Big news for email senders. Google has set to implement some changes that impact a lot of senders – those they call “bulk senders.“ If you're sending 5,000 or more emails to Gmail addresses in a single day, this affects you. Not only Google but Yahoo has also set to step on to this. We’re talking about everyone from the giant retailers and tech giants to the small startups and businesses sending emails to customers. Even the newsletter writers promoting their stuff through emails are in the mix. It’s like a big email shake-up! So, if you’re sending a bunch of emails, no matter how big or small your list is, Google and Yahoo have their eye on you.
Considering recent announcements by Yahoo and Google, senders who intend to send bulk emails to Gmail or Yahoo Mail must comply with the updated sender requirements. According to Marcel Becker from Yahoo and Neil Kumaran from Google, failure to comply with these requirements can result in your emails being refused as early as 2024. These requirements have been long-standing “best practice” recommendations in the email marketing industry, and this serves as a formal documentation of what is already known and establishes a policy-based block for non-compliant emails. It is crucial that senders take the necessary steps to ensure their emails are not blocked and adhere to these requirements without fail.
It has become an utmost requirement to authenticate emails you send every day. If you want your emails to be delivered, it is a must to have email authentication. See our article on how you can no longer reach Gmail users if you are an unauthenticated sender. They had to make this change because many bulk email senders didn’t properly secure their systems. These vulnerabilities allow potential attackers to easily conceal themselves within the sender’s system.
Soon, it will be a must include a direct unsubscribe link on every email you send. It is also required to process such requests within two days of unsubscribing. Users often get annoyed by emails every day. Many email marketers tend to use the same email lists, which are shared among people. A direct list-unsubscribe link will prevent email users from getting saved in unwanted email lists.
It is required to only send wanted emails to the Gmail and Yahoo mail users. Google especially want email marketers to stay within the specific spam/complaint rate threshold to get their emails delivered. If many users mark the emails as spam, there is a clear chance of losing the inbox forever.
We have been telling senders about the best practices in email marketing for all these years. Even though the changes coming to Gmail and Yahoo Mail sound scary, you shouldn’t be worried if you follow these best practices.
Pay good attention to the tips on ensuring your emails are legit. Primarily, make sure your emails pass the DKIM test. SPF is also optional, but at least having DKIM should cover mostly. Every email service provider often acknowledges proper authentication and is confident to send such emails to their users without hesitation.
Always drop in an easy-to-spot option for users to opt-out, and if you need to tweak any settings like enabling list-unsubscribe, go for it. It is also essential to have a proper list hygiene all the time. Refrain from borrowing lists from available sources, and try to grow your list along with your business legitimately.
Be alert to your emails’ spam complaint rate, and ensure that you send only necessary emails to your customers. Make such emails more compelling and engaging to make it less likely for them to be marked as ‘spam’. It is also essential to have a proper email campaign timetable to identify the best possible time, the number of emails to send and the frequency. Lastly, sign up for Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your spam complaint rates. For Yahoo, they offer Complaint Feedback Loop program which allows you to receive complaints from Yahoo users.
I am a Blogger, Writer, Consultant and a Teacher. I work under Jonah NZ. I love travelling, meeting new people and exploring new places. I am a big fan of AI and new technology, and I am also a big car enthusiast.
Would ‘The Great Gmail Purge‘ affect your email marketing efforts? No need to worry if you prepare ahead of time! Effective preparation ensures your emails …
Email metrics are the backbone of a successful marketing campaign. These metrics offer treasured insights into the overall performance of your email campaigns, …
In today's world of digital communication, email remains a cornerstone of personal and professional communication. But as emails evolve, so do the threats associated …
Delivering email isn't as easy as you would expect, and one of the components that make things particularly tricky is IP addresses. There was a time when inboxing …
Learn how to achieve: Higher email deliverability Higher open/click rates Lower bounces Introduction: The crucial role of email validation Email remains a linchpin …
What is POP? POP stands for post office protocol, often referred to with a suffix of its version - number 3. POP3 is also the most commonly used protocol used for …