Gmail and Yahoo Mail have rolled out new policies aimed at improving email security and user experience. These changes specifically target bulk email senders (those who send more than 5,000 emails per day). To ensure proper email deliverability and avoid being blocked, it’s essential to comply with these new requirements.
Who is affected by this update? #
Primarily:
- Email marketing platforms and tools
- Notification and transactional email systems
- Applications that send high-volume automated emails
Mandatory Requirements #
1. Email Authentication #
You must configure and enable the following DNS records:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Authorizes specific servers to send emails on behalf of your domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a cryptographic signature to verify message integrity.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Specifies how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM.
🔧 Recommendation: Start with a p=none DMARC policy if you’re not ready for stricter enforcement.
2. Clear and Functional Unsubscribe Option #
- Include a one-click unsubscribe link (
List-Unsubscribe) in your email headers. - Unsubscribe requests must be honored within 2 days.
Important: Gmail now shows an automatic “Unsubscribe” button when this header is properly set.
3. Low Spam Complaint Rate #
- Gmail and Yahoo require a spam complaint rate below 0.3%.
- Exceeding this limit may result in emails being sent to spam or blocked entirely.
Tip: Use Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your domain reputation and sending metrics.
Recommended Best Practices #
- Clean your contact list regularly: Remove inactive or bouncing addresses.
- Validate emails before sending: Avoid invalid addresses that hurt your sender reputation.
- Test before launching campaigns: Especially when changing IPs or email providers.
- Segment and personalize your emails: Avoid generic mass emails.
- Include your contact information and explain why the recipient is receiving your email.
Conclusion #
Adapting to these new rules is essential if you want to keep using email as a reliable and effective communication channel. Failing to comply can lead to blocked messages, poor deliverability, or damage to your domain’s reputation.
If you’re using our platform to send emails, make sure your domains are properly authenticated and your contact lists are clean. Our team is available to help you set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, as well as implement one-click unsubscribe functionality.
