Google and Yahoo email deliverability changes in 2024

In February 2024, Google and Yahoo announced updates to their email sender requirements, which affect how marketers reach their audiences. By understanding these changes and working closely with the Attentive Email team, you can ensure that your emails reach the right inboxes and maintain optimal deliverability.

What changed?

In February 2024, Google and Yahoo implemented mandatory requirements for email senders who exceed a monthly email volume of 5,000 messages. These changes are aimed at improving email deliverability and combating spam.

Here’s what changed:

1. Authentication and DMARC Policy
2. List-Unsubscribe
3. Unwanted email

Authentication and DMARC Policy

One significant change involves authentication and the implementation of a DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) policy. DMARC is an email authentication method that strengthens the existing authentication of the sending domain. It allows senders to indicate that their emails are protected by SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), or both. Additionally, it tells receiving mailboxes what to do if the authentication methods fail, such as sending the email to spam folders or rejecting it altogether.

Attentive has partnered with Red Sift, a leading DMARC and security vendor, to help you meet the minimum requirements set by Google and Yahoo.

Authentication and security

Mailbox providers require that all senders use their own domain in the FROM address of the email, and the message must authenticate with both SPF and DKIM that aligns with the FROM address. This change was implemented because too many senders weren't sending FROM their domain, nor did their domains have the proper authentication. This made it challenging for mailbox providers to determine if the email is legitimate and to correlate the sender's reputation when the FROM domain is inconsistent.

When you onboard your email program with Attentive, we provide you with DNS records that allow us to authenticate your emails sent via our platform with DKIM and SPF aligned to your FROM domain. This ensures that your emails are recognized as legitimate and trustworthy by mailbox providers. No action is required from you to accommodate this change.

List-Unsubscribe

Google and Yahoo also made updates to the List-Unsubscribe mechanism, which allows subscribers to easily unsubscribe from emails. Previously, mailbox providers honored List-Unsubscribe requests within 10 days. However, the new guidelines require them to be honored and suppressed within 48 hours. This change aims to improve user experience and reduce unwanted email.

Attentive addresses this requirement behind the scenes, so no action is required from you.

Unwanted email

Sending to unengaged subscribers leads to subscriber complaints or lack of engagement, which can cause more of your emails to be classified as unwanted. These unwanted emails ultimately end up in the spam folder, and they’re costly for mailbox providers to process and store. To that end, Google and Yahoo have published guidelines that unwanted email rates should stay below 0.10% and never exceed 0.3%.

Attentive’s Email Delivery Operations team closely monitors your email traffic. No action is required from you unless you hear from our Email Delivery Operations team, who’ll work with you to improve your program’s deliverability.

How to create TXT records for DMARC and SPF

123Reg

1. Log in to your 123Reg Control Panel.
2. Search your Domain Name next to DOMAINS and click MANAGE.
3. Scroll down to Advanced Domain Settings and click Manage DNS (A,MX,CNAME,TXT, SRV).
4. Click on the Advanced DNS tab.
5. Select TXT or CNAME as the Type and fill out the fields with the following info:
   • Hostname: Enter the host name for the TXT/CNAME record. For example, enter @ for an SPF record, or enter the value _dmarc for a DMARC record.
   • Destination TXT Value: The value you are setting as the destination of the Host.
6. When the information is entered, select Add.

Amazon Route53

1. Login to your Route 53 Console.
2. In the navigation pane, choose Hosted zones.
3. Choose the domain that you want to add a TXT or CNAME record to.
4. Choose Create record.
5. For Routing policy, choose Simple routing, and then choose Next.
6. Choose Define simple record.
7. In the Define simple record pane, do the following:
   • For Record name, Enter the host name for the TXT record. For example, leave this blank for an SPF record, or enter the value _dmarc for a DMARC record.
   • For Value/Route traffic to, paste the value you are setting as the destination of the Host or the text value of the TXT.
   • For Record type, choose TXT or CNAME as appropriate.
   • For TTL (seconds), type 1800.
   • Choose Define simple record.
8. Allow up to 24 hours for propagation of the newly created record.

Cloudflare

1. Login to your Cloudflare Account and go to DNS.
2. Select Add record.
3. Select TXT as the Type and fill out the fields with the following info:
   • Host: Enter the host name for the TXT record. For example, enter @ for an SPF record, or enter the value _dmarc for a DMARC record.
   • TXT Value: The value you are setting as the destination of the Host.
   • TTL: Determine how long the server should cache information.
4. When finished entering information, select Save.

Fasthosts

1. Log into your Fasthosts account.
2. Under the Domain menu click Manage Domains.
3. Select the domain name from the list that you wish to add the DNS records to.
4. Click into the Configure Advanced DNS link.
5. A list of DNS records is shown.
6. Scroll down the list and click on the blue icon ADD TXT RECORD.
7. Fill out the fields with the following info:
   • Hostname: Enter the host name for the TXT record. For example, enter @ for an SPF record, or enter the value _dmarc for a DMARC record.
   • Destination TXT Value: The value you are setting as the destination of the Host.
8. When the information is entered, click Save.

GoDaddy

1. Log in to your GoDaddy Domain Control Center.
2. Select your domain to access the Domain Settings page.
3. Under Additional Settings, select Manage DNS.
4. Select ADD below the table of your existing DNS records.
5. Choose TXT from the record options drop down menu.
6. Enter the details for your TXT record:
   • Host: Enter the host name for the TXT record. For example, Type @ for an SPF record, or enter the value _dmarc for a DMARC record.
   • TXT Value: The value you are setting as the destination of the Host.
   • TTL: Determine how long the server should cache information.
7. Select Save to complete your updates.

Additional support and guidance

We understand that navigating these changes can be overwhelming. That's why our team is here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions or need assistance with authentication, deliverability, or any other concerns, our experts are just an email away. Reach out to us at deliveryops@attentivemobile.com, and we'll provide personalized guidance to ensure your email program remains successful.