How do the new Gmail/Yahoo changes affect sending from a branded domain with DMARC alignment?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 12 May 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
6 min read
The email landscape underwent significant changes starting in February 2024, as both Google and Yahoo introduced stricter requirements for email senders. These updates primarily target bulk senders, defined as those sending over 5,000 emails per day to Gmail and Yahoo accounts.
If you're sending from a branded domain, the good news is that these changes largely reinforce existing best practices. However, understanding how these new requirements specifically impact you and your DMARC alignment is key to avoiding deliverability issues.
At its heart, DMARC is about aligning the domains used in your email. For your messages to pass DMARC, either your SPF or DKIM authentication must align with the From: header domain (the one your recipients see). This is crucial for branded domains. If you're using email.yourdomain.com to send emails, and your SPF and DKIM records properly authenticate this subdomain, you're generally in good shape.
The key differentiation Google and Yahoo are making is between shared sending domains (like espsender.com) and your own branded domain or its subdomains. If your From: header is yourname@yourdomain.com, then the underlying authentication (SPF or DKIM) also needs to reference yourdomain.com or a relevant subdomain.
The actual DMARC policy itself is a DNS TXT record. Here's what a basic policy might look like to satisfy the new requirements:
This p=none policy is the minimum starting point. It allows you to collect DMARC reports (via the rua tag) to monitor your alignment without immediately impacting delivery. Over time, you should aim to transition to a stricter policy like p=quarantine or p=reject to better protect your domain from spoofing.
The importance of your sending domain
The emphasis on using a branded domain is paramount. While it might seem subtle, Gmail and Yahoo are pushing all senders away from using generic or shared domains in the From: header for bulk sending. This is a critical step in combating phishing and email abuse. If your From: address (e.g., info@gmail.com) doesn't match a domain you control and authenticate, your emails are highly likely to be rejected or sent to spam.
A branded domain means using your own domain, like yourcompany.com, for sending emails. This includes subdomains such as mail.yourcompany.com or mg.yourcompany.com. The key is that you have full control over the DNS records for that domain or subdomain, allowing you to implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly.
If you're already sending from a subdomain of your main brand, like email.signos.com (assuming signos.com is your primary domain), you're likely already meeting this aspect of the requirement. The domain alignment is present.
Shared sending domain
From address: Your brand name via emailserviceprovider.com
Authentication: SPF/DKIM often point to the ESP's domain, not yours.
Deliverability impact: Increased risk of spam folder delivery or rejection under new rules.
Branded sending domain
From address: Your brand name <info@yourdomain.com> or info@mail.yourdomain.com
Authentication: SPF/DKIM directly align with your branded domain.
Deliverability impact: Higher likelihood of inbox delivery, improved trust.
The message from Google and Yahoo is clear: take ownership of your email sending infrastructure by using a branded domain and properly configuring your authentication protocols. This demonstrates legitimacy and helps build a strong sender reputation.
Beyond DMARC alignment: Other key requirements
While DMARC alignment is foundational, the new requirements extend beyond just authentication. Both mailbox providers are now enforcing strict spam rate thresholds. For Gmail, your spam complaint rate must remain below 0.3%, with a recommendation to stay under 0.1%. Exceeding this can lead to your emails being rejected or blocklisted (or blacklisted).
Another crucial technical requirement is having valid reverse DNS (PTR records) for your sending IPs. This helps mailbox providers verify that the IP address sending the email is legitimate and associated with the sending domain. It adds another layer of trust to your email sending practices. Without proper PTR records, your emails may face significant deliverability challenges.
Additionally, both Google and Yahoo require an easy, one-click unsubscribe mechanism for marketing and bulk emails. This isn't strictly a DMARC-related change but is a fundamental part of providing a positive user experience, which directly impacts your sender reputation and, consequently, your email deliverability. Failing to provide this can lead to higher complaint rates, which will hurt your reputation and potentially lead to being placed on a blocklist or blacklist.
Best practices for compliance
DMARC record: Ensure you have a DMARC record published with a p=none policy at minimum, and work towards p=quarantine or p=reject.
Domain alignment: Verify your From: header aligns with your SPF or DKIM domains.
Spam rates: Actively monitor your spam complaint rates and aim for well below the 0.3% threshold.
Unsubscribe: Implement a clear, one-click unsubscribe option in your email headers.
Monitoring and maintaining compliance
Complying with these new standards isn't a one-time setup, it's an ongoing process. You need to regularly monitor your email performance and authentication status. DMARC reports provide valuable insights into your email streams, showing you which messages are passing, failing, and why. This data is essential for identifying and fixing configuration errors.
Ignoring these changes, even with a branded domain, can lead to severe consequences, including increased email rejections, messages landing in spam folders, and your domain being added to email blocklists (or blacklists). Maintaining a positive sender reputation is more critical than ever, and these requirements are designed to help legitimate senders achieve that while weeding out malicious activity.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always use a branded domain or subdomain for sending marketing and transactional emails.
Ensure SPF and DKIM records are correctly set up and align with your From: header domain.
Gradually move your DMARC policy from p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject.
Implement a prominent one-click unsubscribe mechanism for all bulk emails.
Regularly monitor your domain's health using DMARC reports.
Common pitfalls
Continuing to use generic From: addresses like gmail.com or yahoo.com for bulk sends.
Failing to monitor DMARC reports, leading to unaddressed authentication failures.
Ignoring spam complaint rates, which can quickly lead to blocklisting.
Not having a valid reverse DNS (PTR record) for your sending IPs.
Lack of a clear and easy unsubscribe option for recipients.
Expert tips
Use DMARC aggregate reports to get a holistic view of your email authentication across all receivers.
Pay close attention to DMARC forensic reports (if enabled) for detailed insights into failed emails.
Segment your audience and tailor content to reduce complaint rates and improve engagement.
Warm up new sending IPs gradually to build a good reputation from the start.
Collaborate with your ESP to ensure their infrastructure supports the new requirements.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says: Using an email subdomain like email.signos.com for sending is perfectly fine as long as it's part of your branded domain structure and properly authenticated. The key is that it's not a generic shared domain.
January 5, 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says: If your authentication domain, specifically DKIM and/or the return-path, is different from your From: domain, you will not achieve DMARC alignment, which will cause deliverability issues under the new policies.
January 8, 2024 - Email Geeks
Ensuring continued deliverability
The new Gmail and Yahoo changes are a significant push towards a more secure and trustworthy email ecosystem. For senders utilizing a branded domain with proper DMARC alignment, these updates largely reinforce existing best practices rather than introducing entirely new paradigms.
The critical takeaway is to ensure your From: header domain aligns with your SPF or DKIM authentication, and that these are tied to your owned brand domain (or subdomain). Beyond DMARC, actively manage your spam rates and provide an easy unsubscribe process.
By proactively addressing these requirements, you not only comply with the new rules but also build a stronger, more reliable email sending reputation, ensuring your messages consistently reach the inbox.
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