By Luís Daniel Rijo in Data News — Nov 27, 2023

Google updates requirements for Bulk Email Senders to Gmail

Gmail's new requirements for bulk email senders include maintaining a spam rate below 0.3% as reported in Postmaster Tools. This is a critical measure to ensure that emails from bulk senders are delivered to Gmail inboxes and not filtered as spam.

Email Spam

Google last month announced new requirements for bulk email senders to Gmail, effective February 1, 2024. These requirements are designed to improve email deliverability and protect Gmail users from spam, phishing, and malware.

The new requirements for Bulk Email Senders

Email authentication: Senders must implement SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) authentication for their domains.
Valid DNS records: Sending domains or IPs must have valid forward and reverse DNS records, also referred to as PTR records.
Low spam rates: Senders must maintain a spam rate below 0.3% as reported in Postmaster Tools.
RFC compliance: Messages must adhere to the Internet Message Format standard (RFC 5322).
No Gmail impersonation: Senders must avoid impersonating Gmail From: headers.
ARC headers for forwarded emails: Senders who regularly forward email, including using mailing lists or inbound gateways, must add ARC headers to outgoing email.
DMARC implementation: Senders must set up DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) email authentication for their sending domains.
One-click unsubscribe: Marketing and subscribed messages must support one-click unsubscribe and include a clearly visible unsubscribe link in the message body.

Key requirement for Bulk Email Senders

Impact of High Spam Rates

If a bulk email sender's spam rate consistently exceeds 0.3%, it can negatively impact email deliverability in several ways:

Increased Spam Filtering: Gmail's spam filters may become more aggressive in marking emails from the sender as spam, leading to a decline in inbox placement.
Reduced User Engagement: Gmail users may become less responsive to emails from the sender if they consistently perceive them as spam.
Potential for Suspension: In extreme cases, Google may suspend the sender's email sending privileges to protect its users from spam.

Benefits of Meeting the Requirements

Improved email deliverability: Complying with the requirements can enhance email deliverability to Gmail inboxes.
Reduced spam filtering: Adherence to the guidelines can minimize the likelihood of emails being marked as spam.
Enhanced user trust: Meeting the requirements can foster trust among Gmail users, increasing the likelihood of their engagement with emails.

Impact of Non-Compliance

Failure to meet the requirements may result in:

Reduced email delivery: Emails may not be delivered to Gmail inboxes or may be marked as spam.
Potential for suspension: Google may suspend email sending privileges for repeat violators.

Google encourages bulk email senders to adopt these guidelines as soon as possible, even before the February 1, 2024 deadline. Early compliance can improve email deliverability and ensure a smooth transition.

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The new requirements for Bulk Email Senders

Key requirement for Bulk Email Senders

Benefits of Meeting the Requirements

Impact of Non-Compliance

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