Understanding the New Email Deliverability Rules by Gmail and Yahoo: Plus What To Do

Gmail and Yahoo, two of the most popular email providers, are set to implement new email deliverability rules starting on February 1st, 2024. These changes can significantly affect how your emails reach your recipients. Here's a quick explanation of these new rules and a practical 2-step approach to ensure your email marketing remains effective.

What are the New Email Deliverability Rules?

Let's start by unpacking what Gmail and Yahoo have in store for email senders:

Gmail:

• Gmail is rolling out an advanced email classification system that employs machine learning algorithms to evaluate the quality and relevance of emails.

• These new rules will focus on user engagement metrics, such as open rates, reply rates, and user feedback.

• Senders with low engagement rates may find their emails relegated to the "Promotions" or "Spam" folders.

Yahoo:

• Yahoo is implementing stricter authentication protocols, including DMARC, SPF, and DKIM, to verify the legitimacy of incoming emails.

• Senders must adhere to these authentication standards to ensure their emails are delivered to Yahoo recipients' inboxes.

• Failure to comply may result in email delivery issues, including emails being marked as spam or rejected.

Two steps to ensure your fantastic email campaigns keep hitting the inbox.

Step 1: Authenticate Your Sending Email

Make sure the email you are sending from is properly authenticated. Follow these essential steps:

Branded Sending Domain:

• Avoid sending emails from generic domains like "@gmail.com" or "@yahoo.com." Instead, establish a branded sending domain using your company's domain name (e.g., "@yourcompany.com"). This builds credibility and trust with your recipients.

• Pro Tip: We recommend using hey, hello, or an actual person at your company.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance):

• Set up DMARC policies to receive reports on email authentication failures and specify how receivers should handle unauthenticated emails from your domain.

• Need Help this is a great resource the will help you check your status and walk you through setup: https://dmarcian.com/

SPF (Sender Policy Framework):

• Configure SPF records in your DNS settings to specify which servers are authorized to send emails on your behalf. This prevents spammers from impersonating your domain.

• In some ESPs like Klaviyo, setting up your sending domain records actually takes care of this.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail):

• Implement DKIM authentication by generating DKIM keys through your ESP and adding them to your DNS records. DKIM ensures the integrity and authenticity of your emails.

Properly authenticating your sending email is a crucial step in showing Gmail and Yahoo that your emails are legitimate and trustworthy.

Step 2: Ensure Easy Unsubscribe and Monitor Spam Complaint Percentage

In addition to authentication, focusing on subscriber engagement and compliance with email regulations is paramount. Here's what you need to do:

Easy Unsubscribe Mechanism:

• Every email you send should include a clear and accessible way for recipients to unsubscribe. Place an unsubscribe link prominently, typically in the email footer. This not only satisfies legal requirements but also maintains a positive sender reputation.

Compliance Monitoring:

• Implement a system to monitor your spam complaint percentage. Aim to keep your spam complaint rate below 0.3%. Achieve this by:

• List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers. This reduces the risk of recipients marking your emails as spam.

• Sunset Flow: Create an automated "sunset flow" for subscribers who haven't engaged with your emails for an extended period. Gradually reduce email frequency to these recipients, and if necessary, consider unsubscribing them if they remain unresponsive.

Follow these simple steps, and you'll not only be well-prepared to navigate the new email deliverability rules set by Gmail and Yahoo, but be well on your way to increasing your email marketing strategy as a whole. Maintaining a positive sender reputation builds trust in your technology, your customers, and your overall brand.

It's amazing that a platform once rumored to be killed off by social media, didn't happen by the way, is now an ever-changing landscape for the good of all customers and marketers alike. So, keep adapting, staying compliant, and keep providing value as you reach your audience's inboxes.