One of the biggest blockers to cold email success? Your emails landing in the spam folder instead of the inbox.
This guide breaks down why that happens and gives you practical fixes to improve your sender reputation and hit the inbox every time.
1. Run Header and Spam Tests
Before sending, use spam-check tools to analyze your email headers. These tools look at:
- SPF/DKIM/DMARC status
- Blacklist appearances
- Spam keywords
Tip: Run tests on a few emails and iterate.
2. Improve Email Wording
Spam filters look for overly promotional language. Avoid words and phrases like:
- "Buy now"
- "Risk-free trial"
- "Act fast"
Instead, use conversational, personalized language. Keep it human.
3. Clean Your List Regularly
Even great emails get flagged when sent to outdated or risky addresses. Use a Catch-All Validator to:
- Remove invalid or dormant emails
- Avoid spam traps and honeypots
4. Mind the Ratio of Text to Links
Too many links can look suspicious. Keep a healthy ratio:
- 80-90% plain text
- 1 link max (especially in the first email)
5. Check Your Domain's Reputation
Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools or Talos Intelligence to monitor your domain health. Poor rep? It’s time to:
- Pause outreach
- Re-warm domains
- Use new inboxes
Quick Checklist:
- ✅ Run spam header test before sending
- ✅ Keep copy short and friendly
- ✅ Validate email list (no bounces)
- ✅ Limit links and avoid salesy language
- ✅ Monitor domain/IP reputation