Starting in February 2024, Google and Yahoo will implement fresh guidelines for bulk email senders. Google has defined bulk senders as those who dispatch over 5,000 messages to Gmail addresses within a day.
The updated guidelines primarily revolve around three key aspects: the authentication of outgoing emails, maintaining low reported spam rates, and ensuring the ease of unsubscribing from email lists.
From the perspective of email authentication, three interlinked mechanisms are involved:
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF): aids in preventing domain spoofing by empowering senders to pinpoint the email servers authorized to dispatch emails from their domain.
- DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM): appends a digital signature to outgoing emails, verifying that the message originated from an authorized sender and hasn’t been altered en route.
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC): empowers domain owners to specify the actions to be taken when an email fails authentication. Additionally, it facilitates reporting on email authentication outcomes.
Regarding spam rates, Google has stipulated that bulk senders must maintain their reported spam rate—the percentage of outgoing messages flagged as spam by recipients—in Google Postmaster Tools below 0.1% (1 spam report for every 1000 mails sent). Additionally, to quote Google, “Avoid ever reaching 0.3% or higher.”
The unsubscribing updated guidelines focus on enabling people to opt out of your messages easily. Implementing the new guidelines can improve open rates, click-through rates, and sending efficiency. If you send more than 5,000 messages per day, your marketing and subscribed messages must support one-click unsubscribe.
Google recommends including both of these headers in outgoing messages: List-Unsubscribe-Post and List-Unsubscribe (support one-click unsubscribe [RFC 8058] and support “mailto” unsubscribe [RFC 2369]). It also encourages letting recipients review the individual mailing lists they are subscribed to and allowing them to unsubscribe from lists individually or all lists at once. The additional recommendation includes automatically unsubscribing recipients who have multiple bounced messages.
Here’s how to comply with the updated requirements of Google and Yahoo for bulk senders:
Gmail (Effective February 1, 2024) – Official link
1. Email Authentication:
Confirm your email’s identity by implementing SPF or DKIM authentication for your domain.
2. DNS Records:
Ensure valid forward and reverse DNS records for sending domains or IPs.
3. Spam Rates:
Keep spam rates below 0.3%, as reported in Postmaster Tools.
4. Message Formatting:
Format messages according to standard guidelines (RFC 5322).
5. DMARC Authentication:
Set up DMARC email authentication for your sending domain.
6. DMARC Enforcement for Gmail:
Avoid impersonating Gmail From: headers to comply with DMARC quarantine policies.
7. Forwarded Emails:
If you forward emails regularly, add ARC headers to outgoing emails, and mailing list senders should include a List-id: header.
8. DMARC Alignment:
Ensure alignment with SPF or DKIM domains for direct mail to pass DMARC alignment.
9. Unsubscribe Feature:
Enable one-click unsubscribe with a visible link for subscribed messages.
Yahoo (Effective First Quarter of 2024) – Official link
1. Email Authentication:
Implement stronger authentication using industry standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
2. Easy Unsubscription:
Support one-click unsubscribe and honor user requests within two days.
3. Relevance Threshold:
Ensure emails align with users’ preferences to maintain a clutter-free inbox.
Adapting to the Changes:
As an email marketer, prompt adaptation is crucial. Strengthen your email authentication, simplify unsubscribe processes, and align your emails with user preferences. Gmail and Yahoo prioritize user experience, and meeting these standards not only enhances your email delivery but also contributes to a secure and enjoyable global email environment.
Having thrived for over five decades, email is still going strong as the ubiquitous channel of communication. The updated guidelines from Google and Yahoo might initially cause some apprehension and pose challenges, yet this is a significant milestone in the journey towards a more secure and enhanced inbox experience.
Here’s a video that details the authentication process mentioned above. Should you need further clarity or want to know what you should do about the updated email requirements of Google and Yahoo, reach out to us – we are here to help.
