📥 DELIVERABILITY New Email Deliverability Rules from Google and Yahoo

We're diving deep into something crucial today - Gmail and Yahoo's ​new email deliverability rules​. Lovingly referred to has the "Yahoogle Update."

But don't worry, I'm breaking it down so you won't risk your email deliverability.

The main takeaways are:

• Rules will be implemented in February 2024.
• If you send over 5,000 emails daily, you must authenticate your emails using DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
• Implement easy one-click unsubscribe options.
• Honor unsubscribes within two days.
• Maintain a spam complaint rate under 0.1% (updated recently from 0.3%).
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Understanding these changes isn't just about avoiding the spam folder.

It's about:

• Maintaining a strong sender reputation
• Ensuring your emails reach your audience
• Keeping up with essential email marketing practices
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"This is scary and seriously frustrating."

I've heard what friends and colleagues have said. So you aren't alone if you've either said or thought these.

1. "It's too technical" - It can seem daunting but manageable and only needs to be done once.
2. "Will it really affect me?" - It impacts all email marketers.
3. "I'm not sure where to start" - That's what I'm here for!
4. "What if I mess up?" - Mistakes are part of the learning curve. But I will show you how to ensure it's set up correctly.
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Let's overcome all this stress today.

Understanding SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

Imagine sending a letter with a secret handshake (SPF), a unique sticker only you have (DKIM), and instructions for the person delivering the letter on what to do if either of those is missing (DMARC).

All these ensure your email isn't lost or mistaken for a prank.

It may sound scary, but jargon aside, your email provider will handle most of the heavy lifting. You need to add a few records where you host your domain. That's it.

For the most part, it's just a few clicks and then maybe waiting a day to verify those records.

The good news is that I haven't yet found an email service provider that hasn't spoken about it.

They are all on top of it:

• ​ConvertKit​
• ​ActiveCampaign​
• ​Beehiiv​
• ​Mailchimp​
• ​Mailerlite​

If you search Google for "[Your Email Platform] google and yahoo" you'll find it.

If you already have SPF and DKIM set up, I can confidently say with ConvertKit, this will not affect those. The information that ConvertKit gives you to put into your domain host will not conflict with what's already there.

Knowing how other platforms are doing this, I'm pretty sure this will also be true for them. But you'll want to check with them to make sure.

Validate Your Email Setup

You want to test and make sure this works.

After setting up your records, send yourself an email.

If you're using Gmail to read your emails, this is as easy as clicking on the down arrow next to the header.

Before setting this up, your emails will be co-signed by your email service provider to help prove that you are sending the email.

Here's what mine looked like. Notice the signatures:

After setting this up, the co-signatures will no longer be there, and will verify that you are sending it.

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You can see this in other email clients, like Apple Mail, by viewing the message headers.

Using tools like ​Postmark's DMARC weekly report​ allows you to check your email setup for compliance regularly and gives you an early warning sign of any potential trouble.

Staying informed and Adapt

2004 is twenty years ago. You can't simply fire away your emails to any email address.

Staying on top of your email marketing from a subscriber and technical perspective is crucial.

Update (1/12/2024)

​​ConvertKit hosted a free workshop and you can watch the replay here.​

Remember, adapting to these changes is not just about compliance; it's about setting your email marketing up for success.

If you need help or have questions, I'm just an email away!

🔥 CLICKWORTHY Tips, Strategies, Resources, and More

ICYMI: Top Video of the Week: Single Opt-In vs. Double Opt-In​

• 5 Biggest 2024 Email Marketing Trends to Start Right Now​
🍃 My take: 88% of people say that the experience a company provides is as important as the quality of their products or services.

• Content Writing: What It Is + 15 Tips for Success​
🍃 My take: Whether it's a blog post, social media, or email focus on being helpful.

• Two questions to ask yourself​
🍃 My take: Ignore everyone else's yearly review and do this.

Final Thoughts

Stay focused.

Be helpful and kind.

Do things that excite you.

And big things will come in 2024!