How to Avoid Newsletter Emails Going to Spam

If you’ve noticed that more of your emails are ending up in spam or promotions lately, you’re not imagining it. Inbox filters are getting smarter (and stricter), which means even well-designed, well-written emails can be flagged for reasons that aren’t always obvious. That’s why learning how to avoid newsletter emails going to spam is so important, especially when email marketing is one of the main ways you connect with your audience, sell your offers, and build trust with your community.

We’ve seen it happen to a lot of online business owners. You do everything “right,” but your emails still miss the inbox. Fortunately, you can change that. With a few simple adjustments (and a platform like Flodesk that makes it easier), you can improve your deliverability and send emails with more confidence.

Whether you’re prepping for a launch, sending weekly updates, or just getting started with email marketing, these tips will help your emails reach the people who actually want to read them.

Why Emails Go to Spam in the First Place

Spam filters aren’t just flagging scams anymore. They’ve gotten so much smarter. Platforms like Gmail and Yahoo now look at things like how you send your emails, who you’re sending them to, and how those people are engaging with your content.

Even if your email is full of value, it can still get flagged for things like:

• No domain authentication
• Cold or disengaged subscribers
• Spammy-sounding subject lines
• Over-designed or image-heavy emails
• Inconsistent sending patterns

If any of those apply, your email could be silently filtered out without ever reaching your reader. But don’t worry! Every one of these can be fixed.

Make Sure Your Domain Is Authenticated

This is one of the most important things you can do to avoid the spam folder. Domain authentication basically tells inbox providers, “Yes, this person is real and allowed to send emails from this domain.”

There are three pieces to set up: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. If those sound like tech jargon, we get it. Flodesk makes this easy. Inside your settings, Flodesk walks you through what to add and where. It only takes a few minutes. Once it’s done, you don’t have to touch it again.

Focus on an Engaged List (Not Just a Big One)

A common mistake we see is trying to grow a big list without making sure the people on it are actually interested. If a large portion of your subscribers never open your emails, inbox providers see that as a red flag. Future emails are more likely to be filtered or ignored.

It’s much better to have a smaller, more engaged list than a big, unresponsive one.

We recommend checking in every couple of months to:

• Remove cold subscribers who haven’t opened in 60–90 days
• Send a simple “Do you still want to hear from me?” email
• Keep your forms clear so people know what they’re signing up for

We love using Flodesk, because they handle unsubscribes and bounces for you. And with tags and segments, it’s easy to keep things organized.

Write Like a Real Human

Your subject line and copy matter just as much as your design. Even if your content is amazing, spam filters will scan your words and flag anything that feels too salesy, loud, or clickbait-y.

A few things to avoid:

• All caps in the subject line
• Too many exclamation points
• Phrases like “Buy now” or “Make money fast”
  

Instead, keep it simple, clear, and human. Some subject lines that tend to work well:

• “A little gift for your business”
• “Here’s the client welcome guide I promised”
• “Let’s make content feel easier this month”
  

You can usually preview how your subject line and preview text will appear on both desktop and mobile, which helps you make quick edits and avoid getting cut off mid-sentence. Keeping things short, clear, and scroll-stopping can make a big difference in whether someone opens your email or skips it.

When it comes to the body of the email, write like you’re talking to someone you actually know. You don’t need to overexplain or oversell yourself. Just be clear, helpful, and human. That’s what people connect with!

Balance Design and Deliverability

Flodesk is known for beautiful emails, and we love that. But the way your email is built still matters.

If your email is all images or packed with heavy design elements, it could land in promotions or spam. Spam filters like emails that are mostly text, with clean formatting and small, compressed images.

That’s why we created our own Flodesk email templates. They’re designed to be visually appealing but still light and deliverability-friendly. Inside each one, you’ll find a good balance of text and visuals, clean spacing, and easy-to-edit blocks so you can show up professionally without overthinking the design.

Be Consistent With Your Sending Schedule

Spam filters look for consistency. If you send an email once every four months and then suddenly start emailing every day during a launch, it can look suspicious. That leads to more messages being filtered out.

Choose a schedule that feels doable and easy to stick with. Whether that’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, consistency builds trust both with your audience and with the inbox providers watching behind the scenes.

Personally, we like to batch emails and schedule them in Flodesk so we don’t have to think about it. It’s one less thing on our plate and helps keep our open rates consistent, even during busy seasons.

Need an Easier Way to Send Emails That Actually Get Read? Check Out Our Ready-to-Use Flodesk Templates

If email marketing has been sitting at the bottom of your to-do list, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why we created these ready-to-use Flodesk Email Templates.

Each template is designed to help you save time, skip the blank-page stress, and send emails that look polished and feel like you. No more starting from scratch every time you write a newsletter or share an offer. Just choose a template, customize it for your brand, and hit send with confidence.

Here’s what you’ll find in the shop:

• Beautifully designed newsletter templates
• Welcome emails that help you build trust from the start
• Layouts that are deliverability-friendly and mobile-ready

These templates are perfect for creatives and entrepreneurs who want to send emails that feel aligned, look on-brand, and actually show up in the inbox.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding the spam folder doesn’t mean you have to be techy or perfect. It just takes a little intentionality. Create authentic content, keep your list healthy, and use tools that support your goals.

With Flodesk and the right templates, showing up in someone’s inbox becomes easier, more consistent, and honestly more fun.

You deserve to be seen. Your work deserves to be read. And your emails deserve to land in an inbox where your audience is ready to open, engage, and connect.

Grab our Flodesk email templates here and start sending emails that actually get seen, clicked, and loved.

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