The real reason it happens
Email providers like Gmail and Outlook have to decide, in a split second, whether a message is genuine or a fake pretending to be you. If your domain does not prove who is allowed to send its emails, your perfectly normal messages can look suspicious and end up in spam.
The fix is three small settings, called DNS records, added where your domain is managed (for example, your hosting or domain provider).
1. SPF: who is allowed to send
An SPF record lists the services allowed to send email for your domain. For example, if you use Google Workspace:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
Each email provider gives its own value. Important: a domain should have only one SPF record. If you send through several services, combine them into one line.
2. DKIM: a digital signature
DKIM adds a hidden signature to every email, so receiving servers can check that the message really came from your domain and was not changed on the way. You switch it on inside your email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and others), which then gives you a record to add to your DNS.
3. DMARC: what to do with fakes
DMARC tells inboxes what to do with emails that fail the checks above, and sends you reports about who is sending email as your domain. Start gently, just collecting reports:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourbrand.qa
Once the reports show your real emails all pass, you can tighten it to p=quarantine and later p=reject, which tells inboxes to block anyone pretending to be you.
Big senders: extra rules
Since 2024, Gmail and Yahoo require businesses that send large volumes of email to have SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up, to include an easy one-click unsubscribe in marketing emails, and to keep spam complaints low. If you send newsletters, these are no longer optional.
Other quick wins
- Send from your own domain (you@yourbrand.qa), not a free Gmail address.
- Avoid spammy subject lines, ALL CAPS and lots of exclamation marks.
- Only email people who agreed to hear from you, and make unsubscribing easy.