How do the Yahoo and Google updates impact B2B email senders?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Litmus Blog emphasizes that the updates will impact deliverability for B2B senders who don't follow best practices. Authentication, list hygiene, and engagement are crucial factors in ensuring emails reach the inbox.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester Blog specifies that B2B senders need to ensure their emails are properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Additionally, they should monitor their sender reputation and address any issues promptly.
Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that Gmail and Yahoo's new requirements emphasize authentication, list management, and providing easy unsubscribe options. B2B senders need to adhere to these guidelines to avoid being marked as spam and ensure their emails are delivered.
Email marketer from Email Geeks believes that both B2B and B2C senders are impacted by the new guidelines, despite the language being aimed at B2C. This includes small B2B businesses using @gmail, B2B domains sending to B2C contacts, and bulk B2B senders using ESP services. Every sender should have a DMARC record/authenticate.
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog states that stricter email authentication and spam prevention measures mean B2B senders must focus on maintaining a clean email list, authenticating their emails, and providing clear unsubscribe options. Failure to comply will lead to deliverability issues and potentially being blocked.
Email marketer from GlockApps explains that B2B email senders should test their emails to assess and monitor inbox placement rates by sending test emails to seed email addresses, and this will also help ensure that the emails meet the spam filter requirements.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that beginning in February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo Mail are enforcing stricter email authentication requirements. This means B2B senders must authenticate their emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to ensure their messages reach the inbox.
Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailPro says that the updates are a wake-up call for B2B cold emailers. It's no longer enough to just scrape lists and blast emails; you need to focus on building a relationship and getting explicit consent. Authentication is now table stakes.
Email marketer from Gmass Blog highlights the importance of avoiding the spam folder. B2B senders must warm up their IP address, maintain a consistent sending volume, and segment their email lists to avoid sending to inactive or unengaged recipients.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that spam filters, receivers and even the law do not differentiate between B2B and B2C. Receivers care about only receiving emails they want and asked for, which spam filters respect. Best practices are aimed at helping with that.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum user EmailGek says that B2B senders who rely on purchased lists or aggressive outbound tactics will be hit hard. List hygiene and consent are now more important than ever before.
Email marketer from MailerQ explains that B2B email senders should sign up for feedback loops (FBLs) with major ISPs like Google and Yahoo to get insights into their sender reputation and complaint rates. This will help in monitoring email deliverability and identifying any potential issues.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the Google and Yahoo updates mean that ALL senders, including B2B, must authenticate their mail and make sure they send wanted mail, and make it easy for users to unsubscribe. Senders should monitor complaint levels to make sure they aren't too high.
Expert from Email Geeks says that B2B senders generally believe they can spam anyone they want. The Yahoo and Google requirements make no mention of consumer vs business recipients, just requirements for email senders.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that B2B senders need to actively manage their sender reputation by monitoring complaint rates, ensuring proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and adhering to best practices to avoid being flagged as spam.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the Google and Yahoo updates reinforce the importance of list hygiene, including suppressing unengaged recipients and honoring unsubscribe requests, for all email senders, including B2B.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Google Support outlines guidelines for bulk email senders, including B2B senders. Key requirements include setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication, keeping spam rates below 0.1%, and making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe.
Documentation from Mxtoolbox explains that B2B senders can use Mxtoolbox to check their DNS records for SPF, DKIM and DMARC. This provides tools to ensure they are correctly configured and validates whether emails are authenticating correctly, reducing the chances of getting flagged as spam.
Documentation from AuthSMTP explains that SPF and DKIM are email authentication methods that help verify the sender's identity and prevent spoofing. Implementing these standards is essential for B2B senders to ensure their emails are delivered and not marked as spam.
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the DMARC standard allows domain owners to protect their domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as email spoofing. B2B senders should implement DMARC to ensure their legitimate emails are properly authenticated and delivered.
Documentation from Yahoo Help specifies that all senders, including B2B, must authenticate their email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They also emphasize the importance of list hygiene and providing one-click unsubscribe options to maintain good deliverability.