Summary
Google and Yahoo's new email requirements mandate stricter authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), streamlined unsubscription processes (one-click), and adherence to lower spam thresholds, impacting universities using multiple email platforms. The decentralized nature of these platforms within universities presents unique challenges in enforcing consistent email practices and unified governance. Key actions involve identifying all sending sources, authenticating emails, maintaining list hygiene, actively monitoring domain reputation, and aligning disparate ESPs. Internal email configurations may require customization. Compliance is crucial to avoid deliverability issues, penalties, and ensure consistent inbox placement for communications with students, alumni, and other stakeholders.
Key findings
- Authentication is Paramount: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are no longer optional; they are essential for deliverability and avoiding being flagged as spam.
- Unified Governance is Challenging: Decentralized email systems within universities complicate the enforcement of consistent email practices and authentication across all platforms.
- One-Click Unsubscribe is Required: Easy, one-click unsubscription mechanisms are mandatory to comply with the new guidelines and improve user experience.
- Reputation Matters: Maintaining a positive domain reputation is more critical than ever and requires continuous monitoring and management.
- List Hygiene is Essential: Keeping complaint rates low (below 0.03%) and practicing good list hygiene are vital for maintaining deliverability.
- Segmentation: Segmenting your audience avoids hitting spam traps.
Key considerations
- Assess Current Infrastructure: Audit all email sending platforms and sources to identify areas needing improvement or alignment with the new requirements.
- Implement Consistent Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly across all domains and sending sources.
- Monitor and Manage Reputation: Use tools to actively monitor domain reputation, complaint rates, and DMARC failures to proactively address deliverability issues.
- Centralize Email Governance: Establish clear email governance policies and training programs to ensure consistent practices across all departments and platforms.
- Test and Optimize: Continuously test email deliverability and engagement, and optimize sending practices to ensure emails reach the intended recipients.
- Configuration: Consider configuration options with Google and IT to allow internal emails.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Google and Yahoo's new email requirements significantly impact universities using multiple email platforms. Compliance necessitates consistent authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) across all platforms, easy one-click unsubscription, proactive domain reputation management, and unified email governance. Fragmentation in email practices poses challenges, requiring universities to monitor deliverability, segment audiences, maintain consistent branding, and enforce best practices to avoid deliverability issues and penalties.
Key opinions
- Authentication: Consistent SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup across all email platforms is crucial for compliance and deliverability.
- Unsubscription: Implementing easy, one-click unsubscription mechanisms is mandatory to avoid penalties.
- Domain Reputation: Proactive monitoring and management of domain reputation are essential to identify and address any negative impacts from individual platforms.
- Unified Governance: Lack of unified email governance across departments can lead to authentication failures and reduced deliverability.
- Audience Segmentation: Audience segmentation to help avoid hitting spam traps.
Key considerations
- Platform Alignment: Ensure all email platforms are properly configured and aligned with the new Google and Yahoo requirements.
- Monitoring Tools: Utilize deliverability monitoring tools (inbox placement tests, feedback loops) to identify and resolve issues promptly.
- Brand Consistency: Maintain consistent branding and messaging across all email communications to build trust and improve email reputation.
- Training: Implement training to ensure the whole university are aware of the best practices for deliverability
Marketer view
Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that universities might face challenges in enforcing consistent email practices across various departments and platforms. The lack of unified email governance can result in authentication failures and lower deliverability rates when new requirements are enforced by Google and Yahoo.
21 Mar 2024 - Sendinblue Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit answers that maintaining a positive domain reputation is more critical than ever. With multiple platforms, universities need to actively monitor their domain reputation and identify any platform that may be negatively impacting it due to poor email practices.
11 Apr 2023 - Reddit
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Google and Yahoo's new email requirements will affect universities using multiple email platforms. The requirements will impact external emails sent to Gmail, Yahoo, and potentially Apple addresses. Internal email may require custom configurations. Consolidation efforts across the university may face resistance due to autonomy and budget concerns. Key actions include identifying and authenticating all sent emails, ensuring easy unsubscription, and maintaining good list hygiene with complaint rates below 0.03%. Failure to authenticate will lead to deliverability problems.
Key opinions
- External Impact: Emails sent to Gmail, Yahoo, and potentially Apple addresses will be affected.
- Internal Configuration: Internal email may need custom configuration with Google and IT department collaboration.
- Consolidation Challenges: Consolidating email platforms may face resistance due to autonomy and budget concerns.
- Authentication Critical: Failure to authenticate emails will cause deliverability problems.
- List Hygiene Important: Maintaining a complaint rate below 0.03% is crucial.
Key considerations
- Identify All Mail: Ensure all email sent by the university is identifiable.
- Authenticate All Mail: Authenticate all outgoing email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
- Easy Unsubscription: Provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe (one-click).
- Internal Collaboration: Work with Google and the IT department to configure internal email settings.
- Messaging Strategy: Develop a clear messaging strategy to address concerns during email consolidation.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the first and foremost thing is to make sure you can identify all the mail you send. Then you will need to ensure that you can authenticate all the mail you send. Then you will need to ensure that it is easy for your recipients to unsubscribe from the mail you send.
8 May 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks answers that the Google/Yahoo requirements will affect email sent to @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, and potentially @apple.com addresses.
6 Apr 2022 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
Google and Yahoo's new email requirements mandate stricter authentication, easy unsubscription, and lower spam thresholds for senders, including universities. Senders of 5,000+ daily messages must authenticate with SPF or DKIM, maintain valid DNS records, and keep spam rates low. Yahoo requires SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM, providing reporting for improved domain protection. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will significantly impact deliverability. Microsoft will also enforce stricter sender requirements. The alignment of multiple ESPs is essential.
Key findings
- Authentication Mandate: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication are now essential requirements from major email providers (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft).
- Volume Thresholds: Senders exceeding 5,000 daily emails face stricter authentication and spam rate requirements from Google.
- Spam Rate Limits: Maintaining low spam rates (below 0.10%) is crucial to avoid deliverability issues.
- Easy Unsubscription: One-click unsubscription is a mandatory feature for commercial messages.
- Multiple ESP Alignment: Universities using multiple Email Service Providers (ESPs) must ensure consistent alignment with new email sending requirements.
Key considerations
- SPF/DKIM Implementation: Properly implement SPF and DKIM records to authenticate sending sources.
- DMARC Configuration: Configure DMARC to manage email authentication failures and gain reporting insights.
- Spam Monitoring: Continuously monitor spam rates and adjust sending practices to stay within limits.
- Unsubscription Process: Implement a clear and easy one-click unsubscription process for recipients.
- DNS Records: Verify correct forward and reverse DNS records for sending domains and IPs.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains that it will begin enforcing stricter requirements for senders. These include authenticating your email, ensuring your email address is recognizable, and following best practices when sending marketing emails.
12 Apr 2025 - Microsoft
Technical article
Documentation from dmarc.org explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol. It builds on the widely deployed SPF and DKIM mechanisms, adding a reporting function that allows senders and receivers to improve and monitor protection of the domain from fraudulent email. Having DMARC setup correctly will allow the university to tell mail providers what to do with emails which fail SPF or DKIM checks.
14 Sep 2021 - dmarc.org
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