My emails land in my customers' spam folder
- Mail servers check if your email really came from you. Three records, called SPF, DKIM and DMARC, prove it.
- If they are missing or wrong, even good email can land in spam.
Try these steps, in order
- Ask the customer to check junk. Ask them to open the junk folder, find your email, and choose Not junk. Ask them to add your address to their contacts.
- Send a test to a free account. Send a plain email to a free personal account you own. See if it lands in the inbox or in spam. Try two different free providers.
- Look at what you sent. Emails with only a picture, many links, all capital letters or words like free and urgent look like spam. Write like a person.
- Check you are not sending bulk mail from your normal inbox. Sending hundreds of emails from a normal mailbox can get it flagged. Use a proper email marketing service for newsletters.
- Ask your IT provider to check the three records. They can look at SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your domain and fix what is missing.
What are the three records, in plain words?
- SPF is a list of who may send email for your company.
- DKIM is a seal on each email that shows it was not changed on the way.
- DMARC tells other mail servers what to do if an email fails those checks, and sends you reports.
They are small text entries kept with your domain name. They are not hard for a pro, but one wrong character can stop your mail, so do not guess.
Why this also protects you
The same records make it harder for a crook to send fake emails that look like they came from your company.
When to call a pro
- Test emails to free accounts also land in spam.
- Customers say they never got an invoice or quote you know you sent.
- You send newsletters or invoices from your own domain and want them to arrive.
- Someone has sent fake emails using your company name.
Need IT support for your business?
Call Ava, or book a free check. We look at your setup and tell you what we would fix first, in plain words, whether or not you hire us.
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Common questions
What are SPF, DKIM and DMARC?
Three records that prove an email came from your company. They help your good email reach the inbox and block fakes.
Can I fix this myself?
A small change is possible, but a wrong entry can stop your mail. Most owners ask their IT provider.
How long does a fix take to work?
Changes to domain records can take from a few minutes to a day to spread.
Keep reading
- How to spot a phishing email
- Fake invoice and fake boss emails: how to stop them
- Moving to Microsoft 365: what to plan
Where we help
Minority- and Black-owned businesses are welcome here, and so is every other small business.
Book a free 30-minute review
Tell us what is not working. We will look at your setup and tell you what we would change, whether or not you hire us.
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