How to configure Mailman with DMARC and handle Gmail deliverability issues?
Summary
What email marketers say7Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailgun shares that improving deliverability includes proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup, maintaining a clean list, monitoring bounce rates, and using a dedicated IP address. Regularly reviewing and analyzing deliverability metrics helps identify and address any issues.
Email marketer from Litmus explains the common challenges with DMARC configuration and enforcement. They suggest using a phased approach, starting with a 'p=none' policy to monitor email streams before implementing stricter policies like 'p=quarantine' or 'p=reject'. Analyzing DMARC reports is vital for identifying legitimate email sources that may not be properly authenticated.
Email marketer from EmailDiscussions recommends monitoring Gmail's bulk sender guidelines and ensuring that the mailing list complies with these guidelines. They also suggest implementing feedback loops to handle complaints and removing subscribers who are not engaging with the emails. Keeping list hygiene is essential for good delivery.
Email marketer from Mailjet shares email deliverability best practices including setting up proper authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They also highlight the importance of maintaining a clean email list and segmenting the audience. Monitoring engagement metrics and promptly addressing bounces and spam complaints are also recommended.
Email marketer from SendPulse answers that to improve email delivery, it's essential to authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. It's also important to maintain a good sender reputation, avoid using spam trigger words, and segment the email list for more targeted messaging.
Email marketer from Reddit recommends checking the DMARC policy of the sending domain and ensuring that SPF and DKIM records are properly configured. They also suggest using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor deliverability issues and identify any authentication problems. They recommend warming up the IP address to increase the sender reputation.
Email marketer from StackOverflow suggests configuring your mail server to rewrite the From: header for messages originating from the mailing list. This involves changing the sender to an address within your domain that is DMARC compliant. They emphasize the importance of testing and monitoring DMARC reports.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks explains that header rewrite is the way to go to get Mailman to work with DMARC, despite some people disliking the idea of having to do it. ARC fixes this, but ARC support in Mailman is unknown and has complexities.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that DMARC deployment requires careful planning and execution. They suggest starting with a monitoring policy (p=none) to gather data and identify legitimate email sources before moving to stricter policies (p=quarantine or p=reject). They also highlight the importance of analyzing DMARC reports to ensure proper authentication and address any deliverability issues.
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that implementing email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for ensuring deliverability. These protocols help verify the sender's identity and prevent spoofing, which can negatively impact inbox placement. Ensuring proper configuration of these records is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks shares a gotcha with DMARC, in that Gmail sometimes treats domains as if they have p=quarantine/reject, even if they don't. Rewriting headers only when finding p=q/r might still lead to deliverability problems with Gmail.
What the documentation says6Technical articles
Documentation from RFC 7208 specifies the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) for email authentication. SPF allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of their domain, helping to prevent email spoofing and improve deliverability.
Documentation from dmarc.org explains the general concepts of DMARC and its role in preventing email spoofing. It discusses how DMARC works in conjunction with SPF and DKIM to authenticate emails and enforce policies. The site also emphasizes the importance of monitoring DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues.
Documentation from GNU Mailman explains that Mailman can be configured to work with DMARC by using header rewriting or ARC. Header rewriting involves modifying the From: header of messages sent through the mailing list to align with the DMARC policy of the sending domain. ARC support helps in preserving authentication results as the message passes through intermediate servers.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that to improve email delivery to Gmail, ensure proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoid sending unwanted mail, and follow Gmail's sender guidelines. Also, the documentation points out using Postmaster Tools to check the domain reputation and identify potential issues that may affect delivery rates.
Documentation from RFC 7489 specifies the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) protocol. DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a unified mechanism for email authentication and policy enforcement, enabling domain owners to control how email receivers handle messages that fail authentication checks.
Documentation from RFC 6376 specifies the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature method for email authentication. DKIM allows senders to cryptographically sign their messages, providing a mechanism for verifying the sender's identity and message integrity.