84 - Why Your Emails Keep Landing in Spam and How to Fix It

Email isn’t “set it and forget it.” In this technical deep dive, host Vit Muller sits down with deliverability specialist and longtime HighLevel power user, Matt Ratliff of FunnelTechie, to demystify the setup steps and strategy that keep your emails out of spam and your domain reputation protected.

From the biggest mistakes agencies make when they migrate to HighLevel and “blast day one,” to exactly how to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC (root vs subdomain), this episode gives you a practical blueprint. Matt and Vit compare LC Email vs using Mailgun directly, walk through sane subdomain strategies for transactional and marketing sends, show how to read Gmail headers to diagnose alignment, and lay out smart ways to route replies (Conversations vs Gmail) without breaking your inbox or your reporting.

They also unpack IP reputation (shared pools vs dedicated IPs), sunset policies, and why engagement is the number one signal — plus a proven way to automate it so your list stays healthy long-term.

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About Matt Ratliff

Matt Ratliff is the founder of FunnelTechie and a recognized deliverability expert in the HighLevel community. With 20+ years designing, securing, and optimizing enterprise networks for Fortune 500s, Matt has been helping agencies, marketers, and SaaS founders improve email performance since 2020 — with a specialty in simplifying complex setups, safeguarding domain reputation, and turning engagement data into action.

Highlights 🔥

Key points we talked about in this pilot episode!

👉 [00:01:30] Common Mistakes in Email Deliverability - Discussion on the common mistake of migrating lists and blasting emails without proper setup, leading to domain reputation issues. Matt emphasizes the importance of understanding best practices from the start.
👉 [00:03:30] Technical Setup Essentials - Matt explains the critical steps in setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for email authentication. The conversation touches on the pros and cons of using Lead Connector Email versus Mailgun.
👉 [00:05:00] Building and Maintaining a Healthy Email List - The importance of list hygiene and engagement is discussed. Matt shares insights on how disengagement can negatively impact deliverability and the role of open rates as a key signal.
👉 [00:09:00] Vit’s Email Setup Process - Vit shares his approach to setting up email infrastructure, including the use of subdomains and Google Workspace. Matt provides feedback and additional tips on optimizing the setup.
👉 [00:18:00] Understanding DMARC and Its Importance - A deep dive into DMARC records, including the differences between root and subdomain policies. Matt explains the significance of setting the correct policy and alignment tags.
👉 [00:36:00] Subdomain Strategy and Email Routing - Discussion on the strategic use of subdomains for transactional versus marketing emails. The conversation also covers how to handle email replies and the implications of different routing choices.
👉 [01:03:00] IP Reputation and Dedicated IPs - Matt explains the impact of IP reputation on deliverability and the considerations for using shared versus dedicated IPs. The importance of maintaining consistent email volume is highlighted.

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