My emails go to spam: why, and how to fix it

A quote sleeping in a client's junk folder is a contract slipping through your fingers. Good news: in the vast majority of cases the cause is technical, well known, and fixable in under an hour.

Why your emails end up in spam

Since 2024, Google and Microsoft have tightened the screws: an email whose sending domain is not authenticated is suspicious by default. Concretely, when your email reaches your client, their server asks three questions:

1. Is this server allowed to send for this domain? (that is the SPF record's job)
2. Is the message digitally signed by the domain? (that is DKIM)
3. What should happen if the answer is no? (that is the DMARC policy)

One missing or wrong answer, and your quote goes to junk — even if you have never sent a single spam message in your life.

The 4 most common causes in small businesses

1. Incomplete SPF — you send from Microsoft 365 or Google, but also from your website or a newsletter tool that is not in the authorized-senders list.
2. DKIM never enabled — on Microsoft 365 in particular, the digital signature does not turn itself on: it must be enabled once in the admin console.
3. No DMARC — without this policy, email providers have no instructions and stay wary. Since 2024, Gmail requires it for bulk senders.
4. Domain reputation — a brand-new domain, or one already spoofed by fraudsters, starts with a trust deficit (one more reason to lock down points 1-3).

How to fix it, in order

1. Get the diagnosis — our free check verifies your domain's SPF, DKIM and DMARC and tells you exactly what is missing, in plain English.
2. Fix with the exact values — the free action plan (AI-generated for your provider: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace…) gives you the records to copy-paste, or to send straight to your webmaster.
3. Enable DKIM at your provider — step-by-step guides: Microsoft 365 · Google Workspace.
4. Monitor that it stays good — a provider changing its servers or a modified DNS can silently break everything. Free monitoring alerts you if your configuration degrades.

What if everything is already configured?

Then the problem lies elsewhere: message content (heavy attachments, shortened links, trigger words), bulk sending without unsubscribe, or your provider's IP reputation. But in our experience with small businesses, more than 8 cases out of 10 are solved with SPF, DKIM and DMARC — start with the free test.