If you’re sending emails for a business, newsletter, or SaaS tool and getting less engagement than you’d like, there’s a good chance some of your messages are landing in spam. Glockapps is one of the tools that promises to help, but staring at its spam score report can feel like reading a car diagnostic with no idea what any of it actually means. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually use those reports to write better emails and get into more inboxes—without wasting hours chasing after every little warning.
Step 1: Understand What Glockapps Actually Tells You
Glockapps is a deliverability testing tool. In simple terms, it sends your email to a bunch of test inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.) and shows you where your message lands: inbox, promotions, or spam. It also runs your message through spam filters (like SpamAssassin) and checks technical stuff (like authentication records).
What it’s good for: - Seeing real-world placement (not just “sent” vs. “delivered”) - Identifying obvious technical errors (like missing DKIM) - Getting a sanity check before a big campaign
What it’s not good for: - Predicting the future—email filters change all the time - Explaining “why” your mail is in spam (it points at clues, not hard answers) - Fixing problems automatically (it just reports, you fix)
Bottom line: Glockapps gives you a snapshot, not the full movie. Treat each report as a hint, not gospel.
Step 2: Don’t Panic—Look at the Big Picture First
Before getting lost in the weeds, glance at the “Summary” or “Inbox Placement” section. This tells you: - How many inboxes got your email - How many sent it to spam - How many never received it
If more than 10–20% of the test emails go to spam, you’ve got work to do. But if it’s just one or two outliers (say, Yahoo or AOL), don’t flip your desk. Some providers are pickier than others and results can change daily.
Pro Tip: Run the test a few times over several days. Small variances are normal—look for consistent patterns, not one-off freakouts.
Step 3: Check the Technical Basics First
Most email problems are boring technical stuff, not mysterious “content” issues. Glockapps will call out missing or broken setups right up top. Focus on these:
1. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- SPF: This says who’s allowed to send on your domain’s behalf. Missing or invalid SPF? Spam filters will get suspicious.
- DKIM: This adds a cryptographic signature to your message. If it’s broken or missing, your mail looks fake.
- DMARC: Tells receiving servers what to do if SPF/DKIM fail. Not strictly required, but it’s helpful.
What to do: - If Glockapps says any of these are missing or failing, fix them first. Ask your IT or whoever runs your DNS. Most reputable ESPs (Mailchimp, SendGrid, etc.) have step-by-step guides.
2. Reverse DNS (PTR) Records
- If your sending IP doesn’t have a reverse DNS, some spam filters will block or junk your mail.
- Glockapps will flag this in red or orange.
What to do: - Contact your ESP or hosting provider—they usually have to set PTR records for you.
Ignore: Warnings about “no DMARC” if you’re just testing or if you’re already passing SPF/DKIM and aren’t seeing deliverability problems. But if you’re running big campaigns, set up DMARC.
Step 4: Interpreting Spam Filter Scores
Glockapps usually runs your email through SpamAssassin and maybe others. You’ll see a score (e.g., “SpamAssassin: 2.3/5.0”).
- Below 5: Usually safe. Most servers use 5 as the spam cutoff.
- Above 5: Your message might get filtered. Time to poke around.
Look at the individual rules that triggered points. Some common ones: - HTML_IMAGE_ONLY_XX: Message is just an image, no text. Spammy. - URIBL_BLACK: Linked domains are on a blacklist. Bad news. - MIME_HTML_ONLY: Email is HTML only, no plain text version. Not fatal, but not ideal.
What to do: - If you see red flags, address them. For example, add real text, avoid link shorteners, and make sure your main domain isn’t blacklisted.
Ignore: Tiny warnings like “missing List-Unsubscribe header” if you’re not sending bulk/marketing mail. But if you are, it’s best practice to include it.
Step 5: Evaluate Content Warnings—But Don’t Overthink It
Glockapps sometimes flags “spammy” keywords or formatting, like: - ALL CAPS SUBJECTS - Too many exclamation marks - “Free,” “Act now,” etc.
Here’s the honest truth: filters are way smarter than they used to be. A few bold words or exclamation marks won’t kill your deliverability unless you’re already on thin ice.
What actually matters: - Don’t use only images (filters hate this) - Avoid link shorteners (bit.ly, etc.) - Don’t stuff your message with “free” or “guarantee” like a bad infomercial
What to ignore: - Most single-word warnings - “Your email looks like marketing!”—well, it is marketing. Focus on technical and engagement signals first.
Step 6: Watch for Blacklists and Blocklists
Glockapps checks if your sending IP or domain is on common spam blacklists (like Spamhaus or SORBS). If you’re listed, some providers will block or junk your mail, no matter how clean your content is.
What to do: - If your domain/IP shows up on a major blacklist, stop sending immediately and investigate. Sometimes your ESP can fix it, or you may need to submit a delisting request. - If you’re on obscure or “minor” lists but not seeing real-world problems, don’t sweat it.
Pro Tip: If you’re using a shared ESP (Mailchimp, etc.), you might not be able to fix blacklist issues yourself—contact support.
Step 7: Use Placement Results for Real-World Testing
The most useful Glockapps section is the raw placement grid: which test inboxes got your mail in the inbox, which got spam, and which missed it entirely.
How to use it: - If Gmail and Outlook both send you to spam, you have a real problem—time to check technical setup and content. - If only one provider (say, Yahoo) filters you, but the rest are fine, it’s probably not worth obsessing over (unless your list is mostly Yahoo addresses).
What to ignore: - One-off “misses” or inboxes that always junk everything (some test accounts get abused and are basically useless).
Pro Tip: Re-test after every significant change. Small tweaks (like fixing DKIM or rewording your subject) can have outsized effects.
Step 8: Don’t Chase Every Warning—Prioritize Fixes
The fastest way to waste time is chasing down every yellow warning. Here’s how to focus:
- Critical: SPF/DKIM/DMARC failures, blacklists, high spam filter scores
- Worth fixing: HTML-only emails, missing plain text, image-only messages
- Nice to have: List-Unsubscribe header, minor content tweaks
- Ignore: Single-word or formatting warnings, unless you see a pattern
Remember: No tool (including Glockapps) can guarantee inbox placement. Focus on big, repeatable problems—not edge cases.
Step 9: Iterate and Keep It Simple
Deliverability is a moving target. Run a Glockapps test before a big send, fix the obvious stuff, and resist the urge to chase perfection. Real-world engagement (opens, clicks, replies) matters more than any single score.
Quick checklist: - Pass SPF, DKIM, and (ideally) DMARC - Stay off major blacklists - Avoid “just-an-image” emails and link shorteners - Keep your content human—write like a real person - Watch for patterns, not one-offs
At the end of the day, Glockapps is a flashlight, not a magic wand. Use it to spot the biggest, most actionable problems. Make a fix, re-test, and move on. The key is to keep things simple, send real, valuable emails, and iterate as you go. Don’t let a sea of warnings paralyze you. Inbox placement isn’t voodoo—it’s mostly about getting the basics right and not giving up after one weird report. Happy sending.