Summary
The overwhelming consensus from email marketers, experts, and official documentation is that a phased approach is the best practice when transitioning DMARC policies from 'none' to 'quarantine' and 'reject'. Starting with 'p=none' allows for crucial monitoring of email streams, identification of legitimate sending sources, and detailed analysis of DMARC reports. This initial monitoring phase is considered essential for understanding the email ecosystem, addressing authentication issues, and preventing the unintended blocking of legitimate emails. While one expert suggests a direct transition may be possible if no red flags are present in monitoring reports, the vast majority advocate for a gradual rollout to minimize disruption, protect sender reputation, and ensure a smooth DMARC implementation.
Key findings
- Gradual is Preferred: A phased implementation of DMARC, starting with 'p=none', is widely considered the best practice.
- Monitoring is Crucial: Continuous monitoring and analysis of DMARC reports are vital, regardless of the implementation approach.
- Immediate Risk: Immediately implementing a 'reject' policy without proper monitoring can lead to legitimate emails being blocked and harm sender reputation.
- Knowledge is Key: The 'p=none' phase allows you to learn about your email ecosystem, identify sending sources, and address any authentication issues.
Key considerations
- Analyze Reports Diligently: Thoroughly analyze DMARC reports to understand email authentication practices and identify potential issues.
- Ensure Proper Authentication: Ensure legitimate email sources are properly authenticated before moving to stricter DMARC policies.
- Minimize Disruption: Adopt a gradual approach to minimize disruption to legitimate email traffic and maintain deliverability.
- VMC Requirements: Be aware of the VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) requirement for BIMI to work with Google Workspace.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
The overwhelming consensus among email marketers and experts is that a gradual approach is best when transitioning DMARC policies from 'none' to 'quarantine' and then to 'reject'. Starting with 'p=none' allows for monitoring email streams and identifying legitimate sending sources without impacting deliverability. Analyzing DMARC reports during this phase is crucial for understanding email authentication practices and addressing any issues before moving to stricter policies. Jumping directly to 'quarantine' or 'reject' without proper monitoring can lead to legitimate emails being blocked, negatively affecting business communications and sender reputation.
Key opinions
- Gradual Implementation: Implementing DMARC gradually, starting with 'p=none', is the recommended best practice.
- Importance of Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of DMARC reports is essential to identify and address potential issues before enforcing stricter policies.
- Risk of Immediate Enforcement: Immediately implementing a 'reject' policy without proper monitoring can lead to legitimate emails being blocked.
- Phased Approach: A phased approach using 'none', 'quarantine', and then 'reject' allows for controlled policy changes.
Key considerations
- Monitor Reports: Analyze DMARC reports regularly to understand email authentication and identify issues.
- Avoid Blocking Legitimate Email: Ensure legitimate email sources are properly authenticated before moving to stricter DMARC policies.
- Sender Reputation: Protect your sender reputation by gradually implementing DMARC and addressing authentication issues.
- VMC Requirement: Be aware of the VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) requirement for BIMI to work with Google Workspace.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Sendinblue recommends implementing DMARC gradually. Start with a 'none' policy to monitor your email streams, then move to 'quarantine' and finally 'reject' after analyzing the reports. The phased approach will protect your sender reputation and ensure that legitimate emails are not blocked.
29 Sep 2023 - Sendinblue
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks advises to be aware of the VMC requirement for BIMI to work for Google Workspace and that Yahoo & Fastmail don't require VMC.
23 Sep 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts offer differing perspectives on transitioning DMARC policies. While one expert suggests a direct move to 100% DMARC policy if monitoring reports show no issues, others emphasize a more cautious, phased approach. The cautionary advice highlights the risk of legitimate emails being flagged as spam when moving directly from 'p=none' to 'p=quarantine', underscoring the importance of careful monitoring and gradual adjustments based on DMARC report analysis to ensure a smooth and effective implementation.
Key opinions
- Conflicting Advice: There are differing viewpoints on whether to transition DMARC policies gradually or directly.
- Importance of Monitoring: All experts agree on the critical need for monitoring DMARC reports.
- Risk of False Positives: A direct transition can lead to legitimate emails being flagged as spam.
- Phased Approach: A phased approach allows for gradual adjustments based on DMARC report analysis.
Key considerations
- Review Reports: Carefully review DMARC reports to identify potential issues before changing policies.
- Individual Circumstances: The best approach may depend on the specific circumstances of your email setup and infrastructure.
- Risk Tolerance: Consider your risk tolerance for potentially blocking legitimate emails.
- Monitor for problems: Monitor your email closely for the first days and weeks after implementing any DMARC changes.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks recommends going directly to a 100% DMARC policy rather than using a percentage setting, as some ISPs may not respect the percentage. He advises that if you've been monitoring reports and don't see any red flags, you should be safe to implement the full policy. He also confirms there is no warming concept for BIMI.
8 Mar 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource, John Levine, shares his experience. After implementing DMARC and moving from p=none to p=quarantine, some legitimate emails started going to spam. He suggests starting with p=none to monitor the effects, so you can act on that information.
13 Aug 2022 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Email authentication documentation from Google, DMARC.org, Microsoft, and RFC7489 all recommend a phased approach to implementing DMARC policies. The consistent advice is to begin with a 'p=none' policy to monitor email traffic, identify legitimate sending sources, and analyze DMARC reports. This initial monitoring phase is essential to avoid unintended consequences and prevent legitimate emails from being mistakenly marked as spam when transitioning to stricter policies like 'quarantine' or 'reject'.
Key findings
- Gradual Rollout: A gradual DMARC rollout is universally recommended by email authentication documentation.
- Monitoring First: Starting with 'p=none' allows for monitoring email traffic without impacting deliverability.
- Analyze Reports: Careful analysis of DMARC reports is crucial before moving to stricter policies.
- Avoid False Positives: A phased approach helps prevent legitimate emails from being mistakenly marked as spam.
Key considerations
- Understand Email Ecosystem: Use the 'p=none' phase to understand your email ecosystem and identify all sending sources.
- Address Authentication Issues: Resolve any authentication issues before transitioning to stricter policies.
- Minimize Disruption: A gradual approach minimizes disruption to legitimate email traffic.
- Follow Best Practices: Adhere to recommended best practices for DMARC implementation.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC7489 specifies that implementing DMARC policies should begin with a monitoring phase ('p=none') to allow domain owners to understand their email ecosystem before enforcing stricter policies. The RFC emphasizes careful analysis of DMARC reports to avoid disrupting legitimate email traffic.
28 Sep 2021 - RFC7489
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft emphasizes a gradual DMARC rollout to prevent legitimate email from being mistakenly marked as spam. They advise starting with a monitoring-only policy ('p=none') and analyzing the reports before moving to 'quarantine' or 'reject'.
24 Jan 2023 - Microsoft
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