What are the requirements and implications of the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot?
Summary
What email marketers say15Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks highlights that new domains cannot be used for the Gmail Pilot Program and provides domain requirements.
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that participation (or lack thereof) in the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot influences sender reputation, potentially impacting deliverability rates to Gmail users.
Email marketer from Litmus observes that adherence to the program's requirements can lead to improved subscriber engagement, as recipients are more likely to trust and interact with verified senders.
Marketer from Email Geeks confirms that Google aimed to implement the Gmail Verified Sender Program as strictly as possible.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum advises warming up new IP addresses gradually to establish a positive sending reputation with Gmail before fully participating in the pilot program.
Email marketer from Email on Acid highlights the importance of using deliverability monitoring tools to track inbox placement rates and identify potential issues before they impact sender reputation.
Email marketer from Validity explains that proper audience segmentation and engagement-based sending are crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation and meeting the requirements of the Gmail pilot program.
Email marketer from StackOverflow shares the technical details for implementing List-Unsubscribe-Post with server code to ensure proper unsubscribe request handling. Mentions the need to adhere to RFC standards.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the Gmail Verified Sender Program aims to ensure senders follow best practices and don't complain about anti-spam filters if they don't.
Email marketer from Reddit explains from anecdotal evidence that users who adopted DMARC policies saw a significant reduction in spam complaints and improved deliverability to inboxes.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that most political mailers can't fulfill the Gmail Pilot requirements because they don't use DMARC in reject mode or List-Unsubscribe-Post.
Email marketer from SendGrid notes that a key implication of the program is the potential for enhanced brand visibility within the Gmail interface, building trust with recipients.
Marketer from Email Geeks points out the stringent requirements of the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot, noting that having more than 5% of emails marked as spam will be a violation: <https://support.google.com/mail/answer/12466527#eligibility>
Marketer from Email Geeks shares Gmail documentation on the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot for politico senders: <https://support.google.com/mail/answer/12467704>
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that the unsubscribe option presented in the Gmail app for pilot participants will likely increase unsubscriptions.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that maintaining a clean and engaged email list is critical for meeting the low spam complaint rate requirements of the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot, necessitating proactive list hygiene practices and permission-based marketing.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that participation in the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot influences email deliverability, potentially improving inbox placement rates for senders who comply with its requirements.
Expert from Spamresource.com emphasizes the importance of implementing strong email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) as a foundational requirement for the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot, highlighting its role in verifying sender identity and preventing spoofing.
Expert from Spamresource.com explains that if senders do not meet the requirements of the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot, their emails are more likely to be filtered to the spam folder or blocked entirely, significantly impacting their ability to reach Gmail users.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from DMARC.org explains how to properly implement DMARC policies and monitor DMARC reports to identify and address email authentication issues affecting deliverability.
Documentation from Google Support details that to participate in the Gmail Verified Sender Program Pilot, senders must authenticate email with SPF or DKIM, set up DMARC, and maintain a spam rate below 0.10%, significantly lower than the standard bulk sender threshold.
Documentation from Google Developers outlines the need for one-click unsubscribe functionality (List-Unsubscribe-Post) to be implemented, enabling recipients to easily opt-out of receiving further emails.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains the pilot program emphasizes the importance of registering for and actively monitoring the Gmail feedback loop to identify and address spam complaints promptly.
Documentation from RFC details the requirements for the List-Unsubscribe header to ensure compatibility across different email clients. It also includes the correct implementation for ease of use for subscribers.