Email Marketing · Mar 01, 2024

Email Marketing Services Shore Up Compliance for Better Deliverability

Like any digital marketer, I use email service providers to reach my prospects and make them aware of my services through the power of emails. I'm also managing clients' campaigns, crafting engaging messages, and diligently tracking open rates.

But last week, I received an unexpected message from my one of my email service providers (ESP). As I read through the message, I learned that email delivery changes were coming this month. The message said I needed to act immediately. Here's what that digital alarm was all about.

Email Senders Get Compliance Updates

Google and Yahoo!, the giants of hosted Inboxes, announced new rules regarding bulk sender policies for 2024 and they rolled out this month.

But what exactly does this mean for you? Well, if you're sending 5000 emails per day, you fall under the category of bulk senders. But the new rules are aimed at ensuring a better email experience for all of us.

In short, you're now required to maintain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC compliance. This ensures the authenticity and security of your emails, providing you and your prospects with peace of mind.

No one likes clutter in the inbox, but email remains a key channel for building awareness of issues and people we all want to follow, right?

That's why Google and Yahoo! actually paid attention to all those emails we marked as spam and the new rules are the outcome. And they are not done tightening the reins on email senders who don't follow the existing email rules.

Any bulk marketing emails must have a 1-Click unsubscribe link. Making it easy for your recipients to opt out if they no longer wish to receive your messages is a crucial step in maintaining a positive relationship. We all know this should apply to email campaigns of any size.

Lastly, if you're a bulk emailer, you'll need to keep a close eye on your spam rate. Aim to have less than 0.3% of your messages marked as spam, or in simpler terms, make sure that only 1 in every 333 messages gets flagged as spam. This helps maintain the overall quality and reputation of your email campaigns.

It's not just Google and Yahoo! who are taking these new rules seriously. Other major inbox providers, such as Office365/Outlook.com, are likely to follow suit. So, it's crucial to stay informed and be prepared for similar conditions across the board.

Email Rules May Get Tighter

As the email marketing landscape evolves, it's possible that Google and Yahoo! may revisit and strengthen the requirements again around email volume and spam rates. It's always good to be aware of any future changes and stay ahead of the curve.

So, if you are in the business of marketing or general outreach, like most of us, embrace these changes as an opportunity to enhance your campaigns, build trust with your recipients, and ensure that your emails are delivered to the right inboxes.

Email is an important channel in any marketing plan. It just needs a little maintenance.

[Photo by Hannes Johnson on Unsplash]

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