Next month, Google will apply stricter rules for companies and groups that send large amounts of email to Gmail accounts.
First announced in October, these new policies are aimed at reducing spam and making email more secure.
The new standard for bulk email
Businesses that send more than 5,000 emails per day to Gmail addresses must follow certain guidelines.
First, bulk email senders must authenticate their messages using protocols such as SPF, DKIM, or DMARC. This verifies that the email is from the claimed sender and establishes authenticity.
Additionally, Gmail requires high-volume email senders to provide recipients with an easy one-click unsubscribe option. The sender must respond to his unsubscribe request within two business days.
Finally, bulk senders must ensure that they do not exceed clear spam thresholds set by Google to avoid having their emails marked as spam. If you exceed the limit, you risk having your email filtered out as spam.
Preparing for February deadline
At Google, we believe that most reputable companies already practice good email practices, or “email hygiene.” However, the following guidance is available for businesses that need help implementing these:
- Please use a reliable email sending service.
- Keep your email list up to date and remove inactive or unengaged users.
- Dividing your list into different segments will make your emails more targeted and relevant.
- Make your email content more personalized to increase engagement and reduce spam reports.
- Make it easy to unsubscribe from emails.
Businesses with more than 5,000 subscribers on their email lists have until February to make the necessary changes to comply with the new requirements. However, if you have a small email list, you can benefit from following the new standards by improving the deliverability of your emails.
Looking to the future
While Google's new requirements aren't a perfect solution, the company believes they will help reduce spam and fraud.
The important point is that email marketers who follow the new rules will be able to continue reaching their subscribers.
Featured Image: Cherdchai101/Shutterstock
