Why Are My Klaviyo Emails Going to Spam?

TL;DR: If your Klaviyo emails are landing in spam, it could be due to issues like poor sender reputation, low engagement, or improper email authentication. We’ll explore the possible reasons, how to identify them, and the steps you can take to fix them to improve your Klaviyo email deliverability.

If your Klaviyo emails are ending up in spam folders, it can harm your email marketing performance. Understanding why this happens and how to fix it can significantly improve your chances of reaching the inbox. In this guide, we’ll cover the common reasons behind poor deliverability and give you clear solutions for each.

1. Poor Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation is a score assigned to your domain and IP address by email service providers (ESPs). If you have a poor sender reputation due to high bounce rates, spam complaints, or low engagement, your Klaviyo emails are more likely to end up in spam.

How to Identify:

• Use tools like Google Postmaster or Sender Score to monitor your sender reputation.
• High bounce rates, frequent spam complaints, and declining engagement rates are key signs of poor sender reputation.

How to Fix:

• Clean your email list by removing inactive or unengaged subscribers.
• Focus on sending emails to your most engaged contacts to improve open and click rates.
• Avoid sending too many emails too frequently, which can overwhelm inbox providers and reduce Klaviyo deliverability.
• If you're struggling to fix your sender reputation, it may be worth consulting an email marketing agency or deliverability specialist.

2. Low Engagement Rates

If your recipients aren’t engaging with your emails—meaning they don’t open or click on them—it signals to ESPs that your emails aren’t relevant. This lack of engagement can lead to your Klaviyo emails going to spam.

How to Identify:

• Check open and click-through rates in Klaviyo’s reporting dashboard.
• Low or declining engagement metrics are an indicator that ESPs might consider your emails less relevant.

How to Fix:

• Segment your audience by engagement level and send more relevant, personalized content to your most active subscribers.
• Use A/B testing to optimize subject lines and content to improve engagement.
• Consider working with an email strategist if engagement rates are persistently low.

3. Using Spam Trigger Words

Certain words and phrases, especially those related to promotions, can trigger spam filters. Overusing terms like "free," "limited-time offer," or "discount" can lead to your Klaviyo email going to spam.

How to Identify:

• Run your emails through spam-checking tools like Mail Tester or GlockApps to identify spam trigger words or phrases.
• Check both subject lines and email bodies for overly promotional language.

How to Fix:

• Avoid using overly promotional phrases like “buy now” or “100% free.”
• Keep subject lines simple, clear, and focused on delivering value to your audience.
• Focus on creating content that doesn’t feel overly salesy to avoid triggering spam filters.

4. Missing or Incorrect Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC verify that your emails come from a legitimate sender. If these are not set up properly, ESPs may flag your emails as untrustworthy, leading to them being marked as spam.

How to Identify:

• Use DNS lookup tools like MXToolbox to check if your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly set up.
• If any of these are missing or misconfigured, your emails are more likely to be flagged as spam.

How to Fix:

• Work with your domain registrar or email provider to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC properly.
• Ensuring these authentication protocols are in place will help ESPs verify that your emails are legitimate.
• If you’re unfamiliar with setting up DNS records, it might be a good idea to consult a technician or email deliverability expert.

5. Poor List Hygiene

Sending emails to outdated or unengaged lists increases bounce rates and spam complaints. Poor list hygiene can hurt your sender reputation and lead to more Klaviyo emails going to spam.

How to Identify:

• Monitor your bounce rates and spam complaints in Klaviyo.
• High bounce rates and frequent spam complaints indicate poor list hygiene.

How to Fix:

• Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses.
• Use double opt-in methods to ensure that new subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails, reducing the chances of future complaints and bounces.
• Consider implementing list cleaning tools or working with an email expert if list hygiene continues to be an issue.

6. Too Many Images or Unbalanced Content

Emails that rely too heavily on images with minimal text are more likely to trigger spam filters. ESPs prefer a balance of text and images to ensure the email isn't hiding important information in images.

How to Identify:

• Review your email templates for a high reliance on images with little accompanying text.
• If your emails are mostly images, this may be causing them to be flagged as spam.

How to Fix:

• Aim for a balanced ratio of text and images, with at least 500 characters of text in your emails.
• Optimize images by including alt text and ensure that your email content can still make sense if images don’t load.
• If you’re unsure how to structure your emails for optimal deliverability, an email design expert may be able to help.

7. Inconsistent Sending Schedule

Sending too many emails at once or sending emails sporadically can hurt your Klaviyo deliverability. ESPs prefer a consistent, predictable sending schedule that maintains steady engagement.

How to Identify:

• Review your email campaign history in Klaviyo to identify inconsistencies in your sending schedule.
• If your emails are sent in irregular bursts or too frequently, this could be hurting your sender reputation.

How to Fix:

• Establish a consistent sending schedule that aligns with your audience’s preferences.
• Regular, predictable sending helps build trust with ESPs and your subscribers, which improves deliverability.
• Consider consulting a marketing strategist to create an effective sending plan if you’re unsure about how frequently to send emails.

Need a Klaviyo Deliverability Checklist?

We got you. The following quick checklist will help you spot and fix common deliverability issues before they negatively impact your campaigns.

Sender Reputation

• Check sender score (Google Postmaster, Sender Score).
• Clean your email list (remove inactives, keep bounce rate <5%).

Email Authentication

• Set up SPF, DKIM, DMARC (verify via MXToolbox).
• Consult a technician if needed.

Email List Quality

• Remove invalid/unengaged contacts.
• Use double opt-in for new subscribers.

Engagement Rates

• Monitor open rates/clicks in Klaviyo.
• Personalize and segment emails.

Content

• Avoid spam trigger words.
• Maintain a good text-to-image ratio (500+ characters of text).
• Limit links; use HTTPS.

Sending Schedule

• Maintain consistent sending times.
• Limit follow-ups to 2-3 emails.

Spam Reports

• Track and reduce spam complaints.
• Consult experts if complaints are high.

If you're facing persistent challenges, consider reaching out to a professional or agency for support! Let's put an end to Klaviyo spam!

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