Email Deliverability

Is Gmail Blocking Your Emails? Here's How To Check

5th Dec, 2022 — 7 min read

Having your emails blocked by Gmail can be a frustrating experience. If you suspect that your emails are being blocked, there are several steps you can take to identify if this is the case. What can you do to improve your Gmail email deliverability and avoid future blocks?

Introduction

Gmail is one of the most popular email services in the world, with millions of users sending and receiving emails every day.

Unfortunately, Gmail can sometimes block certain emails, preventing them from reaching their intended recipients. This can be extremely frustrating, especially if you're unaware of why your emails are being blocked.

In this article, we'll discuss what Gmail blocking is, why it might be happening to you, and how to check if it is. We'll also provide some troubleshooting tips for resolving blocked emails, as well as advice on how to improve your email deliverability to avoid future blocks.

Reasons Why Gmail May Be Blocking Your Emails

Gmail blocking is a form of spam filtering that prevents certain emails from reaching the user's inbox.

It can be caused by a variety of factors, including;

  • sending too many emails to the same recipient,
  • using a suspicious domain name,
  • or using a bad IP address.

Additionally, Gmail may block emails if it believes that the content is not in line with its policies, such as containing illegal or offensive material. To make sure that your emails can get through, it's important to be aware of any potential issues that may trigger a block.

How to Identify If Gmail Is Blocking Your Emails

If you believe that Gmail may be blocking your emails, there are several steps you can take to identify if this is the case.

Firstly, you should review the emails that you are sending to determine if there are any issues with the content that may be triggering a block. For instance, if the email contains language that could be considered offensive or contains links that could be seen as suspicious, then this may be why Gmail is blocking it.

Additionally, you should check the IP address that you are sending the emails from to see if it is on any blacklists. If the IP is blacklisted, it could be the cause of the blocks. You can also check the domain name you are using to see if it is associated with any spam activity.

Finally, you can also check your email sending history. If Gmail has marked any emails as blocked, it will be noted in the history. This can help you identify why your emails are being blocked, and what steps you can take in order to resolve the issue.

Testing your emails in case they get blocked on Gmail is easy. You can simply send a test email to yourself and if you don't receive it, then you can be sure that Gmail is blocking your emails. You can also check your email sending history to see if Gmail has marked emails as blocked. If it has, you can review the emails to determine if any of the above-mentioned factors may be causing the block.

However, do not forget that Gmail may classify incoming emails based on the user behvaviour. Therefore, it may be a good idea to setup a separate Gmail account only for inbox testing. This account should be used for receiving emails, thus allowing you to check if Gmail is blocking any emails sent to it.

Troubleshooting Tips for Resolving Blocked Emails

Once you have identified why Gmail is blocking your emails, there are several steps you can take in order to resolve the issue.

For example, if the emails are being blocked due to offensive content, you should revise the content and remove any language or images that could be considered inappropriate.

Additionally, if the emails are being blocked due to a blacklisted IP, you should contact your hosting provider to investigate the issue and have the IP removed from the blacklist.

If the emails are being blocked due to suspicious links, you should check the links to ensure that they are legitimate and safe to click on. You should also ensure that the domain you are using is not associated with any spam activity, as this can trigger a block.

Finally, if the emails are being blocked due to the recipient's behaviour, you should reduce the frequency of emails you are sending to them. This will help reduce the chances of Gmail flagging the emails as spam. Additionally, you should ensure that your content is relevant and of value to the recipient in order to avoid future blocks.

To summarize;

  • Email content
  • sender IP address
  • sender domain
  • recipient behavior

are all potential reasons Gmail may be blocking your emails. To identify if Gmail is blocking your emails, you should review your emails, check the IP address and domain associated with the emails, and review your email sending history. To resolve the issue, you should revise any content that may be deemed offensive, contact your hosting provider to get the IP removed from blacklists, check any suspicious links, and reduce the frequency of emails being sent to the recipient. Additionally, you should ensure that your content is relevant and of value to the recipient in order to avoid future blocks.

How To Improve Your Gmail Email Deliverability

Once you have identified and resolved the issue with your blocked emails, it is important to take steps to improve your email deliverability in the future. This will ensure that your emails are able to reach their intended recipients, and will also help reduce the chances of Gmail blocking them.

Firstly, it is important to ensure that you are following all of Gmail's best practices for email sending. This includes using an authenticated domain name and IP address, as well as avoiding any language or images that could be considered offensive. Additionally, you should also ensure that your emails are not sent too frequently, as this can trigger a block.

If you are using a third-party email service provider, you should make sure that they are compliant with Gmail's policies. Additionally, you should also ensure that your email list is up to date and that you are only sending emails to those who have explicitly given permission to receive them.

Also, make sure that your email deliveries complay with SPF, DKIM and DMARC sender policies. This will help to ensure that your emails are authenticated and that they are sent from a secure server.

Finally, you should regularly monitor your email sending activity to ensure that your emails are not being blocked. If you do notice any issues, you should take steps to resolve them as quickly as possible.

To summarize;

  • Follow Gmail's best practices for email sending
  • Use a third-party email service provider that is compliant with Gmail's policies
  • Ensure your email list is up to date and only send emails to those who have explicitly given permission
  • Complay with SPF, DKIM and DMARC sender policies
  • Regularly monitor your email sending activity

are all steps you can take to improve your Gmail email deliverability and avoid future blocks. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your emails are able to reach their intended recipients and avoid any potential issues with blocked emails in the future.

Conclusion: How to Avoid Email Blocks in the Future

Gmail blocking can be a frustrating issue, but it is possible to avoid it.

By following Gmail's best practices for email sending, using a compliant third-party email service provider, ensuring your email list is up to date and only sending emails to those who have explicitly given permission, complying with SPF, DKIM and DMARC sender policies, and regularly monitoring your email sending activity, you can ensure that your emails are able to make it to the intended recipient and help avoid any potential issues with blocked emails.

Taking these steps can help you ensure that your emails are able to reach their intended recipients and avoid any potential issues with blocked emails in the future.


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