Key requirements from Gmail and Yahoo

Starting in February 2024, Google and Yahoo introduced unified email deliverability rules for bulk senders. These changes apply to all senders sending more than 5,000 messages per day.

To make sure your emails reach subscribers' inboxes, you need to:

  1. Set up email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
  2. Provide one-click unsubscribe and process such requests within two business days.
  3. Keep the spam complaint rate below 0.3% of total emails sent.

These rules are designed to improve the security and relevance of the emails users receive.

What is email authentication and why it matters

Authentication helps confirm that an email was genuinely sent on behalf of your company and not by bad actors. It prevents sender spoofing and lowers the risk of ending up in spam filters.

Key protocols:

  • SPF (Sender Policy Framework) — defines which IP addresses are authorized to send emails from your domain.
  • DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) — uses a cryptographic signature to verify an email's authenticity.
  • DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) — sets a policy for handling unauthenticated emails and enables you to receive reports.

It's recommended to set up all three protocols for maximum security and deliverability.

Easy unsubscribing is a key deliverability factor

The new rules require every email to include a button or link for one-click unsubscribing. Unsubscribe requests must be processed within two business days of being received.

Recommendations:

  • Place the unsubscribe link at the top or bottom of the email so it's easy to find.
  • Add a subscription preference center where users can choose which types of emails they want to receive.

These measures reduce spam complaints and improve sender reputation.

The spam complaint rate must stay minimal

Google and Yahoo's mail services track how often users mark your emails as spam. The acceptable rate is no higher than 0.3%. Otherwise, your emails may automatically land in the "Spam" folder or fail to reach the recipient at all.

How to reduce complaints:

  • Use only confirmed (double opt-in) mailing lists.
  • Personalize your emails.
  • Write relevant content.
  • Make unsubscribing easy.

Additional deliverability recommendations for Yandex Mail and Mail.ru

Recommendations for Yandex Mail

  • Be sure to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
  • Use only current, confirmed subscriber addresses.
  • Track open rates, click rates, and complaint metrics.
  • Respond to unsubscribe requests and user complaints.

Recommendations for Mail.ru (VK Mail)

  • Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on your domain.
  • Regularly clean your mailing list of inactive addresses.
  • Connect to Mail.ru's feedback loop (FBL) system.
  • Register with Postmaster Mail.ru to analyze metrics.
  • Follow HTML email markup standards, use UTF-8 encoding, and don't overload emails with images.

Conclusion

If you want to improve email deliverability to Gmail, Yahoo, Yandex, and Mail.ru, follow these recommendations:

  • Set up full authentication: SPF, DKIM, DMARC.
  • Simplify the unsubscribe process.
  • Keep an eye on your spam complaint rate.
  • Regularly update and clean your subscriber list.
  • Test every email before sending.
  • Take advantage of Postmaster tools from Google, Yahoo, Yandex, and Mail.ru.

This will not only boost the effectiveness of your email marketing but also help maintain a good reputation for your domain and IP address.

Sourcehttps://www.litmus.com/blog/new-yahoo-gmail-email-deliverability-rules