Hey everyone, I’m pulling my hair out over here! One of my clients is having a nightmare with their Hubspot and Office 365 setup. Every time they try to send out a bunch of emails, the sender’s address gets blocked and tagged as spam. I’ve done everything I can think of:
- Set up DKIM and DMARC using Hubspot’s records
- Verified the domain
- Followed all of Hubspot’s recommendations
- Cranked up the anti-spam policy limit in 365 to the max (I think it’s 10k?)
But nothing’s working! The emails keep getting blocked. I’m totally stumped. Has anyone run into this before? Is there some secret setting in the 365 admin panel I’m missing? Any tips would be a lifesaver!
Have you considered the timing and frequency of your email sends? Office 365 can be sensitive to sudden spikes in email volume. Try implementing a warm-up period where you gradually increase the number of emails sent over several days or weeks. This can help establish a positive sender reputation.
Another often overlooked aspect is the engagement rate of previous campaigns. If recipients aren’t opening or interacting with the emails, it can negatively impact deliverability. Encourage your client to clean their email list regularly and focus on sending targeted, relevant content to improve engagement metrics.
Lastly, double-check that the ‘From’ address matches the sending domain exactly. Even minor discrepancies can trigger spam filters. If all else fails, consider setting up a dedicated IP address for your client’s email campaigns to isolate their sending reputation.
try whitelisting hubspot’s ip addresses in office 365. also check for unusual chars or urls in the signature that might set off filters. send a small test batch with plain text to check if it goes through. good luck!
I’ve been in your shoes, and it’s definitely frustrating. One thing that helped me was reaching out to Microsoft support directly. They have access to more detailed logs and can sometimes spot issues that aren’t obvious from our end. Another approach that worked for a client of mine was setting up a dedicated subdomain for marketing emails. This separates the bulk sends from regular business communication, which can help preserve the main domain’s reputation. Also, don’t forget to check the email content itself. We once had a client whose emails were getting flagged because they included too many capitalized words and exclamation points. Tweaking the copy made a big difference. Lastly, if all else fails, consider using a third-party SMTP relay service. It adds an extra step, but it can be a lifesaver when dealing with stubborn Office 365 issues.
I’ve encountered similar issues with Office 365 and bulk email platforms. One often overlooked aspect is the content of the emails themselves. Even with proper technical setup, if the content triggers spam filters, you’ll still face problems. Have you reviewed the email templates for spam-like language or excessive links? Additionally, gradually increasing send volumes rather than suddenly sending large batches can help build sender reputation. Lastly, ensure the client’s Office 365 outbound spam policy isn’t overly restrictive. Sometimes, these internal filters can cause unexpected issues with legitimate bulk sends.