From February 2024, Google and Yahoo are changing the rules for email sent to Gmail and Yahoo Mail addresses. The goal is to cut down on spam and fake emails. That is good for everyone. But if your business's emails are not set up properly, they may start landing in spam folders, or not arrive at all.
Many of your customers use Gmail or Yahoo, so this is worth a few minutes of your time, even if you are a small business.
What Is Changing
Gmail and Yahoo now want proof that an email really comes from the business it claims to be from. This proof is called "authentication". Every business that sends email to Gmail and Yahoo addresses needs at least some of it in place.
Businesses that send a lot of email have stricter rules. Google describes these "bulk senders" as those sending around 5,000 or more emails a day to Gmail addresses. They need to:
- Set up all three proof checks, called SPF, DKIM and DMARC, which are explained below.
- Give people an easy way to unsubscribe from marketing emails with a single click.
- Keep spam complaints low, meaning very few people should be pressing the "report spam" button on their emails.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC in Plain Words
These three names sound technical, but the ideas are simple. Each one is a short line of text added to your domain's settings. Your domain is the part of your email address after the @ sign, for example yourbusiness.com.au.
- SPF: This is a list of the services that are allowed to send email for your domain. Think of it as a guest list. If an email comes from a service that is not on the list, Gmail and Yahoo treat it with suspicion.
- DKIM: This adds a hidden digital signature to each email you send. The receiving inbox checks the signature to make sure the email really came from you and was not changed along the way. It is like a wax seal on a letter.
- DMARC: This tells inboxes what to do when an email fails the SPF or DKIM checks. For example, you can tell them to send it to spam or to reject it. It can also send you reports, so you can see who is sending email using your name.
What Small Businesses Should Check
Even if you send far fewer than 5,000 emails a day, it is worth checking these three things:
- Your website contact forms: When someone fills in a form on your website, an email is usually sent to you, and often a copy to the customer. These emails are often sent by the website itself, and they are a common thing to break. Send a test enquiry through every form on your website. Check it arrives, and check it does not land in spam. Try sending a copy to a Gmail address too.
- Your newsletters: If you use a newsletter service such as Mailchimp, check it is set up to send from your own domain, with SPF and DKIM in place. Most of these services have a simple guide for this. Also check every newsletter has a clear unsubscribe link.
- Your everyday email: Ask whoever manages your email, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, whether SPF, DKIM and DMARC are set up for your domain.
How We Can Help
At IDM2, we can check your domain settings, set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and test that the emails from your website forms reach the inbox. We can also keep an eye on it for you as part of our hosting and maintenance service. If you are not sure where to start, get in touch and we will take a look.