12 Reasons Your Cold Emails Are Going to Spam

Cold emailing can be a powerful tool for lead generation and business outreach, but only if your messages actually reach their intended recipients.

Unfortunately, many cold emails end up landing in spam folders, never to be seen. This post will explore 12 common reasons your cold emails may be getting flagged as spam, preventing you from connecting with potential clients and partners.

By understanding and addressing these issues, you can dramatically improve your email deliverability and the effectiveness of your outreach campaigns.

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1. Using an Unverified Sending Domain

The domain you use to send cold emails plays a crucial role in determining whether your messages reach the inbox or get flagged as spam.

Sending from a new, unverified domain is a major red flag for spam filters.

These filters are designed to protect users from potentially malicious or unwanted emails, and a new domain without an established reputation is automatically considered high-risk.

If possible, always try using an established, verified domain with an existing positive reputation.

This means using a domain that has been in use for a while, has a consistent sending history, and has been properly set up with the necessary authentication protocols (more on that in the next point).

If you're just starting out, take the time to build your domain's reputation gradually.

This means you'll need to rest your domain for a few months and start building some positive sending history (either though targeted campaigns or warm up tools) 

This approach helps establish your domain as a legitimate sender in the eyes of email providers and spam filters.

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2. No Sender Authentication

Failing to authenticate your emails is like showing up to a high-security event without proper identification – you're likely to be turned away at the door.

In the world of email, authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) act as your digital ID.

These authentication methods verify that you are who you claim to be and that you have the authority to send emails from your domain. Without them, your cold emails scream "risky" to spam filters, significantly increasing the chances of them being blocked or sent to the spam folder.

To address this:

1. Implement SPF: This verifies that your email server is authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
2. Set up DKIM: This adds a digital signature to your emails, confirming they haven't been tampered with in transit.
3. Configure DMARC: This tells receiving servers what to do if an email fails SPF or DKIM checks, providing an extra layer of protection.

Properly authenticating your domain not only helps your cold emails pass important security checks but also builds trust with email providers, improving your overall deliverability.

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3. Aggressive Calls-to-Action and Claims
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When it comes to cold emailing, less is often more when it comes to your language and claims.

Using hype-filled language like "Act Now!" or making bold, exaggerated promises is a fast track to the spam folder.

These tactics not only trigger spam filters but can also annoy recipients, leading to more spam reports.

Instead of relying on aggressive CTAs and grand claims, focus on providing clear value to your recipient.

Your language should be professional, straightforward, and centered on how your product or service can genuinely benefit the prospect.

For example, instead of saying "Revolutionary product will 10x your profits overnight! Buy now!", try something like "Our software has helped similar businesses increase efficiency by 25% on average. Would you be interested in learning more?"

The goal of a cold email is often to start a conversation, not to close a sale immediately.

By keeping your language measured and your claims realistic, you're more likely to engage your recipient and keep your emails out of the spam folder.

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4. Irrelevant Recipients and Spraying

Mass emailing random, irrelevant people is a surefire way to destroy your email deliverability.

This practice, often called "spray and pray," not only irritates recipients but also signals to email providers that you're not a careful, considerate sender.

The key to avoiding this pitfall is to focus on quality over quantity. Instead of blasting emails to a large, undifferentiated list, take the time to:

1. Define your ideal customer profile
2. Research and build a targeted list of prospects who fit this profile
3. Personalize your outreach based on the recipient's role, company, or specific needs

By sending thoughtful, relevant emails to a carefully curated list, you're much more likely to engage recipients and avoid spam filters.

This approach may require more upfront work, but it pays off in higher open rates, better engagement, and improved overall deliverability for your cold email campaigns.

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5. Sending Mass Email Blasts

While it might be tempting to reach as many prospects as possible as quickly as possible, sending large volumes of cold emails at once is a major red flag for spam filters.

Sudden, massive spikes in email volume often mimic the behavior of spammers, triggering automatic filtering of your messages.

Instead, adopt a more measured approach:

1. Start small: Begin with modest daily send volumes.
2. Gradually increase: Slowly ramp up your sending volume over time.
3. Test and monitor: Regularly check your delivery rates and adjust accordingly.
4. Maintain consistency: Aim for steady, moderate daily volumes rather than sporadic large blasts.

Remember, email providers look for consistent, "human-like" sending patterns. By aligning your send volumes with recipient tolerance levels and gradually building up your sending reputation, you can significantly improve your chances of reaching the inbox.

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6. Copying Generic Emails

One size definitely doesn't fit all in cold emailing.

Sending identical, templated emails is not only ineffective but also a quick way to get your messages marked as spam.

Both recipients and spam filters can easily spot these generic, copy-paste emails.

To avoid this:

1. Personalize each email: Include the recipient's name, company, and other relevant details.
2. Tailor your message: Customize your content based on the prospect's industry, role, or specific pain points.
3. Show you've done your homework: Reference recent company news or achievements to demonstrate genuine interest.
4. Vary your templates: Use multiple email templates and regularly refresh your content to avoid repetition.

While personalization takes more time and effort, it significantly increases your chances of engaging recipients and avoiding spam filters.

Remember, a well-crafted, personalized email to a smaller list will almost always outperform a generic blast to a large audience.

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7. Deceptive Subject Lines

Your email's subject line is the first thing recipients see, and it plays a crucial role in determining whether your message gets opened or marked as spam.

Using misleading or exaggerated subject lines might seem like a clever way to boost open rates, but it's a strategy that backfires quickly.

Deceptive subject lines not only ruin trust with recipients but also train them to view your future emails as spam. Plus, most email clients and spam filters are now sophisticated enough to detect common tricks used in spammy subject lines.

To keep your emails inbox-bound:

1. Be clear and accurate: Your subject line should genuinely reflect the content of your email.
2. Avoid clickbait tactics: Steer clear of phrases like "Re:" (when it's not actually a reply), "Urgent!", or "You won't believe this!"
3. Don't use all caps or excessive punctuation: "AMAZING OFFER!!!" is more likely to trigger spam filters than entice opens.
4. Personalize when possible: Including the recipient's name or company can increase relevance and open rates.

Remember, the goal is to pique interest honestly, not to trick the recipient into opening your email.

A well-crafted, truthful subject line will serve you better in the long run by building trust and improving your sender reputation.

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8. Recipient Complaints and Spam Reporting

Even if you manage to bypass spam filters initially, excessive complaints or spam reports from recipients can quickly blacklist your sending domain.

This is one of the most damaging outcomes for your email deliverability, as it can be challenging to recover from once you're blacklisted.

To minimize the risk of complaints and spam reports:

1. Make unsubscribing easy: Include a clear, one-click unsubscribe link in every email.
2. Honor unsubscribe requests immediately: Remove unsubscribers from your list promptly.
3. Focus on value: Ensure each email provides genuine value to the recipient.
4. Target carefully: Only send to people who are likely to be interested in your offering.
5. Be transparent: Clearly state who you are and why you're reaching out.

Remember, it's better to have a smaller list of engaged recipients than a large list that generates complaints.

By focusing on providing value and respecting recipient preferences, you can maintain a positive sender reputation and keep your emails out of the spam folder.

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9. Purchasing Bad Email Lists

The temptation to jumpstart your cold email campaign by purchasing a ready-made email list can be strong, especially when you're eager to scale quickly.

However, this shortcut can often lead to poor results and can severely damage your email deliverability.

Purchased lists are problematic for several reasons:

1. Low quality: These lists often contain outdated or incorrect email addresses.
2. Lack of consent: The individuals on these lists haven't agreed to receive emails from you.
3. High spam complaint rates: People who don't know why they're receiving your emails are more likely to mark them as spam.
4. Potential legal issues: Sending unsolicited emails can violate regulations like GDPR or CAN-SPAM.

Instead of buying lists, focus on building your own high-quality, targeted list:

1. Use lead generation tools to find prospects that match your ideal customer profile.
2. Leverage LinkedIn and other professional networks to identify potential contacts.
3. Offer valuable content on your website in exchange for email addresses.
4. Attend industry events and conferences to make genuine connections.

While building your own list takes more time and effort, it results in higher quality contacts who are more likely to engage with your emails.

This approach not only improves your deliverability but also leads to better conversion rates and stronger business relationships.

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10. Sending Without Proper Warm Up

Sending cold emails without properly warming up your domain and inbox is like trying to run a marathon without any training.

It's a recipe for poor performance and potential damage to your sender reputation.

Email providers are constantly on guard against spammers, and sudden, high-volume sending from a new or previously low-volume account looks suspicious.

This can trigger spam filters and hurt your deliverability before you even get started.

To avoid this, use an intelligent email warmup service like mailivery.io that includes the following:

1. Automated interactions: Warm up services automatically send emails from your account to a network of other warmed-up accounts, mimicking natural email behavior.
2. Inbox placement: Ensures these warm-up emails land in the inbox, not the spam folder, gradually improving your sender reputation.
3. Reply simulation: The system simulates replies and other interactions, making your email activity appear more natural to email providers.
4. Gradual volume increase: Slowly increases your sending volume over time, aligning with best practices for building sender reputation.
5. Multi-channel warming: Some services warm up your account across various email clients (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) to improve overall deliverability.
6. Real-time monitoring: These platforms often provide analytics on your warm-up progress and sender reputation improvements.

By using an automated warm-up service, you can:

• Establish a positive sending reputation before starting your actual cold email campaigns
• Improve your email deliverability rates
• Reduce the risk of being flagged as spam
• Save time compared to manual warm-up processes

Remember, warming up your email account is not a one-time task but an ongoing process.

Even after your initial warm-up period, continuing to use these services can help maintain and improve your sender reputation over time.

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11. HTML-Heavy Emails

While beautifully designed HTML emails might look impressive, they can be a liability when it comes to cold outreach.

Emails with excessive design elements, embedded links, rich media, and complex code often trigger spam filters and can negatively impact deliverability.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Spam association: Many spam emails use flashy HTML to grab attention, so filters are more suspicious of HTML-heavy emails.
2. Rendering issues: Complex HTML may not display correctly across all email clients, leading to a poor user experience.
3. Load time: HTML-heavy emails can take longer to load, frustrating recipients.
4. Increased spam score: Each element in your email (images, links, etc.) can potentially increase your spam score.

To keep your cold emails in the inbox:

1. Keep it simple: Use plain text or very light HTML formatting.
2. Limit images: If you must use images, keep them to a minimum and always include alt text.
3. Be careful with links: Preferably you want to add any links...But if you must, then stick to 1 and avoid URL shorteners.
4. Focus on content: Let your message speak for itself without relying on flashy design.

Remember, the goal of a cold email is to start a conversation, not to dazzle with design.

A well-written, text-based email often performs better and is less likely to trigger spam filters than a complex HTML creation.

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12. Aggressive Formatting

Last but not least, aggressive formatting can be the final nail in the coffin for your cold email deliverability.

Overusing exclamation points, writing in ALL CAPS, or peppering your email with multiple emoji might seem like ways to stand out in a crowded inbox, but they're more likely to land you in the spam folder.

Here's why aggressive formatting is problematic:

1. Spam trigger: These formatting choices are common in spam emails, so filters are programmed to be wary of them.
2. Unprofessional appearance: Excessive formatting can make your email look unprofessional or juvenile.
3. Reduced readability: ALL CAPS and overuse of punctuation can actually make your email harder to read.
4. Emotional manipulation: Aggressive formatting can come across as an attempt to manipulate the reader's emotions.

To keep your cold emails professional and spam-filter friendly:

1. Use capitalization normally: Save all caps for occasional emphasis, if at all.
2. Limit exclamation points: One per email is plenty.
3. Use emoji sparingly: A single, relevant emoji can add personality, but don't overdo it.
4. Let your content shine: Focus on writing compelling copy rather than relying on formatting tricks.

Your goal is to come across as a professional looking to start a genuine business conversation.

By avoiding aggressive formatting, you increase your chances of being perceived as credible and trustworthy, both by your recipients and by spam filters.

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Final Thoughts

Navigating the complexities of cold emailing can be challenging, but it's far from impossible.

By addressing the issues we've discussed – from technical aspects like authentication and warm-up processes to content considerations like personalization and formatting – you can significantly improve your email deliverability.

Remember, successful cold emailing isn't about quick fixes or volume. It's about building a reputable presence in your recipients' inboxes through thoughtful, valuable outreach.

Stay informed, keep testing, and always prioritize the recipient's experience. With these principles in mind, your cold emails can become a powerful tool for meaningful business connections.

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