Significant shifts are on the horizon for the email landscape. Beginning February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo will enforce a set of fresh regulations for large-scale senders.
If your daily email volume exceeds 5,000 messages to Google and Yahoo recipients, compliance entails:
Validating your emails through security protocols such as DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
Introducing a one-click list-unsubscribe feature and promptly acknowledging unsubscribe requests within a two-day timeframe.
Sustaining a spam complaint rate below 0.3%, equivalent to no more than three spam reports for every 1,000 dispatched messages.
Do not label it as a “disruption”; these practices have been standard for bulk senders for an extended period. As per Marcel Becker at Yahoo, sender authentication is crucial for identification, ensuring an easy unsubscribe process demonstrates respect for recipients, and sending desired emails minimizes complaint rates.
Anu Yamunan from Google mentions that permanent blocks won’t occur immediately, but starting February, a portion of non-compliant traffic will face temporary blocks. Reports suggest Google is already implementing rate limiting, citing DMARC misalignment.
The one-click unsubscribe, especially in the header, must be HTTPS, as per Yahoo’s recommendation. Adhering to RFC 8058 is advised, which is likely handled by your ESP.
The one-click unsubscribe rule excludes transactional mail, and Google and Yahoo will let users distinguish between transactional and promotional based on behavior.
These changes aim to enhance the email experience for recipients, particularly Gmail and Yahoo users, and safeguard the ecosystem from malicious emails while ensuring the delivery of wanted messages.
Marcel Becker and Anu Yamunan confirm that reputable senders maintain spam complaint rates below 0.1% or 1:1000 recipients. Senders occasionally reaching 0.1% or 0.3% complaint rates won’t be instantly blocked, but consistent non-compliance may result in temporary traffic blocks. The 5,000 emails per day guideline from Google isn’t rigid; various factors, such as content repetition and correspondence, are considered.
Anu Yamunan states that non-compliance with the one-click unsubscribe requirement will be rejected starting in June. If struggling, assistance is offered at emailindustries.com. Marcel emphasizes that a “p=none” DMARC policy implies a focus on reporting, advising configuration of the “rua=mailto:” address. To enhance security, moving to a “reject” DMARC policy is recommended.
These changes prioritize user experience and overall ecosystem protection. Proper email authentication, easy unsubscribe options, and monitoring spam rates have long been crucial. Major bulk senders and reputable brands have already embraced these practices for years.
Take a moment, review bounce messages, stay composed, and carry on with your email operations. Because, all these standards aim to create a safer, more enjoyable experience for the average Gmail or Yahoo email user.
Pankaj Kumar is a senior professional holding 10+ years of experience in CRM, Email Deliverability & Marketing Analytics, Deliverability Onboarding, Implementation, Deliverability Automations
He has worked with a broad range of clients to provide strategic, data-driven guidance to increase email delivery, subscriber engagement and revenue. He also helps marketers through this blogs in preparing strategies, data analytics, deliverability, and CRM with a passion for helping email marketers exceed subscriber expectations. You may connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumarpankaj793/
