How to Keep Your Emails Out of the Junk Folder

Even if your emails look beautiful and your domain is verified, you might still find your messages landing in spam.The good news? Most deliverability issues have nothing to do with your technical setup and everything to do with small habits that email providers pay attention to.

Here’s how to make sure your messages get seen, opened, and acted on.

1. Add a DKIM record (if you haven’t yet)

If your SPF and DMARC are already in place, the next step is adding a DKIM record – a digital signature that proves your message hasn’t been altered in transit.Ask your host (like Google Workspace or Wix) for setup instructions. It takes a few minutes but can have a big impact on inbox placement.

2. Warm up your domain

If you’re new to sending bulk messages or newsletters, start slow.Send smaller batches, then gradually increase your volume over a couple of weeks.Email platforms like Google and Outlook monitor sudden sending spikes and may flag them as suspicious.

3. Encourage subscribers to add you to their contacts

Add this simple line to your welcome email:

“To make sure you don’t miss updates, please add us to your contacts or mark this message as ‘Not Spam.’”

It sounds simple, but each time someone does this, it tells email providers that your messages are safe and wanted.

4. Keep engagement high

Spam filters track how people interact with your emails – whether they open, click, or delete them.That means high engagement = high deliverability.

Here’s how to boost it:

• Personalize your subject lines

• Avoid spammy phrases (FREE, $$$, urgent!!!)

• Clean inactive subscribers every 90 days

5. Use a friendly, recognizable “From” name

People open emails from humans – not faceless accounts. Use a format like Sara from Balanced Wellness instead of a generic info@yourdomain.com. Consistency builds trust and keeps your sender reputation strong.

6. Double-check your links

Only use full URLs that point directly to your website (no shorteners or redirects).

Avoid emails that are mostly images with little text – filters can’t read images and often flag them as spammy.

7. Check your sending reputation

Use tools like Mail-Tester or MXToolbox to see if your domain or sending IP has been flagged.

If your CRM uses a shared server (like Wix, Flodesk, or Mailchimp), your deliverability can sometimes depend on how others on that IP behave.

8. Include a plain-text version

Most email platforms allow you to send both HTML and plain-text versions.Including both helps email providers verify authenticity – and ensures accessibility for users with screen readers or limited data connections.

9. Avoid attachments and embedded media

Attachments (especially PDFs or videos) are one of the biggest spam triggers.

Instead, link to files hosted on your website, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

10. Make your footer clean and compliant

Always include your business name, address, and an unsubscribe link.This isn’t just about compliance with CAN-SPAM or GDPR – it’s also a trust signal to both your audience and email providers.

Final Thoughts

Deliverability is more about trust than tech.If you send relevant, valuable content to people who actually want to hear from you – and you do it consistently – your reputation naturally improves.

So keep your list clean, your tone human, and your messages authentic. Your subscribers (and their inboxes) will thank you.