Openai/6929cd1c-7a64-8001-8a2c-558af209458b

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gpt-5-1

User: im hosting an email server here https://sendy.return.me using Sendy.

im hosting an email server here https://sendy.return.me using Sendy. I am using Amazon SES for sending all the emails. I noticed my open rates are very low. When i was testing my email went in to my gmail spam. I need to make sure our emails get in to customers inbox regardless of what email server they have. how can i increase my open rates ? are there some settings in Amazon SES DNS that i need to do or something else. I used to have 10 times the open rates last year, now its much lower. help me

Assistant: Here’s a complete, practical, step-by-step plan to fix your deliverability and get your open rates back up with Amazon …

Here’s a complete, practical, step-by-step plan to fix your deliverability and get your open rates back up with Amazon SES + Sendy, focusing specifically on what causes Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, corporate servers, etc. to send your emails to SPAM and how to get out of it.

I'll keep this very clear and actionable.

When open rates suddenly drop (especially with Gmail marking emails as spam), it is usually caused by one of these:

As of Feb 2024, ALL bulk senders must comply with:

• SPF
• DKIM
• DMARC
• “List-Unsubscribe” header
• One-click unsubscribe

If any of these are missing, Gmail sends you to spam.

Below is exactly what to update.

In your DNS for return.me, make sure you have:

v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all

Make sure you do NOT have multiple SPF records. Only ONE allowed.

In Amazon SES → Verified Identities → return.me → DKIM

Make sure:

• You enabled Easy DKIM
• You added the 3 CNAME records to your DNS
• All show verified

If DKIM is not working, Gmail will 100% mark you as spam.

Without DMARC, Gmail throttles and spams your emails.

Add this DNS record (minimum requirement):

Type: TXT Host: _dmarc Value:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]

You can tighten it later, but this is the starting point.

Even if you use Microsoft 365, you still need Gmail-friendly MX records to avoid spam suspicion:

return.me.   IN   MX   10 inbound-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com

(Optional but improves SES trust score.)

###

In Sendy settings → Brands → Your Brand → turn this ON:

✔ “Set list-unsubscribe header” ✔ “Add one-click unsubscribe”

Gmail requires this now.

Emails with:

• too many images
• too little text
• large images

… often go to spam.

Try:

• 60% text / 40% images
• No giant banners at the top

Especially for ReturnMe promo emails:

"free" "promo" "discount" "buy now" "urgent" "earn money" "special offer"

Replace with softer words:

• complimentary
• offer
• preferred pricing
• limited spots
• member advantage

If you sent 200,000 emails too fast, Gmail marks it as bulk spam.

Fix:

• Start at 2,000 per hour
• Increase daily: 2,000 → 5,000 → 10,000 → 25,000
• Let Gmail “trust” your IP again

Your list likely has:

• old contacts
• inactive recipients
• high bounce or spam complaint history
• corporate firewalls blocking the old domain reputation

Solution: Clean the list.

Use a service like:

• NeverBounce
• ZeroBounce
• Bouncer
• MailerCheck

Clean out:

• invalid emails
• role addresses (info@, sales@, hr@)
• spam traps
• inactive addresses (no opens in 12 months)

Then, create Segments in Sendy:

Here are the exact records you MUST have for high deliverability:

Gmail loves:

• “Quick idea for you”
• “This can help”
• “Update for you”
• “Your ReturnMe tags”
• “A small request”

Avoid emoji. Avoid all caps.

Example:

Subject: Quick follow-up for Halo Preview: Thought you’d find this useful.

If you want, I can help you:

✔ Check your SPF ✔ Check your DKIM ✔ Check your DMARC ✔ Check your domain’s reputation ✔ Check your IP reputation ✔ Check your email layout ✔ Rewrite your templates for inbox placement ✔ Rebuild your segments ✔ Help set safe sending speeds (especially for 200K emails)

Just tell me:

What is your sending domain? (e.g., mail.return.me or sendy.return.me?) and I can run through every setting FOR YOU and tell you exactly what to fix.

1. Verify SPF, DKIM, and add DMARC

1. Enable List-Unsubscribe (Sendy)
2. Warm up sending again
3. Clean your email list
4. Adjust image/text ratio
5. Avoid spammy subject lines/content
6. Resend campaigns to engaged users first

Do these 7 steps and your open rates will return to normal.

If you'd like, paste your DNS records or tell me your domain and I’ll tell you exactly what’s missing.

User: show me where to go in amazon ses to see and make these changes

show me where to go in amazon ses to see and make these changes

Assistant: Here is a clear, step-by-step walkthrough showing exactly where to click in Amazon SES to set up and fix SPF, DKIM, DMA…

Here is a clear, step-by-step walkthrough showing exactly where to click in Amazon SES to set up and fix SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and all deliverability settings.

I’ll guide you like you’re inside the SES console.

✅ 1. Log into Amazon SES

Go to:

console.aws.amazon.com

Choose the correct region where your SES is set up (usually US-East-1, US-West-2, or EU-West-1).

✅ 2. GO HERE TO FIX DKIM & SPF

Menu → SES → Identities

On the left sidebar, click:

“Verified identities”

You will see your sending domain (example: return.me or mail.return.me).

Click your domain.

Inside that domain page you will see:

✔ A. Easy DKIM

• Look for “DKIM signing”
• Make sure it says: “Enabled (Easy DKIM)”
• If not → click “Edit” → enable Easy DKIM
• SES will give you 3 CNAME records
• Add these to your DNS
• Status must say “Verified”

✔ B. SPF

SPF isn’t directly edited inside SES, but SES shows you the record you need.

Scroll until you see:

“Mail-From domain”

You will see:

v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all

You must add this at your DNS provider.

✅ 3. WHERE TO FIND THE REQUIRED DNS RECORDS

Inside your domain identity, scroll down to:

Section: “DNS records”

You will see 3–6 records:

1. TXT → SPF
2. Two or three CNAMEs → DKIM
3. TXT (optional) → MAIL FROM domain

Copy/paste these into your DNS.

When they turn green / verified, you’re good.

✅ 4. HOW TO SET UP DMARC

DMARC is not inside Amazon SES.

You set it in your DNS provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Microsoft, etc.).

Add this TXT record:

Host: _dmarc Type: TXT Value:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]

You can confirm this record with:

https://mxtoolbox.com/dmarc.aspx

✅ 5. CHECK COMPLAINT, BOUNCE, AND REPUTATION

To see if SES is throttling your domain (VERY IMPORTANT):

In SES sidebar click:

“Reputation dashboard” (or depending on region: “Account dashboard” → “Reputation”)

Inside you can see:

✔ Bounce rate ✔ Complaint rate ✔ Rejection rate ✔ Account health ✔ Sending limits ✔ IP reputation

If your bounce OR complaint rate is high, Gmail will hit spam automatically.

✅ 6. CHECK SENDING SETTINGS

Go to:

SES → Configuration → Sending → Account dashboard

This page shows:

• Are you hitting rate limits?
• Are emails being throttled?
• Are you on the spam list?
• Are you in the SES sandbox?

✅ 7. CHECK EMAIL DELIVERABILITY INSIGHTS

Go here:

SES → Deliverability → Insights

This page shows:

• Domain reputation
• Key compliance issues
• Authentication issues (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
• Inbox placement score
• Gmail/Yahoo deliverability warnings

✅ 8. WARM-UP SETTINGS AND SENDING SPEED

Go here:

SES → Configuration → Sending → Sending limits

This shows:

• Max emails per second
• Max emails per 24 hours

For large lists (e.g., 200,000+), this matters for Gmail inbox placement.

✅ QUICK SUMMARY OF WHERE TO CLICK

| What you want to fix | Where to click in SES | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | DKIM | SES → Verified Identities → Domain → DKIM | | SPF record info | SES → Verified Identities → Domain → Mail-From | | DNS records | SES → Verified Identities → Domain → DNS records section | | Reputation problems | SES → Reputation Dashboard | | Bounce/complaint rate | SES → Reputation Dashboard | | Sending speed | SES → Configuration → Sending limits | | Deliverability issues | SES → Deliverability → Insights |

📌 Want me to walk you through this LIVE?

If you tell me:

✔ Your SES region ✔ Your sending domain (ex: mail.return.me or return.me) ✔ Your DNS host (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Microsoft, etc.)

I can guide you screen-by-screen and tell you exactly what to click and exactly what to fix.

Just tell me your setup and I’ll walk you step-by-step.