When sending email campaigns through WeGive, you may notice that test emails occasionally fail to deliver — even to recipients who normally receive your regular communications without issue. This is a common challenge across all email platforms (Mailchimp, MailerLite, etc.) and is usually not a sign of a system issue.
Below, we explain why this happens and what you can do to improve test email deliverability.
Why Test Emails Fail More Often
1. Local Policy Filters
The bounce error often looks like this:
550 5.7.1 Refused by local policy. No SPAM please!
This means the recipient’s mail provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, Strato) has rejected the message based on its internal rules — not based on your sending reputation overall. Many providers apply filters per message, not just per sender.
2. Different Header and Authentication Behavior
Test emails sometimes have slightly different technical headers compared to full campaigns. This can include:
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Missing or different DKIM, SPF, or DMARC signatures
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Changes to the Return-Path or Reply-To
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Missing standard headers like List-ID or unsubscribe links
These differences can make a test email look less trustworthy to receiving servers, even if your campaign emails are fully authenticated.
3. Low Volume = Low Reputation
Bulk campaigns build a positive reputation over time. When you send a test email to just one address, there’s no volume history for filters to rely on. It can look like a one-off message from an unknown source.
4. Content Triggers
Test emails often have placeholder content or even include the word “test” in the subject or body, which can raise spam suspicion.
Also, if the message is missing footers, personalization, or standard links, it can look more like spam than a normal marketing message.
Best Practices to Improve Test Email Deliverability
1. Verify Sending Domain Authentication
Make sure the domain you are using (support@, events@, etc.) is correctly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. If you have multiple subdomains, ensure they all have proper DNS records.
2. Compare Headers
Send a real campaign email to yourself, open the raw headers, and compare them to a test email. Look for differences in:
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DKIM-Signature
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Return-Path
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“From” and “Reply-To” addresses
This can help you identify technical gaps.
3. Avoid Spam Triggers in Content
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Remove “test” language from subject and body where possible
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Include normal elements like personalization, footers, and unsubscribe links
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Avoid too many links or spammy keywords
4. Use a Real Send for Final Approval
If deliverability is critical for a particular recipient (e.g., a board member or key donor), consider doing a very small live send instead of using the "Send Test" feature. This ensures the email is sent with all the normal campaign authentication and headers.
Key Takeaways
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Test emails are helpful for previewing, but they don’t always behave like full sends.
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Differences in headers, volume, and content can cause them to be flagged by spam filters.
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Proper domain authentication and spam-safe content can reduce failures, but some mail providers will always be stricter with tests.
If you continue to see issues with test emails being rejected, check your authentication setup and consider using a small real send for final approvals.