Lately, it seems like there’s always some new tool, important change, or major update taking place. We get it. It can feel like a lot to keep up with. Most recently, Google and Yahoo started enforcing new email authentication requirements for mass email senders. A lot of these requirements are best practices that we’ve been implementing on behalf of our clients for years. In our experience, we know that ethical email practices and success go hand-in-hand and we appreciate the fact that they are now being enforced.
So, why now? And how did Google and Yahoo end up coordinating on this endeavor? If you ask them, it all comes down to improving their users’ experience through more secure emails and less spam.
According to a new generative AI and cybersecurity report by Sapio Research and Deep Instinct, “seventy-five percent of security professionals witnessed an increase in attacks over the past year, with 85% attributing this rise to generative AI.”So, how do you harness all the responsibilities and advancements that come with AI? Apparently, with more AI.
Google is using AI-powered spam filtering that prevents more than 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware attempts from landing in users’ inboxes.
In addition to email service providers’ spam filters, Google and Yahoo want to make sure bulk email senders are properly authenticating their emails. Yahoo shared that, “numerous bulk senders fail to secure and set up their systems correctly, allowing malicious actors to exploit their resources without detection.” So, what does this mean for you?
As of February 2024, if you send more than 5,000 emails in a day to Google or Yahoo addresses, you must implement the following:
- Authenticate your emails with the following security protocols. All help protect your domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Email) a unique encrypted signature you add to every authorized email, SPF (Sender Policy Framework) ISPs check your list of approved hostnames or IP addresses & DMARC (Domain-Based Messaging Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) aligns your SPF and DKIM email authentication checks and instructs ISPs to handle them.
- Implement one-click list-unsubscribe & honor within 2 days (your ESP should be able to help with this). And also…
- Make sure unsubscribe links are visible in every email.
- Have a robust preference center to help deliver the right type of content to the right customer.
- Maintain a spam complaint rate under 0.3% (3/1000 messages). However, the rule of thumb has historically been 0.1% (1/1000 messages).
Additional tips - Did you know?
- In December 2023, Google started deleting accounts that have been inactive for more than 2 years.
- Bounce rates higher than 2% impact your reputation and put future emails at risk of going to spam.
We’re pleased to see positive applications of AI that are user-focused. All of this makes an organization less susceptible to spam attacks and makes for a more enjoyable experience for email users.
Our digital team frequently guides clients through moments of high email deliverability risk, including CRM + ESP migrations, rapid supporter list growth, sharp increases in send frequency, and whenever new requirements or laws go into effect. With all the new technological advancements, new laws and regulations are bound to follow. It’s imperative to stay on top of them, and if you ever feel like you need some extra guidance – you know where to find us.
