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How to Implement Google New Email Sender Guidelines

Starting February 1, 2024, Google will apply new security rules for email authentication, mainly for those who send lots of emails simultaneously. These rules are designed to make email safer and to stop fake emails and phishing attacks. Follow these Google new email sender guidelines to ensure emails are sent and received smoothly on different platforms.



Google New Email Sender Guidelines

Google updated its standards for email authentication into new protocols. The requirements actually differ according to how your organization uses emails, which fall into two major groups: all email senders and bulk senders.

For All Email Sender

There are certain measures to comply with that will enhance email security by filtering out malicious, unwanted, or spam messages.

  1. Implement SPF or DKIM - Set up Sender Policy Framework (SPF) or DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) for your domain. These are effective in reducing email spoofing and security risks.
  2. Validate DNS Records - Make sure your IP addresses or sending domains have proper forward and reverse DNS records. This will verify that the hostname being sent matches the IP address.
  3. Utilize TLS Connections - Use transport layer security (TLS) while sending emails. TLS is the encryption for privacy in emails that assumes that both sender and receiver must have used TLS. In Google Workspace, TLS can be enabled and configured.
  4. Keep Spam Rates Low - Maintain a spam report rate below 0.1% in Google’s Postmaster Tools, ensuring it never exceeds 0.3%. High spam rates can lead to increased spam classification by Google. Regularly check spam reports to avoid your emails being marked as spam.
  5. Adhere to Internet Message Format Standard - Format your email messages following the Internet Message Format Standard, which outlines the basic structure of email messages.
  6. Avoid Impersonating Gmail "From" Headers - Do not impersonate Gmail in the From: headers of your emails. Google's new DMARC policy might quarantine or block emails that do so.
  7. Add ARC Headers for Forwarded Emails - For senders regularly forwarding emails, such as mailing lists, it's important to add Authenticated Received Chain (ARC) headers and a 'List-id:' header for clear identification, maintaining SPF and DKIM authentication through various stages.

For Bulk Email Senders (Sending Over 5,000 Messages Daily)

For organizations sending over 5,000 messages a day, here are the additional requirements:

  1. Implement DMARC Record - To set up the DMARC record, check the steps below:

    • Set Up a DMARC Record: Utilize a TXT DNS Record to create a DMARC Record following the standard format:

    v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[user email] l]

    • Please consider the following DMARC options:
    a. None: No action is needed; it is useful for monitoring.
    b. Quarantine: Messages should be set aside.
    c. Reject: Messages should be rejected.

    Tip: Set up your DMARC policies gradually to get the best results. Start with a "None" setting. Then move to "Quarantine" and finally use the "Reject" setting. At each step, check your DMARC reports to ensure that your messages are signed correctly and not being spoofed.

    • Setting Up DMARC Report Delivery: In the Send Reports to field, input the email address where you would like to receive DMARC reports. Ensure this email is associated with the domain you are overseeing.

    Reminder: To set up your DMARC policy, you must provide an email address to receive reports on email authentication and issues. This email must be from the same domain as your DKIM domain. If not, you must create a DNS record to receive reports from a different domain.

  2. Enable Users to Unsubscribe with a Single Click - Marketing and subscription-based emails should offer a straightforward one-click opt-out option with an easily noticeable unsubscribe link in the email content. Send emails only to those who have shown interest in receiving them from you, minimizing the chances of your emails being marked as spam. Repeated instances of your domain's emails being reported as spam can gradually harm your domain's reputation. Learn more about Google's Email sender guidelines.

Summary

Following the Google New Email Sender Guidelines is essential for keeping email secure and communicating clearly. Knowing and applying the Google New Sender Requirements for regular and bulk email senders can help save your business from phishing attacks and improve email delivery. Whether you manage a small team or send over 5,000 emails daily, these best practices will help you follow the new rules effectively. Stay updated, review your email practices often, and make changes to ensure your emails reach the correct recipients and build trust and security in your communications.

If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:

  • Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
  • Phone Support -
    • US: 888-401-4678
    • International: +1 801-765-9400

You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.

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