The Scoop on Google + Yahoo’s 2024 Email Sender DMARC Requirements

Digital Marketing / April 29, 2024

In October 2023, Google and Yahoo announced new sender requirements aimed at protecting recipients from unwanted emails. Fast forward to April 2024, these DMARC regulations are now in effect, and it’s important to understand what they mean for your email marketing practices.

What is DMARC?

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. It’s basically a protocol that builds upon SPF and DKIM.

Here’s what DMARC does:

1. It checks the results from SPF and DKIM.

2. It not only requires SPF or DKIM to pass but also checks if the domain used by either one aligns with the domain in the From address to pass DMARC.

3. It sends reports about SPF, DKIM, and DMARC results back to the domain in the From address (the sender’s domain).

4. It tells email receivers how to handle emails that don’t pass DMARC validation by specifying a policy in DNS.

Now –

Who Should Pay Attention?

The latest requirements primarily affect large bulk senders, particularly those who dispatch over 5,000 emails daily. If you’re not sure if you meet that 5k threshold, here are some guidelines:

• Google will include personal accounts ending in @gmail.com and @googlemail.com.
• All traffic from a given sender will count towards that 5k threshold, including transactional emails.

Even if you’re a smaller sender or primarily send transactional emails, it’s crucial not to overlook these changes. What’s expected of large senders today may become the norm for everyone in the future. Operating on the fringes of compliance isn’t advisable; safeguarding your email reputation is key, regardless of your sending volume.

What Should You Do Now?

1. DMARC Authentication:

DMARC authentication is a protocol used by email servers to verify that emails originate from legitimate senders. Brands implement DMARC policies to safeguard the domain associated with their sender email addresses, preventing unauthorized use by malicious actors.

Bulk senders exceeding 5,000 daily emails are required to implement DMARC authentication. However, we recommend setting up DMARC regardless of your volume. A “p=none” policy allows you to monitor email activity using your domain without immediate actions from receivers.

2. Aligning “From:” Header with Your Domain: 

Bulk senders must utilize their own sending domain for the “From:” header in emails. This alignment ensures compliance with DMARC standards. For instance, if your emails display an address like hello@makeitbloom.com, it should align with a dedicated sending domain (e.g., makeitbloom.com).

Note: Shared IP addresses are acceptable; there’s no need for a dedicated IP.

The friendly “from” address is labeled “Sender email address” in Klaviyo

So, if your branded sending domain is called send.kvyodc.com, the root domain would be kvyodc.com. Therefore, using hello@kvyodc.com as your “from” address would be in alignment with the root domain.

3. Simplify Unsubscribing: 

Marketing emails must facilitate one-step unsubscribing. Additionally, an unsubscribe link within the message body is required, though it doesn’t need to be a one-click process.

Ensuring easy unsubscribing enhances user experience and mitigates the risk of emails being flagged as spam, which can harm your deliverability.

Why These Changes? What’s the Benefit?

The motive behind these requirements is to enhance email security and reduce unwanted messages (spam!). By adhering to these standards, you’re not only complying with regulations but also protecting your email program’s health and your subscribers’ interests.

Looking for some expert guidance? Contact us! Our team is ready and happy to help!