What are the updated Google bulk sender guidelines and TLS requirements for email senders?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet outlines the new Google sender requirements including authenticating email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; enabling one-click unsubscribe; and keeping spam rates low. They highlight the impact on senders targeting Gmail addresses.
Email marketer from Reddit discusses the implication the new Google/Yahoo rules have on smaller senders. They talk about keeping spam rates down and having a clear unsubscribe process to remain complaint.
Email marketer from SparkPost provides clarification on Google's changes, emphasizing the need for authentication, low spam rates, and easy unsubscribe. They also note the phased rollout of these requirements, starting with a focus on bulk senders targeting consumer Gmail accounts.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares a link to Google's updated policy, noting that the bulk sender guidelines now only apply to senders sending to personal Gmail accounts and that Google added a TLS requirement.
Email marketer from Gmass discusses how even if Google is only applying requirements to @gmail.com subscribers, that still impacts a large percentage of B2C and B2B lists, especially SMB B2B.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains the importance of adhering to Google's updated sender requirements to maintain email deliverability. They emphasize the need for authentication, low spam rates, and easy unsubscribe to prevent emails from being marked as spam or blocked.
Email marketer from Reddit expresses concerns about the impact of Google's new requirements on smaller businesses, particularly regarding stricter spam filtering and the need for robust authentication practices.
Email marketer from EmailOctopus emphasizes that Google requires senders to authenticate their emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Proper authentication helps verify the sender's identity and improve deliverability to Gmail inboxes.
Marketer from Email Geeks states that Google has not changed the requirements but clarified a few things with stronger wording, as it was open to interpretation before. They publicly stated that they will start with consumer accounts first, and at some points, the requirements will be for workspace as well.
Email marketer from Sender highlights the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), easy unsubscribe options, and maintaining a low spam complaint rate to comply with Google's updated requirements for bulk email senders. They also mention the impact on senders who don't meet these standards.
Email marketer from ZeroBounce details the new authentication, list management, and spam threshold requirements from Google and Yahoo for 2024, emphasizing the unified push for better email experiences and safer inboxes.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise addresses that while there are no direct mentions of updated Google bulk sender guidelines or TLS requirements, focusing on established best practices, such as authentication and list hygiene, is key for inbox placement. Good sending reputations and permission-based sending are important.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that sending mail over TLS is solely an ESP thing, they are the only entity that can do it, and they don’t need customer cooperation to do it.
Expert from Email Geeks discusses that even if Google is only applying requirements to @gmail.com subscribers, that still impacts a large percentage of B2C and B2B lists, especially SMB B2B.
Expert from Spamresource explains that to comply with the new Gmail bulk sending requirements, senders must authenticate their email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They also need to implement one-click unsubscribe and maintain a low spam rate. Senders who fail to comply risk having their emails blocked or sent to spam.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Google Support explains that as of February 2024, senders who send 5,000 or more messages in a 24-hour period to Gmail accounts must authenticate their email, have a clear unsubscribe process, and keep spam rates below 0.1%. They also clarify that these requirements apply to personal Gmail accounts.
Documentation from RFC Editor defines TLS as a cryptographic protocol designed to provide communications privacy and data integrity between communicating applications over a network. TLS secures email transmission by encrypting the data in transit.
Documentation from AuthSMTP defines TLS, and discusses how it secures data by encrypting communications between a client and server, ensuring privacy and preventing tampering. It's an essential protocol for safe email sending.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help describes TLS (Transport Layer Security) as a protocol that encrypts and delivers email securely. It recommends enabling TLS to prevent eavesdropping and tampering, ensuring confidentiality for email communications.