Why SEO and web design spam emails get past your spam filter

Almost every small business owner knows the email. "I came across your website and noticed you're not on the first page of Google." It is followed by an offer of a free audit, a quick call or a guaranteed ranking. They arrive every week, and they almost always land in the inbox rather than the junk folder.

What they look like

• A friendly opening that mentions your business name or website.
• A vague problem: "several errors", "not mobile friendly", "losing customers to competitors".
• An offer of a free audit, report or 15-minute call.
• Follow-ups a few days later if you don't reply, often starting "Just bumping this up".

Why filters miss them

The spam filters built into Microsoft 365, Outlook and Gmail are very good at catching two kinds of email: bulk mail sent to thousands of people at once, and mail that is plainly malicious, such as viruses and known scam links.

SEO and web design pitches are neither. They are usually sent from real mailboxes, a few at a time, often by a real person or a sales tool that personalises each message. They pass the technical checks that prove an email really came from the domain it claims, and they contain no dangerous links. To a traditional spam filter, they look just like an email from a new customer.

Are they dangerous?

Most are simply a waste of time. Some are worse: the "free audit" can be a way to find out who handles your website, and a small number lead to overpriced contracts or outright scams. None of them should cost you ten minutes every morning.

What to do about them

• Don't reply. A reply confirms your address is monitored and usually leads to more.
• Don't send website logins or access to anyone who emails you out of the blue.
• Use a rule for repeat senders, but expect new ones to take their place.
• Let a dedicated filter handle it. Optima Mail Guard is designed for exactly this kind of email. It moves SEO pitches, web design offers and other cold sales email into a separate folder in your own mailbox, and leaves genuine enquiries where they are. Nothing is deleted, and you can try it free.