Why might my Gmail message end up in spam?
Published: 2025-11-22
Many of our clients have reported that the recipient only found their email late because it landed in the spam folder.
This is a common problem with new Google Workspace accounts or new domains, but fortunately it is very easy to check and fix.
In this short guide we show you how to check for yourself whether everything is fine with email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and what else is worth looking at.
1. Check the SPF record
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) certifies which servers may send email on behalf of your domain.
How to check it?
Open this page:
**https://mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx**
Enter your domain (e.g. yourcompany.hu).
Search → and it shows whether:
there is an SPF record,
and whether it is correct for Google Workspace.
The correct setting for Google Workspace:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
If this is missing, or another system is also listed (e.g. an old hosting provider), it needs to be fixed.
2. Check the DKIM signature
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) ensures that the message was not modified in transit and genuinely comes from you.
How to check it?
In the Admin console:
Sign in: admin.google.com
On the left → Apps
Google Workspace
Gmail
Authenticate email (DKIM)
Here you can see:
“DKIM: ON” → all good
“DKIM not configured” → it needs to be turned on
If it is not enabled, the button will be there: Start authentication.
With an external checking tool:
👉 https://dkimvalidator.com/ You send a test email → it tells you whether it is DKIM-signed.
3. Check the DMARC record
DMARC governs how Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft and other systems should handle unauthenticated emails.
It is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.
How to check it?
https://mxtoolbox.com/DMARC.aspx
Enter your domain → you can see whether DMARC is configured.
Minimum recommended DMARC record:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:admin@yourcompany.hu
This is already enough to improve trustworthiness and deliverability.
4. New domain or low email volume
It may be spam if:
the company has just launched,
the domain is new,
you have hardly sent any email so far,
then in the first 1–2 weeks your messages will land in spam more often.
This is normal, and it improves on its own over time.
5. Links, images, suspicious content
Gmail's spam filter often examines the content as well.
It is worth avoiding:
too many links,
URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl),
“marketing-flavored” words in the first contact email (sale, offer, free, etc.).
6. The recipient's side can also be at fault
It can happen that:
the recipient's mail system filters aggressively,
someone has previously sent spam from the same hosting provider or IP address,
or the recipient's Gmail has learned incorrectly and automatically filed you as spam.
That is why it is always worth asking:
➡️ “Mark it as ‘Not spam’ so it gets through next time.”
Would you like us to check it for you?
Send us your domain and we will check the SPF / DKIM / DMARC settings and let you know if anything is wrong or missing.
This is completely safe, because DNS records are public.
Summary
If your email lands in spam, 90% of the time it is because of one of these:
| Check | Why does it matter? | Where do you check it? |
| SPF | Which server may send email? | mxtoolbox.com/spf |
| DKIM | Does the email really come from you? | Admin Console → Gmail → Authenticate |
| DMARC | How should faulty emails be handled? | mxtoolbox.com/dmarc |
| New domain | No reputation yet | Automatic |
| Content | Spam-like words, links | Email editing |
| Recipient's side | They file it as spam | Client setting |
