Let’s be clear: sending emails to potential customers isn’t as simple as just clicking “send.” If you think that’s enough, think again. The real challenge is making sure your emails land in the right place—the inbox. The hard truth? There’s always a risk that your emails go to spam.

But don’t freak out just yet. The good news is, this issue is preventable. We’ve put together a 4-step plan to help you avoid the spam folder and ensure your emails reach your audience.

Emails Going to Spam is Not New

First things first: Don’t worry. If your emails go to spam, you’re not alone. It happens to every email marketer at some point. Think of it like having your Facebook ad account suspended or your YouTube channel getting blocked. It feels like the end of the world, but it’s fixable.

In 2024, a staggering 46.8% of all emails sent globally were flagged as scams. Of those, 36% were marketing or advertising emails—meaning yours could be in that group.

Your emails can end up in spam for several reasons, and there’s no quick customer service number to call for answers. It’s also tricky that you won’t always know if your email’s heading straight for spam because it’s up to the recipient’s email service provider to decide. 

This just proves how crucial it is to get your emails right before you hit that “send” button.

Step 1: Check Your Email Setup

Your email delivery is only as good as your setup. There are three major pieces to this puzzle:

• Your Email Server: This is the platform you’re using to send your emails (think Gmail, Microsoft Office). It’s important to use a trusted server, especially for beginners. Private servers may seem cheaper or more flexible, but they can raise red flags, especially if they don’t have a strong reputation— and that could easily get your emails blocked.

• Your Domain: This is your website address—like “yourcompany.com.” The provider you use to buy your domain matters. GoDaddy is usually a safe bet, while cheaper alternatives could come back to bite you.

• DNS Records: These technical settings prove you actually own your domain and help email servers verify your emails as legitimate. You’ll need to make sure your MX records and TXT records are configured correctly.

MX records ensure that your mail server is properly set up to receive messages. Meanwhile, TXT records are key to avoiding your emails being tagged as spam, as they help authenticate the emails you send (e.g., via SPF, DKIM, and DMARC). 

While MX records don’t directly stop your emails from being flagged as spam, they are half of your email infrastructure. If they’re not configured correctly, it can affect your overall reputation and email delivery.

Follow these guides to set up your DNS records, depending on your email server: Microsoft Office or Google.

Step 2: Watch Out for Spammy Language

The content of your email is just as important as the technical setup, as poor content can also increase the chances that emails go to spam.

If your email contains words or phrases that are often associated with spam, it’s more likely to get flagged by spam filters. Here are 9 spam trigger words you want to steer clear of:

• 100%

• Make Money

• Act Now

• Do It Today

• Instant

• Order Now

• Click Here

• Please Read

• Winner

I know what you’re thinking: "Who has time to sift through every single word in their emails?" Fair point. 

That’s why most business owners often turn to two options: (1) use AI-powered spam word checkers (there are plenty available online), (2) partner with services like Flowpio, where you don’t just get access to the platform but also a dedicated team that can create, manage, and optimize your email marketing campaigns.

Timing is crucial when fixing your spam issue. The longer your emails are flagged as spam by email servers, the harder it becomes to resolve the problem.

This is because email servers' filtering systems tend to categorize certain senders as spam based on previous behaviors (e.g., high complaint rates or poor sender reputation). Once an email account or domain is flagged, it affects the deliverability of future emails, and consistent flagging can damage the sender's reputation.

Step 3: Keep Your Email Quality High (In General)

At the end of the day, sending valuable, relevant emails to the right people is the best way to avoid emails go to spam. If you're sending emails to people who don’t want them, they’ll mark your emails as spam, which harms your reputation.

• Limit Links: Keep the number of links in your email to a maximum of three. Too many links can look spammy.

• Avoid URL Shorteners: Skip using tools like bit.ly. These can make your email appear unprofessional. If you must use them, consider branded URL shorteners like Rebrandly.

• Design Responsively: Make sure your emails look good on all devices, especially mobile, to keep recipients engaged.

• Add Alt Text for Images: Ensure that all images in your emails have alt text. This ensures your message is conveyed even if the image doesn’t load.

• Balance Text and Images: Aim for a 60% text to 40% image ratio. Too many images can trigger spam filters and hurt your deliverability.

• Avoid Large File Sizes: Keep your email file size under 100KB to improve load times and reduce the chances of being flagged by spam filters.

• No Attachments: Avoid sending attachments in your marketing emails, as they can trigger security warnings and reduce deliverability. Use cloud links instead.

• Clear Unsubscribe Option: Include an easy-to-find unsubscribe link, preferably in both the header and footer of your emails.

• Use Clean HTML: Avoid broken HTML, and be cautious when copying and pasting from word processors to prevent hidden formatting issues.

Step 4: Test Your Setup

Now comes the hard part: Testing. 

• Check Email Warm-Up: Just like you warm up a car before driving, your email address needs time to build trust with email servers. This means that business owners may need to start sending a few emails first, then slowly sending more over time so servers know your emails are safe.

You can use tools like Lemwarm to check if your email has a good reputation.

• Verify Your DNS Records: Use a service like Instantly to check if your DNS records are correctly set up. These records include SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. 

Heads-up: Google and Yahoo began enforcing new email requirements for bulk senders (those sending over 5,000 emails per day) last February 2024. If you don’t meet their new standards, don’t expect your emails to make it to Gmail or Yahoo inboxes— either your emails go to spam or bounce back with an error code 

To comply, bulk senders should:

1. Authenticate emails with SPF and DKIM.

2. Publish a DMARC record for the domain.

3. Include an easy-to-use unsubscribe method.

4. Monitor spam rates and maintain low thresholds.

• Test Your Email Copy: Before sending emails, run them through a spam checker like Mail Tester to ensure they won’t be flagged for suspicious content.

• Check for Blocklists: Sometimes your domain or email address might get added to a blocklist, which could explain why your emails go to spam. Use tools like MxToolbox to see if your email is on one of these lists. If it is, you’ll need to take steps to get removed.

Tackle Spam, Effortlessly

Spam is a pain, no doubt. But by now, you’re probably drowning in tools, each one demanding your time, money, and energy just to avoid that dreaded spam folder. It's not just the cost—but also the time and effort it takes to maintain each tool.  That’s where a platform like Flowpio comes in. It handles a bunch of your business needs—web design, email marketing, content creation—all in one place.  This can free up your time in ways you might not even realize.

Don’t get discouraged if some of your emails go to spam—every business faces this. The trick? Identify the problem, fix it, and test your setup. Stick to it, and before you know it, you’ll be landing in inboxes, not the spam abyss. Keep tweaking and improving your email game, and soon enough, you’ll be crushing it with successful, deliverable emails.