Why am I seeing email warnings now?
If you’ve started seeing things like:
- “This email isn’t trusted”
- Fewer opens than usual
- Messages quietly landing in junk
You’re not alone. For most businesses, nothing obvious changed. The emails look the same. The tools are the same. What changed is the rules. This isn’t a marketing problem. It’s a trust problem.
For years, email worked on trust by default. Now it works on proof. Enter the power of SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
(Want the TL;DR version? Click here).
The Wild West years of email (why this wasn’t urgent before)
The confusing bit?
SPF, DKIM and DMARC aren’t new.
They’ve existed for years. The difference is that inbox providers used to be… relaxed.
- If an email looked roughly legitimate, it usually got through
- Spam filters focused more on content than identity
- You could be a bit sloppy and still be fine
It was like airport security in the 1990s. Quick glance. Wave through. No questions asked.
Then spam, phishing, and impersonation exploded. Inbox providers took the blame. So they changed the approach.
Instead of guessing what an email is saying, they now verify who it’s really from.
The big shift: enforcement, not invention
This isn’t new technology. It’s stricter enforcement. Over the last couple of years, providers like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have tightened the rules. Emails that don’t clearly prove who they’re from now get:
- Warning banners
- Junked
- Throttled
- Or quietly pushed down the inbox
Important line to land: Nothing broke. The tolerance disappeared.
Email trust, explained simply
Before the acronyms, here’s the mental model. Every email needs to answer three basic questions:
- Who is sending this?
- Are they allowed to send on behalf of this domain?
- What should happen if something doesn’t line up?
It’s the difference between a letter with a typed return address and one that’s stamped, signed, and verified. Inbox providers now expect the second one.
SPF: “Are you allowed to send this email?”
SPF is a public list. It says which systems are allowed to send email for your domain. If a system isn’t on the list, inboxes get suspicious.
Analogy: SPF is the guest list on the door. If you’re not on it, security starts asking questions.
The business reality:
- You add new tools (CRM, marketing, ticketing)
- SPF doesn’t get updated
- Emails still send…
- …but trust erodes quietly in the background
DKIM: “Has this email been tampered with?”
DKIM adds a digital signature to each email. Receiving systems can check the message wasn’t altered in transit.
Analogy: DKIM is a wax seal on the envelope. If it’s missing or broken, you don’t trust what’s inside.
Important reassurance:
- DKIM doesn’t read your email
- It doesn’t scan content
- It just proves authenticity
DMARC: “What should happen if something goes wrong?”
DMARC is the control layer. It ties SPF and DKIM together and tells inbox providers what to do if checks fail.
Analogy: DMARC is the rulebook. Without it, inboxes make their own judgement.
Why this matters:
- No DMARC = inconsistent behaviour
- Some emails land
- Some get warnings
- Some disappear without explanation
Why this shows up as warnings, not total failure
This is what confuses most people. Inbox providers rarely block everything at once. They apply friction first:
- Warning banners
- Inbox vs junk placement
- Reduced visibility
Strong truth: Most deliverability problems don’t look like failure. They look like “it’s fine… mostly”. Until it isn’t.
Why this matters more now than ever
This affects:
- Cold outreach
- Marketing emails
- Client communication
- Invoices and account messages
The real risks aren’t technical. They’re commercial:
- Lower open rates
- Lost replies
- Weakened brand credibility
- Higher spam complaints
When trust drops, performance follows.
The good news: this is fixable
This isn’t a rebuild. It’s configuration. Once set correctly:
- All your email systems benefit
- Trust stabilises
- Performance stops wobbling
This is foundational hygiene, not a marketing trick. Most businesses don’t need more tools. They need their existing ones trusted again.
A very Quinset ending
If you’re not sure whether your domain is trusted, that’s normal. Most people only find out once something starts flagging.
If you want, we can check your setup, explain what’s happening in plain English, and show you what to fix or what to leave alone. No drama. No jargon. Just clarity.
TL;DR
Why am I seeing email warnings?
Because inbox rules tightened. Your emails didn’t change. Tolerance did.
Is this new tech?
No. SPF, DKIM and DMARC have been around for years. Enforcement is new.
What’s actually happening?
Inbox providers now want proof of who is sending email, not guesses.
In plain English:
- SPF: Are you allowed to send?
- DKIM: Has the message been altered?
- DMARC: What should happen if something fails?
Why does some email still work?
Providers apply friction first — warnings, junking, throttling.
Why does it matter?
Lower opens, fewer replies, damaged credibility.
Good news: This is fixable. It’s setup, not strategy.
Bottom line: Most businesses don’t need more email. They need their email trusted again.
Want to know more?
Further reading is available on:
