you are authorised to send email from your domain. Without it, your emails look suspicious.

Fix: Add a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings (via your registrar — GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.):

• •For Gmail/Google Workspace: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• •For Microsoft 365: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all

Cause 2: Missing DKIM Signature

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to your emails proving they were not tampered with in transit.

Fix: Enable DKIM in your email provider: Google Workspace Admin Console → Gmail → Authenticate Email. Microsoft 365: Admin Centre → Settings → Domains → DNS records.

Cause 3: New Domain or Account (No Reputation)

New email addresses and domains have no sending history. ISPs treat them as high-risk.

Fix: Use Vedain's warmup feature (Settings → Email → Warmup) for 2-4 weeks before sending large campaigns. See the Email Warmup Guide.

Cause 4: High Bounce Rate

If many emails in previous campaigns bounced (invalid addresses), ISPs penalise your sender reputation.

Fix: Clean your list. Use an email verification service (ZeroBounce, NeverBounce, or similar) before importing. Remove any addresses that have previously hard-bounced — Vedain automatically suppresses them from future campaigns.

Cause 5: Spam Trigger Words or Excessive Formatting

• •Avoid: FREE, URGENT, ACT NOW, LIMITED TIME, CLICK HERE, $$$ in subject lines.
• •Avoid: ALL CAPS subject lines.
• •Avoid: Excessive exclamation marks (!!!)
• •Avoid: Red text, large fonts, or image-only emails with no text.

How to Test Your Email Spam Score

Use mail-tester.com (free): send a test email to the address they give you, then click Check your score. You get a 1-10 score and specific recommendations.