How to Comply with Google and Yahoo’s Email Sender Requirements

Gmail and Yahoo have shaken up the email marketing world with new requirements for email senders.

The new regulations aim to protect users from spam emails while also ensuring that legitimate emails get through correctly.

If you’re doing email outreach, you must implement them to have any chance of landing in the inbox.

Here are the new regulations and how to implement them:

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For All Senders

Send from your domain 📤

If you do email outreach with a free email address, for example, Gmail (not Google Workspace), your emails are bound to land in the spam folder.

To prevent this, you need to set up a professional-looking email address through a custom domain that you own.

youremail@yourdomain.com is good. yourname@gmail.com is not.

Authenticate your domain with DKIM and DMARC 📝

DKIM and DMARC are email authentication methods that help to prevent criminals from launching phishing attacks and other other cybercrimes.

With the authentication records in place, internet service providers trust your emails more, which results in better inbox placement.

Here’s how to set up your DKIM records. And here’s how to configure your DMARC record.

Maintain a spam complaint rate of 0.3% or less ➖

With Gmail, you must keep your spam complaint rate under 0.3%.

Note: This is for all senders, not just those that use Gmail to send email. It concerns Gmail users you reach out to who could hit the spam button on your emails in Gmail.

To maintain a low spam rate, it’s essential to follow email deliverability’s best practices, such as:

• 👍 Sending high-quality emails
• 👍 Personalizing your emails
• 👍 Including a list-unsubscribe header and a clearly visible unsubscribe link in the body of your email. This is more important than it seems, also for your deliverability. If recipients do not see an unsubscribe link, they’ll be more inclined to hit the spam button.

For Bulk Senders

Google has special requirements for bulk senders.

Bulk senders are those who send over 5,000 emails a day.

It's important to note that all emails sent from a domain count toward that number, even if the first part of the email address is different.

So, if you send 2500 emails from youremail@yourdomain.com and another 2500 from anotheremail@yourdomain.com, you’ll hit the limit.

If you send over 5,000 emails daily and use a dedicated IP, you must make sure that the domain part of your sending email address matches the domain authenticated with SPF or DKIM.

Here are some examples:

Implement Google and Yahoo’s Requirements Now ⚠️

The new requirements have come into effect on February 1, 2024.

If you want to prevent your emails from landing in spam, it’s essential you implement the required changes ASAP.

Email outreach still works, but only if you play by the rules!

New Sender Requirement FAQ ⁉️

Why are Google and Yahoo implementing these changes?

To combat spam and cybercrime. The new regulations are reasonable and help make the Internet (and especially the inbox), a more secure place.

What will happen if I don't comply with the new requirements?

Your emails will land in the spam folder or not get delivered at all.

When do the new requirements go into effect?

February 1, 2024.

How do I check if my email-sending practices are compliant?

Please check the information above. For validating the configuration of your DNS records (DKIM, SPF, DMARC) use our free deliverability checker.

Where can I find more information on the new requirements?

Email sender guidelines (Google) - Yahoo Sender Hub (Yahoo)

How will the changes affect my email deliverability?

While not complying with the new requirements will seriously hurt your deliverability, you must see this as an opportunity to actually increase your open rates. Why? Many senders will not comply, or be ignorant of the regulations, which means your audience’s inbox will have fewer emails fighting for their attention. If yours does comply, there is less competition.