New Year – New Email Deliverability Requirements from Gmail and Yahoo
As we step into 2024, Gmail and Yahoo are implementing crucial changes in their deliverability requirements, emphasizing three key factors that will significantly impact the fate of emails:
Email Authentication
Easy Unsubscription
Low User-Reported Spam
This means that Gmail and Yahoo won’t deliver emails sent to mass audiences if the three things above aren’t in place. While all three of these have been seen as “best practices” for healthy email deliverability for years now, this is the first time that email service providers are mandating them.
In light of the new compliance rules, let’s delve into each requirement to ensure our messages continue reaching their intended recipients.
1. Email Authentication: DMARC, SPF, and DKIM Verification
Email authentication is the cornerstone of the new deliverability requirements set by Gmail and Yahoo. Both platforms are reinforcing the importance of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), SPF (Sender Policy Framework), and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) verification.
- DMARC: Senders must implement DMARC to prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks. It ensures that emails are authenticated against established standards, reducing the likelihood of malicious actors impersonating legitimate senders.
- SPF: Sender Policy Framework helps verify that the sending mail server is authorized to send emails on behalf of a specific domain. Proper SPF configuration is crucial to establishing the legitimacy of the sender.
- DKIM: DomainKeys Identified Mail involves digitally signing emails to prove their authenticity. Gmail and Yahoo are placing increased emphasis on DKIM to enhance email security and reliability.
Senders must prioritize these authentication mechanisms to meet the evolving standards and improve their sender reputation, positively influencing email deliverability.
2. Easy Unsubscription: One-Click Unsubscribe with a Two-Day Honor Period
Gmail and Yahoo are championing user experience by mandating an easy unsubscription process. Email senders must implement a one-click unsubscribe mechanism, accompanied by a two-day honor period. This means that once a recipient clicks to unsubscribe, they should be promptly removed from the sender’s email list, and no further emails should be sent during the subsequent two days.
This requirement aims to empower users with a seamless and hassle-free unsubscription process, fostering a positive email environment and reducing the likelihood of recipients marking emails as spam due to difficulty in unsubscribing.
Check your emails for an underlined “Unsubscribe” link. Most modern email platforms have this mandated but contact yours if it is not in place.
3. Low User-Reported Spam: Under 0.3% Spam Rate Threshold
This factor is typically monitored at the email marketing platform level, but it’s good to be aware of the rule and to keep an eye on your user-reported spam rate.
Maintaining a low user-reported spam rate is critical for senders to navigate the evolving landscape of email deliverability. Gmail and Yahoo have set a stringent threshold, requiring senders to keep the user-reported spam rate under 0.3%.
Senders must actively monitor user feedback, promptly address user concerns, and implement strategies to minimize spam reports. A high spam rate not only damages sender reputation but also increases the likelihood of emails being diverted to spam folders or blocked altogether.
These new rules may seem like an irritation now but trust me – you’ll be thankful for them later!
Adapting to the requirements above not only ensures compliance with the platforms’ standards but also enhances the overall user experience, fostering a more secure and reliable email environment that will build trust with potential donors.
These changes go into effect on February 1, 2024 so be sure to take the necessary steps to get your email marketing infrastructure up to par and in compliance.