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      What you need to know about Google and Yahoo’s New Inbox Privacy Protections Beginning February 2024

      Mandatory DNS Changes by Email Providers

      This article is meant to explain and support you through the new email sender guidelines that major providers (like Gmail and Yahoo) have rolled out to increase security and decrease spam for their consumers. As a note, any business partner or dealership that has been contracted with Convergence will undergo our setup process with an account representative to ensure the below requirements are completed.

      Gmail recently added to their documentation of these requirements 

       

      Long story short, 3 primary areas of impact will require attention:

      1. Authenticate your email: all bulk senders must set up SPF and DKIM and publish DMARC policies. If you’re unsure of how to configure your SFP, DKIM, and DMARC policies, we recommend you speak with your IT team. This is set up on your company’s domain name system (DNS), which it typically manages.

      2. Enable easy unsubscription: all bulk senders must adhere to specific one-click unsubscribe protocols, which include adding a specific one-click unsubscribe code in your email headers.

      3. Ensure you’re sending wanted emails: Nobody likes spam, and Gmail already includes many tools that keep unwanted messages out of your inbox. New spam rate thresholds are coming. According to Google, all bulk email senders must establish and stay below a “clear spam rate threshold of 0.3%” to be delivered to inboxes. 

      1. Email Authentication Explained:

      To ensure consistent email delivery under these new guidelines, all senders are required to implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC DNS records by February 2024. The good news is you likely already have an SPF and DKIM record installed, but likely still need a DMARC record (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) which enhances email security and helps all your messages – not just those sending on the Convergence's Platform – avoid spam filters and reach the intended recipients.

      ALL bulk mail must now be authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, it is no longer a nice to have, but a must-have. 

      What is DMARC? 

      Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is a standard created to protect both senders and recipients alike from dangers leading to data theft, which could result in monetary loss for both parties.

      Please coordinate with your IT team to ensure that the following 3 records exist for any domain you are sending bulk email out of the Convergence Platform.

      How to add an SPF record:

      1. Login to your DNS and go to your domain

      2. Create a NEW TXT record

      3. For Host add: @

      4. For Value add: v=spf1 include:email-od.com ~all

      5. Save your changes.

      How to add a DKIM signature:

      1. Login to your DNS and go to your domain

      2. Create a NEW CNAME record

      3. For Host add: dkim._domainkey

        1. Users not using GoDaddy or Google Domains may be asked to add the domain for this step. You’ll go ahead and add the end of the string: dkim._domainkey.exampledomain.com

      4. For Value add: dkim._domainkey.email-od.com

      5. Save your changes.

      How to add a DMARC record:

      1. Login to your DNS and go to your domain

      2. Create a NEW TXT record

      3. For Host add:  _dmarc    

        1. Users not using GoDaddy or Google Domains may be asked to add the domain for this step. You’ll go ahead and add the end of the string: dkim._domainkey.exampledomain.com

      4. For Value add:  v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-forensics@example.com;

      5. Save your changes.

      6. PLEASE NOTE: This is an example DMARC record. Please consult your IT team if you require additional support on this topic and would like to receive reporting.

      2. Email Unsubscription. What you need to know:

      All bulk emails must now have a very easy way to one-click opt-out of your email traffic. Gmail and Yahoo have specified that the email must have a list-unsubscribe option, which shows up at the top of your email, like this:

       

      You must also give the recipient the ability to unsubscribe from within the message in some way. Ultimately, just make it very easy for someone to remove themselves if desired. 

      Note: All bulk emails sent through the Converge platform will always include an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the sent email. Google says Bulk Senders must have this enabled by June, 1.

      3. Respecting the SPAM Threshold:

      There isn’t yet a lot of information to go on here, but Google has advised all bulk senders to keep spam rates below 0.10%. They also encourage bulk senders to avoid a spam rate of 0.30% or higher – especially for any sustained period. The point is, that there should be a proactive approach to maintaining your list quality and avoidance of the recipient marking your mail as SPAM.

      At Convergence it is our utmost desire to keep you informed of these types of industry-wide changes and support you through them. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to discuss the impact that these changes can have on your email stream.