Why are My Emails Being Flagged as Spam

"Why are my emails being flagged as spam?" It's a frustrating question! There is no worse situation for a business than realizing that no one is receiving your emails. What's worse is having them not received because they're being blacklisted or marked as spam.

If this happening to you, there are a few things you can do to see if the problem lies with your email account, or if the issue actually lies with your web hosting.

#1: Run a Virus Scan

One reason you may be flagged as spam is that you are actually sending out spam through your computer with in your email software. The purpose of many viruses is to use your computer as a Zombie Computer, using your internet connection to send out spam, or other nefarious actions in the background, without your knowledge. A virus scan should pick up on a virus as long as the software is up-to-date.

#2: Change Your Email Password

The next place to look is the server where your emails live. If you suspect you've been compromised, the best thing to do is change your password ASAP and make sure it's a secure password. Nine out of ten times, if your email gets hacked on the server, it's because your password isn't strong. If you're having a hard time coming up with adequate passwords, consider using a password manager like LastPass or 1Password.

#3: Look at Your Hosting Company

Not all hosting companies are created equal! It's possible that someone on the same server as you is sending out spam and the hosting company is not doing anything about it. IP reputation is a tricky thing. It's hard to earn and it's easy to loose, that's why it's important to choose a hosting company that is going to do what it takes to make sure your email server's IP stays on the nice list.

I've also seen situations where a web hosting provider's server is hacked at the root level. It's a lot like #1, but it isn't something that you as a customer have any control over. If you are finding yourself in this situation over and over again, it's time to find a new hosting provider.

At Zebralove Web Solutions, we take our IP reputation very seriously and we go above and beyond to make sure that you aren't missing business opportunities because of your emails. If necessary, we'll meet with you to make sure your emails are configured properly on your phone and computer. That's not something a large hosting company can offer.

If you are interested in our hosting services, please check out or web hosting page or read this recent blog post on how our hosting service is different than what is generally available.

#4 Another Note About Emails: Make Sure You are Receiving Emails from Your Website's Contact Form

I've noticed that there are some issues with some recent versions of WordPress and plugins that send the contact form emails. Particularly plugins that bypass PHP's mail function in favor of SMTP. The bottom line is, you should be checking your contact forms periodically to make sure there are no issues. If you find that you are having a problem, call us (207-221-5822), we can help!

Noelle Castle

Content Writer

Castle Media Co.

Noelle has been a marketing professional, and a published author and copywriter for over 20 years. Her work has been featured in both print publications and online media, where she has written on a broad range of topics. She owns Castle Media Co., assisting businesses with their marketing and digital media needs, specializing in website development, content marketing, social media, copywriting, and blogging.

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