Error messages are a standard part of dealing with work via the Internet, but there is one that can be a big issue for those working in email-based marketing. Sometimes we create a great email to increase sales and suddenly get a message reading “550 High Probability Of Spam”. So, what is going on here, and what can we do about it?
What Does 550 High Probability Of Spam Mean?
This means that the message you send to a recipient has enough red flags to make email service providers suspicious that it is spam. After sending the email, it bounced back and wasn’t delivered to help protect the recipient. This high-level security is excellent when dealing with real harmful spam emails, but not when trying to work on an important marketing campaign.
Why Does Your Email Service Think Your Emails Are Spam?
Any company sending frequent marketing and correspondence emails to customers will know that a high bounce-back rate is a problem. To solve the problem, we need to understand why it is happening. Here are 5 common reasons for the 550 high probability of spam error messages.
1) The Frequency of Emails
Often, these messages are less about the content and more about the number sent out from one domain. Excess outgoing emails may trigger the Google bots to spring into action.
2) The Subject Matter
If you aren’t sending many emails, the problem most likely lies with the content. It could be down to the subject matter. Emails dealing with finances, health, sex, security, and prize draws are deemed problematic.
3) The Language Used
Regardless of the subject, you must be careful about phrasing and language choices within those emails. Spam-detecting bots don’t like monetary terms, such as talk of free things, cash, credit, or lots of dollar signs. Even small details in how you address recipients and your use of punctuation can make a difference.
4) The Use of Links and Attachments
Links to products and website content are a must when working on marketing campaigns. However, you should be careful with the volume and placement. There are also potential issues when sending an attachment to people you don’t usually send them to.
5) The Ratio of Images to Text
Sometimes, an email will bounce back if there is barely any text to support a series of images. This is an issue with personal email, such as sending photos to friends and family without writing anything about them.
How To Avoid The 550 High Probability Of Spam Error Message?
As you can see, a few different reasons could be to blame when receiving this email spam error message. However, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of it happening again.
The best place to start is to avoid those problematic factors with language, images, and links. Avoid anything that sounds too much, like a call to action to buy something or click a link. Try and be enthusiastic without sounding aggressively salesperson-like.
Then you can look at the frequency of your campaign. Those working within cold email marketing should send at most 150 a day. Remember that you want quality over quantity for the best engagement rates.
On that note, you can use those engagement rates to help improve your sender reputation with Google and/or Microsoft. Prove that you have good customer relationships to show that your emails aren’t spammy and are welcomed by recipients. This new-found trust could make a big difference.
Finally, remember that if you need help figuring out how to stop 550 spam messages from Gmail, you can try a deliverability test. This diagnostic tool helps you see the status of your messages more easily. In turn, you could find a more efficient solution to fix them.
Don’t Panic When You Get This 550 Email Error Message
Remember that this message is ultimately there to protect us, and it is better to work with email providers than against them. Consider how you write and structure your emails, lower the frequency, and see if you get fewer bounce-backs.
