Authentication Requirements from Google and Yahoo Mail

Overview

Recently, Google has revealed new, upcoming requirements set to take effect on February 1, 2024.  These new requirements affect every customer sending email to a Gmail or Yahoo mail address.  Additional requirements also affect senders who exceed sending 5,000 emails in a day to Gmail addresses.  Yahoo! has disclosed similar requirements.

These requirements signal a transformation in the perception of email authentication and industry best practices. What were previously seen as suggestions are now evolving into mandatory compliance.

Previously, email authentication primarily served as a recommended practice for securing sending domains and preventing abuse within the ecosystem. However, Gmail's recent announcement signifies a shift from suggestion to stringent enforcement. The underlying message emphasizes the necessity for the industry to prioritize authentication, compelling adjustments in sending practices and domain architecture.

What does this mean?

Should your emails fail to comply with the specified standards by February 1, 2024, there's a high probability they will be marked as spam or denied by the recipient's email service. This potential outcome may lead to a notable reduction in the quantity of emails reaching your audience, impacting your marketing endeavors and revenue significantly.

Requirements

These requirements are important, but easy to achieve! If your domains are not authenticated, please fill out this form and Revinate Support will send over a detailed guide with instructions to meet the requirements listed below.  These requirements must be met by February 1, 2024. 

1. Set up SPF and DKIM email authentication for your sending domain
2.  Set up a DMARC policy for your sending domain. (Required for those sending more than 5,000 emails in a day; recommended for others)
3. The domain in the sender's From header must be aligned with either the SPF domain or the DKIM domain
4. Keep spam rates reported in Google Postmaster Tools below 0.3%
   • Optional: Set up your domain at Google Postmaster Tools here

The following steps are handled automatically in the Revinate Marketing product: 

• Ensure that sending domains or IPs have valid forward and reverse DNS records, also referred to as PTR records
• Enable one-click unsubscribe with a visible unsubscribe link in the message body
• Format emails following the Internet Message Format standards (RFC 5322)

For more information on DMARC monitoring, Google Postmaster Tools and more, please see here.