Compliance status for email domains

Seriously folks, enough with the fear mongering! YES, Google and Yahoo are forcing senders to comply with their requirements. And YES, you do need to follow *all* of them. But there's a whole lot more to the story than "be fully compliant by Feb 1 or else!" Google has actually updated their Email Sender Guidelines since the announcement was made, indicating a phased approach to their rollout...this is publicly listed information. So, even if you are not compliant on Day 1, you’re not gonna see a huge spike in bounced emails or anything like that. They will start by deferring non-compliant mail streams. Here's a timeline you can rely upon (for now, anyway): 1️⃣ Starting in February - if you’re not compliant, you will start to see 4xx (or temporary) responses to a tiny fraction of your email. This means that the mail will likely still get delivered, but it will be delayed and take a few retries before the mail is successfully delivered. Monitoring your email sending activity is going to be your next step post-checklist. I’ve heard that the temporary bounces they’ll be returning will pretty clearly point you in the direction of why your mail is being deferred. The tricky part is the mail is ultimately being delivered, so you might miss this signal if you aren’t looking at your logs or paying really close attention to realize your mail is being delivered with a delay. 2️⃣ By the beginning of April, they will start rejecting a percentage of non-compliant mail – and this includes compliance with all of the requirements Google has outlined in the Email sender guidelines they’ve published in their Help Center, except for the one-click unsubscribe. 3️⃣ You’ve got until June 1st to implement one-click unsubscribe. I know some ESPs are working to provide their customers with a solution here, but in a lot of cases, it’s the customer who has to implement this. If you have questions, reach out your ESP! That's it for now. Happy to answer any questions people have on this, but my #1 recommendation is to re-read the announcements from Gmail and Yahoo instead of what someone on LinkedIn is saying (even when it's me). And my ask for those in the #emailgeeks community is to educate, and stick to the facts. Instilling fear by sharing half-truths is not helpful. #emailmarketing #email #yahoo #gmail #deliverability

🚨𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 from 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱🚨 ✅ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: 𝗦𝗣𝗙 (𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲work): Must pass. Your domain's DNS must list all authorized IPs/hosts that can send email. 𝗗𝗞𝗜𝗠 (𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗞𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗹): Must pass. Ensures the email hasn’t been tampered with and confirms authenticity. 𝗗𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖 (𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲): Must be published with at least p=none. Must align with either SPF or DKIM (ideally both). Helps prevent spoofing and phishing using your domain. ⚠️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁? 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: Non-compliant messages will be rejected outright. 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲:  550 5.7.15 Access denied, sending domain [YourDomain] does not meet the required authentication level. 🧼 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗛𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: Use a valid "From"/"Reply-To" address that can receive mail. Include a clear, functional unsubscribe link in bulk/marketing emails. Keep your lists clean: regularly remove bounced, invalid, or inactive addresses. Avoid misleading headers or deceptive subject lines. Follow consent and privacy rules (e.g., opt-ins). 🔧 If You Use a Third-Party ESP (like Sendgrid, Mailchimp, Salesforce, etc.) You still need to publish SPF/DKIM/DMARC in your own DNS for your domain. Coordinate with your ESP to get the proper DNS records and DKIM selectors. 📌 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Audit your DNS for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Flatten SPF if you exceed 10 DNS lookups. Gradually enforce DMARC: p=none → p=quarantine → p=reject (recommended final state). Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are stepping up — tightening standards, enforcing authentication, and demanding cleaner, more responsible email practices. Gone are the days of sloppy sending and shady headers. It’s not just about deliverability anymore; it’s about digital credibility. Would you like help auditing your current email infra? Ask me.

"Email Doomsday"? Not around here. Just been busy helping clients align with Google & Yahoo's new email deliverability rules! It's been 4 weeks since Google and Yahoo shook things up with their new requirements for bulk email senders. In the midst of it all, I’ve been working with clients to navigate these changes and ensure their #emailmarketing strategies remain on point and effective. This compliance checklist will help you stay on point and effective, too: 🧠Understanding is Key: Understand the nuances of Google and Yahoo's updates as a starting block. Knowledge empowers adaptation. ✅Prioritize Email Authentication: Ensure all outgoing emails are properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. This isn't just about avoiding the spam folder; it's about building trust with recipients. 🛠️Leverage ZeroBounce's DMARC Management Platform: It provides tools for email authentication and the peace of mind that we're compliant. ZeroBounce provided me with free credits to explore how the solution could help my clients. Real-time notifications on our domain's authentication status have allowed us to quickly adjust as needed. The feedback from my clients? Overwhelmingly positive. 😊 They’re breathing easier and their emails are hitting inboxes like never before. We've turned what felt like a curveball into a home run. This process has highlighted a critical lesson: Stay alert and ready to adapt. Email rules might change, but our readiness? Never. Want to stay ready? Check out the link to learn more about ZeroBounce DMARC Management Platform: https://fas.st/t/bSxxim64 How are you handling the Google and Yahoo email authentication updates?

You know to protect your reputation... and your brand reputation... but what about your sender and domain reputation? Google and Yahoo's latest email requirements aren't just a technical checklist but they're essential to maintaining your professional credibility. Here’s how non-compliance could impact you: 1. Sender Reputation Emails Blocked or Marked as Spam: Fail to pass authentication checks (like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), and your emails might never see the light of an inbox. High Spam Complaint Rates: Exceeding the 0.3% spam complaint rate could see your domain blocklisted, diminishing your reach and credibility. 2. Domain Reputation Damage to Trust: Incorrect email authentication measures could tag your domain as a source of untrustworthy emails. Incomplete DMARC policy: A policy of only "p=none" passes the test, but you won't receive feedback reports. This "incomplete" policy prevents you from monitoring any authentication issues impacting reputation. 3. The Domino Effect on Brand and Personal Reputation Brand Trust: If essential emails like order confirmations and program notifications don't reliably reach inboxes, it can tarnish your brand's reliability and customer trust. Personal Impact: For freelancers and consultants, non-compliance can lead to emails being blocked or marked as spam, reflecting poorly on professionalism. Why take the risk? By ensuring compliance with these new requirements, you safeguard your sender and domain reputations, which are foundational to maintaining your overall brand and personal reputation in the digital world. Are you confident in your email practices, or is it time for a reputation check-up? DM me if you want me to check your domain and sender reputation. #emailmarketing #digitalmarketing #entrepreneurship