By February 2024, Gmail's deliverability standards will tighten, requiring immediate action, as all the formerly recommended email authentication processes are becoming obligatory requirements. Later on, Yahoo! released a similar update regarding sending practices.
As for now, there are 3 delivery methods available with NetHunt CRM: Gmail, custom SMTP, and NetHunt SMTP. While custom SMTP setup and its reputation is completely up to you, in this article we will talk about the limitations required for Gmail and NetHunt SMTP senders.
Why are the rules changed for email senders?
Ensuring your emails are properly authenticated is like having a security system for your messages. Alas, not everyone is using these safeguards, and that's always been a big problem. Without proper authentication, it's easy for lawbreakers to pretend they're someone else and send phishing emails, harming your email reputation.
Luckily, Gmail and Yahoo are determined to shield users from spam, but if senders don't step up and secure their emails, it's way harder to reach a desired goal. That's why Gmail and Yahoo are now saying that proper email authentication and following best practices for deliverability are not just a bonus – they're a must. To keep your emails landing in inboxes, it's time to embrace key practices for email authentication and spam prevention.
Requirements that we cover
1. Give your messages the right look by following the Internet Message Format standard (RFC 5322).
✅ All messages generated by NetHunt СRM are valid, and we got your back here
Wondering what that means? It's like a rulebook for how emails should be organized – from headers to the main text and any attachments, so make sure everything – the envelope, main text, header, and attachments – meets the criteria!
2. Use a TLS connection for transmitting email and that your sending server IP addresses have valid reverse DNS records.
✅ Gmail and NetHunt SMTP have you covered here, so in case you use a custom SMTP to send out emails, double-check if everything is set up properly
3. One-Click Unsubscribe: Always include visible list-unsubscribe headers in the message body, allowing recipients to unsubscribe with a single click.
✅ Unsubscribe links are included in every email generated by NetHunt CRM, so we have you covered here too!
Essential actions required from the domain owner
1. DKIM/SPF Authentication: Ensure sender IP addresses and domains are fully authenticated through SPF and DKIM protocols to prevent deliverability issues.
With NetHunt, we've always given advice and handy tools to boost your email game, and we encourage setting up SPF and DKIM records for safer sending through NetHunt SMTP!
However, you cannot independently complete DKIM or SPF verification for a regular @gmail.com email address on your own. DKIM and SPF are typically managed by the email service provider (in this case, Google for Gmail).
Why so? Gmail automatically signs outgoing emails with DKIM and handles SPF checks on the recipient side. As a user, you don't have direct control over configuring DKIM or SPF for your @gmail.com email address. Google manages these aspects to enhance the security and authenticity of the emails sent through their platform.
⚠️ If you are a domain owner with a custom domain linked to a Gmail account, we recommend you set up DKIM and SPF records for your custom domain through the domain registrar's DNS settings and set it up for the Gmail sending method in NetHunt CRM.
In a nutshell, for generic email addresses (i.e. gmail.com or googlemail.com), you can use only Gmail or your custom SMTP on which you need to carry out the same verifications.
2. DMARC policy: Now, to keep up with Gmail's new rules for bulk senders (>5000 emails per day), you'll also need to add a DMARC record, as DMARC policy allows senders to monitor emails being sent from unauthenticated sources, and a published DMARC policy advises recipient servers on what action to take while receiving an unauthenticated email.
🛡️ Setting up DMARC might seem a bit tricky, but fear not! Automated DMARC solutions can make creating DMARC records a breeze and help you reach enforcement. If you're putting in the effort for compliance, why not go the extra mile to safeguard your sending domain from any mischief?
3. Avoid Impersonating Gmail in From: Headers when not using Gmail method: What's the scoop? Gmail is tightening up with a 'quarantine' DMARC policy, so if you try to send as a Gmail From: header, your emails might face delivery issues.
In other words, while using NetHunt or your custom SMTP, avoid sending emails that look like they're from 'example@gmail.com.'
4. Quick Unsubscribe Processing: Do respond to the rest of the unsubscribe requests that are not handled by the built-in unsubscribe link within 2 days to maintain the sender's reputation, as Gmail monitors compliance closely.
5. Keep Spam Complaint Rates Low: Maintain a spam complaint rate below 0.3% to prevent significant impacts on deliverability.
If you haven't done it yet, set up Google Postmaster today to keep an eye on your complaint level.
📬 And for an easy way to track all your important stats in one spot, check out your statistics in workflows and email campaigns!
New Requirements for NetHunt SMTP
For users that are using NetHunt SMTP as their preferred email delivery method for email campaigns and workflows, important changes are set to take effect starting February 1:
1. Focus on Business Domains: In alignment with recent changes, NetHunt SMTP will only be accessible to users with business or custom email domains.
💡 If you want to stick to the generic domain @gmail.com or @googlemail.com., feel free to use the Gmail method in NetHunt, and for yahoo.com - custom SMTP is a good choice
2. Verified Domains Only: Ensure your business email domain undergoes the standard DKIM/SPF verification process within NetHunt CRM.
⛔ By not following the requirements above, your emails won't be sent at all and you'll receive exceptions (errors) instead
For a detailed guide, refer to this article.
These technical adjustments aim to enhance the reliability and security of NetHunt SMTP, aligning with industry best practices!
Why do these changes matter to everybody?
Shifts are never easy, especially for a communication giant like email with over 50 years of history. Although it might seem Gmail's recent changes are mainly for big email senders who shoot out over 5,000 emails a day, it doesn't mean you shouldn't follow them if you're a smaller sender or send a few emails occasionally. The only difference for bigger players is the necessity of unsubscribe links in email campaigns and the DMARC setup.
Whether you're the one-email-a-week type or sending a bunch, it's super important to keep your emails safe, dodge the spam folder, and stick to the best ways of sending emails. That's the key to a safer and more awesome inbox experience and keeping your subscribers happy and your email game strong.
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