Why your business emails go to spam (and how to fix it)

Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook now check that mail from your domain carries proof it is really from you. That proof lives in three public DNS records. When one is missing or broken, your messages land in spam, or bounce outright. It is the most common reason a small business’s email disappears, and it is fixable.

The three records that decide

These records are public. Anyone can read them, which is how mail servers check you before deciding where your message belongs.

The SPF record

A public list of the servers allowed to send mail as your domain. If a server is not on the list, receivers treat its mail as suspect.

The DKIM record

A signature your mail provider stamps on every message. It proves the message was not altered or forged on the way.

The DMARC record

Instructions for what to do when the first two fail, and a way to get reports. Gmail and Yahoo expect it on any domain that sends mail in volume.

The usual reasons your mail lands in spam

• There is no DMARC record at all. This is the most common gap we see.
• The SPF record lists an old server, or misses the tool that sends your invoices or newsletter.
• DKIM was never switched on in the mail provider’s admin, so nothing signs your mail.
• The record has a typo, like a missing ~all, or two SPF records exist where only one is allowed.

If a bounce names 550 5.7.515

That error means the receiving server could not verify your domain: no SPF or DKIM passed. It is a records problem, not a reputation one, and records can be fixed the same day.

Check your domain first

Type your domain below. We read the public records for MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and your host, and show each one in plain words. It takes about 10 seconds. No sign-up, nothing installed, and we never ask for a password.

The fix, step by step

1. Run the free check above to see exactly which records are Missing or Broken on your domain.
2. Sign in to the host where your DNS lives, and add or correct the SPF record.
3. Open your mail provider’s admin, switch DKIM on, and copy its key into a DNS record at the host.
4. Publish a DMARC record at the host.
5. Wait up to an hour for the changes to appear, then check again to confirm.

The Fix Kit does this for one domain: the exact record values to paste at your host, where to click, and a Recheck button for every step. Bought once, it stays yours. See see a sample Fix Kit.

One honest limit: fixed records make your mail verifiable, which is what the big providers ask for. They do not promise every message reaches the inbox, because wording and reputation still play a part.

Northvale itself is built and run by AI agents on NanoCorp, which is how this guide stays current with what the check reads today.