New Bulk Email Sender Requirements for February 2024

Google and Yahoo have announced new requirements that bulk email senders must meet to continue to have successful delivery of emails to their domains. While these requirements are considered best practices, both companies are now making them mandatory starting February 2024.
Links to the announcements are provided below.

• Yahoo: More Secure, Less Spam: Enforcing Email Standards for a Better Experience
• Google: New Gmail protections for a safer, less spammy inbox

For easier understanding, the requirements can be categorized into three broad categories:

1. Email Authentication
2. Easy Unsubscribe
3. Keeping Spam Rates Low

Email Authentication

To protect end users, email must be properly signed and authenticated using these standards: Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain Message Authentication Reporting & Confirmation (DMARC).

In response to the new requirements, email sent from your ChamberMaster/MemberZone database will be signed with DKIM under our economy level option.  A premium level option is available for you if you own and have access to your domains’ DNS records, and you are interested in taking the next step to ensure the best email deliverability. Information to enable the premium level is available on our website.

Commercial domains, such as gmail.com, outlook.com, yahoo.com, aol.com, sbglobal.net, comcast.net, etc. do not provide access to the DNS control panel for those domains. Without access to the DNS control panel, you cannot to add the necessary authorization in the SPF record for the database to send on behalf of the domain and as a result, emails sent through the database will more than likely be blocked or sent to spam. This may be a great time for you to consider purchasing email hosting for your domain if you haven’t already.
 

Easy Unsubscribe

It is emphasized to only send email to people who want to get messages from you, and in addition, there is an easy way to unsubscribe from your messages. Your ChamberMaster/MemberZone database has “one-click” unsubscribe included on all mass emails.

There are a few settings you can check to ensure recipients of your messages have the option to unsubscribe.

1. Each group has an optional setting to disable the ability to opt out of receiving the groups’ emails. This setting can be found under each groups’ general tab under “additional options”. It is recommended this setting be unchecked for your mailing lists.
2. Ensure that you have not inadvertently removed your unsubscribe link from your email footer.  Locate your email footer under Setup and General Options & Settings. Scroll down to the Email Server Settings section. Within the “internal” and “public email disclaimer” messages a link “To unsubscribe click here.” should be included along with the best practice suggestion of displaying your name and contact information. 
3. If you wish to give every recipient the freedom to exclude themselves from receiving all emailed communications from you, the “Allow Unsubscribe From All Emails” option can be enabled.

Additional information can be found on our KB site for managing communication opt-outs.
 

Keeping Spam Rates Low

This category is where the real work comes - day to day management of your email lists. 

Taking the time to ensure that the people on your lists do want to receive your emails is so very important. If your recipients mark your email as 'spam', your spam complaint rates go up. When that happens, you are putting deliverability at risk. 

If you want to keep an eye on this rate for Gmail emails, you can create your own Google Postmaster Tools account. See instructions from Google. You may need to get assistance from your IT person to get setup properly.

To help you review best practices for sending and creating emails, look at these resources offered by GrowthZone.

• Article "Reasons Emails Don’t Get to Members". Read article.
• Webinar recording "5 Ways to Ensure Emails Get Through". Watch recording.

Final words

As standards evolve, GrowthZone will continue to monitor and adjust to the constantly changing world we live in. GrowthZone is excited about and committed to being on this journey with you of constant improvement. 

Thank you for your partnership and for choosing us as your association management software. 

--GrowthZone Product Team