Google and Yahoo have recently announced significant changes to their email authentication and unsubscribe standards, set to take effect from February 1, 2024. As marketers, understanding and adapting to these changes is paramount to maintaining a successful email strategy.

The Landscape Shift

In October 2023, Google and Yahoo, two of the largest mailbox providers, united to bolster mailbox security. Their shared goal is to enhance email authentication and reduce spam complaints, ultimately fostering a more secure and reliable email experience for users. The changes, though set to roll out in 2024, require your attention now.

Unpacking the Changes

These changes apply to everyone sending bulk emails, aka email newsletters. There are 3 key requirements.

1. Email Authentication: More Than a Best Practice

Email authentication, long considered a best practice, is now a non-negotiable requirement. The emphasis will be on implementing Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC). While these standards aren’t new, the enforcement by Google and Yahoo is. This shift is aimed at providing users with a more secure experience, preventing phishing scams, and ensuring brand protection.

Most email marketing platforms have clear instructions on how to authenticate your domain. Here are the instructions from some common providers:

• Campaign Monitor
• ConstantContact
• Emma
• Mailchimp

2. Unsubscribe Protocols: A Clear Path to Compliance

Unsubscribing from email lists has been a requirement for years, but now there’s an added layer. In addition to “unsubscribe” in the body of the email, marketers need to include a one-click unsubscribe option in the email header. The one-click unsubscribe aims to streamline the process for users, in that it provides users with a straightforward way to opt out.

Technically speaking, this should be a function your email provider implements into their tools. But there may be a toggle or action step required. 

One-click unsubscribe in the header will look something like this:

Yahoo reports that the header unsubscribe significantly reduces spam complaints, which is important for requirement #3. 

3. Spam Thresholds: A Strict Compliance Measure

Spam complaints can have severe repercussions for marketers. Google and Yahoo are setting a strict threshold of 0.3% for spam complaints. This means that marketers need to keep their complaint rates below this threshold to avoid potential email deliverability issues. Monitoring complaint rates through tools like Google Postmaster Tools is crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation.

Google Postmaster Tools is free and provides a dashboard with access to your domain sender health and other metrics. This will let you know where you stand. Ideally, aim for a 0.1% spam complaint rate as 0.3% is pretty high. If you are surpassing 0.3% then it could mean Google and Yahoo delay delivery, send to spam, or don’t deliver your emails at all.

Strategies for Success

As marketers, adapting to these changes requires a strategic approach:

1. Stay Informed with Analytics Tools

Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to gain insights into your email performance. Monitor metrics like user-reported spam rates to identify trends and potential issues that may impact your sender reputation.

2. Optimize User Engagement

Prioritize user engagement by delivering relevant content, respecting unsubscribe requests promptly, and setting realistic expectations at the point of email collection. Consistent and personalized messaging can contribute to higher engagement and lower complaint rates. Specifically:

• Review your disclosure language on newsletter sign up pages. Do you have key info on the send frequency new subscribers should expect? 
• Unsubscribe turnaround time is shortening from 10 days to 2 days so if you use multiple CRMs and need to coordinate then create a plan now.
• Clean up your list by sunsetting dormant contacts. Search for contacts who have been inactive contacts for more than 12 months and remove them from your lists.
• Google is going to start deactivating old email accounts so if those emails are on your list then you may start to see more hard bounces. Be mindful of those and unsubscribe them.

3. Prepare for Domain Ownership Changes

For marketers sending campaigns from @gmail.com or @yahoo addresses, changes are imminent. Unless you own the domain, it’s time to transition to sending from a private domain. This involves purchasing a domain or leveraging an existing one tied to your website. For example, if I was sending from boxcarmarketing@gmail.com then I would need to change the sender email to hello@boxcarmarketing.com instead AND I would need to authenticate the domain, as explained above.

4. Plan for Product-Specific Changes

Different email marketing platforms may have unique requirements. Now is a good time to sign up for your email service provider’s newsletter or product-specific webinars so you stay up to date on any required changes. Many also provide checklists and guides, especially related to domain authentication. The Underwire newsletter is sent using CampaignMonitor by Marigold and they have a great post about these changes.

Conclusion

Changes are coming up Feb 2024. Your first, and most important, step is to authenticate your domain if you haven’t done so already. Then investigate how your email platform is integrating the one-click unsubscribe in the email header. Sign up for Google Postmaster Tools and know your spam complaint rate. And last, if using multiple CRMs, make a plan for respecting unsubscribes in a quick turnaround. 

Good luck as you gear up for 2024.

Happy Email Marketing!