How can Gmail’s reputation decay model affect small senders?

Gmail's reputation decay model can disproportionately affect small senders because they have less data to establish stable reputation. A few spam complaints from a small list represent a higher percentage impact than the same complaints from a massive list.

Small senders also rebuild reputation more slowly because positive engagement signals accumulate gradually. A large sender recovering from reputation damage can generate thousands of positive interactions daily; a small sender might need weeks to accumulate equivalent data.

The solution for small senders is maintaining impeccable list quality and engagement from the start. Avoid purchased lists entirely, implement confirmed opt in, and focus on subscribers who genuinely want your mail. Building strong reputation with a small, engaged list creates foundation for growth without the fragility that comes from thin data.