A whirlwind of changes swept through the email marketing landscape last month when Gmail and Yahoo enacted new email requirements specifically aimed at those who send close to 5,000 emails or more in a 24 hour period (bulk senders).
Let’s dive into what these changes entail and how they affect your email campaigns.
Understanding Gmail and Yahoo’s Latest Updates
What’s the driving force behind these changes? A surge in spam and phishing attempts has made navigating our inboxes like walking through a minefield.
Gmail and Yahoo’s response aims to clear the path, making it easier for email recipients to distinguish the good folks from those up to no good. This is a big win for everyone involved in email communication, promising fewer unwanted emails and a safer environment for our messages to thrive.
Here’s the rundown on what’s changed and why it matters:
1. Email Authentication Takes Center Stage
At the heart of these updates are the technical standards of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which are all about authenticating your emails. The standout change here is the need for your friendly “From” address domain to align with the domain used for SPF and DKIM authentication.
This is a departure from past practices where leveraging your email provider’s domain for authentication was sufficient. Now, the spotlight is on ensuring that the domain in your friendly “From” address is the same one being used for passing those crucial authentication checks.
2. DMARC Becomes Essential
Another big change is that adding DMARC to your domain is no longer a recommendation; it’s part of the new standard. While the concept of DMARC might seem daunting, setting your policy to “p=none” is a gentle entry point into ensuring that your emails are marked with your stamp of legitimacy. Once you’ve ensured your emails are passing DMARC successfully, you can move to more strict settings like “p=quarantine” or “p=reject”.
3. User Experience Is A Larger Focus
Google and Yahoo are placing a big emphasis on user experience by making it a requirement that all emails have a clear, easy, one-click unsubscribe process.
This, along with maintaining a spam complaint rate below 0.1%, underscores the importance of sending emails that your audience actually wants to receive. After all, an engaged audience is less likely to mark your emails as spam, helping you maintain a stellar sender reputation.
How to Avoid the Spam Filter and Reach the Inbox
Since these new rules rolled out, at ConvertKit we’ve noticed a few hiccups and patterns among email senders navigating through these changes. One key thing we’ve spotted is a bump in spam filtering issues for some due to a spike in complaint rates.
So how can you maneuver through these changes and ensure your emails find the inbox instead of the spam filter?
- Double Down on Authentication: Ensure your emails are authenticated using your own domain. This strengthens your reputation and aligns with the new requirements.
- Embrace DMARC: Implementing a DMARC record on your domain is no longer optional. Start with a policy of “p=none” and adjust as you become more comfortable with the setup.
- Monitor and Adapt: Use tools like Google Postmaster to keep an eye on your spam complaint rates. Staying below the 0.1% mark is crucial to avoiding the spam folder.
- List Hygiene and Engagement: Ensure everyone on your list is there because they chose to be. Only send emails to subscribers who have opted in and regularly clean your list of those who aren’t engaging to keep your engagement rates healthy.
- Segmentation and Relevance: Sending relevant content to segmented groups within your audience can significantly reduce spam complaints. Tailor your messaging to match subscriber interests and engagement levels.
- Ramp Up Slowly: If you’re making changes to your sending domain or volume, do so gradually. Sudden changes can trigger spam filters and affect your deliverability. While you’re warming up your list it may be helpful to suppress your cold subscribers for two weeks after making any changes to really increase the amount of positive signals.
- Double-check your MX records: If your MX records aren’t valid, your email might not be delivered, so make sure that your MX records are working properly.
- Seek Support: If you’re feeling overwhelmed by these changes, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Your ESP support team is there to assist you in navigating these updates. Got an email delivery question? Reach out to ConvertKit at help@convertkit.com and we’ll help you even if you’re not a customer.
Conclusion
The introduction of Gmail and Yahoo’s new requirements isn’t just about jumping through hoops; it’s an opportunity to refine your approach to email marketing.
By focusing on authentication, maintaining a clean and engaged subscriber list, and ensuring your content is relevant and welcomed, you’re not just complying with new standards—you’re setting your emails up for success. Embracing these changes means you can continue to deliver emails that not only reach inboxes but also spark engagement among your subscribers.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alyssa Dulin ,Manager of Creator Growth for ConvertKit
Alyssa Dulin is the Manager of Creator Growth for ConvertKit, the leading marketing platform dedicated to empowering creators to connect with their audience and transform their passions into thriving businesses. With robust tools for commerce, automations, landing pages, newsletters, and email design, ConvertKit offers creators new ways to grow their newsletters and increase their income. ConvertKit helps 600k+ creators work smarter – not harder – with email, automation, and monetization tools that work together to drive continuous growth.