Why Are My Emails Going to Spam?

Authentication is only one category

Check whether SPF or DKIM passes and aligns for DMARC, but do not stop there. Filtering also reflects recipient engagement, complaint rates, list quality, message content, sending consistency, infrastructure reputation and whether recipients expected the message.

A practical diagnosis

1. Inspect full headers for authentication results and the actual sending IP.
2. Separate one recipient's filtering from a domain-wide or provider-wide pattern.
3. Check bounce and complaint information in the sending platform.
4. Remove invalid or unengaged addresses instead of repeatedly mailing them.
5. Make the sender identity and unsubscribe route clear.
6. Change one factor at a time and keep evidence.

No tool or consultant can guarantee inbox placement. Be wary of anyone promising a universal fix based only on a score.

Use one controlled test message

Send the same expected, permission-based message through one production route to independent recipients. Record the time, sending IP, envelope domain, signing domain and authentication results without forwarding the message, because forwarding can change the path.

Interpret the outcome

If authentication fails, correct the exact mechanism or alignment issue. If authentication passes, investigate complaints, bounces, list provenance, sending volume changes, content, links and domain or IP reputation rather than repeatedly editing DNS.

Avoid misleading promises

No DNS record, score or subject-line change guarantees inbox placement. Treat each change as a hypothesis and compare delivery evidence while keeping recipient consent and unsubscribe handling intact.