Stelter’s Digital Manager, Bryan Lloyd, joins the blog to explain some new email deliverability rules and how to comply so your emails reach their destination.
Google and Yahoo are cracking down on email again. In February 2024 they rolled out a series of new requirements for “large senders.” Google defines large senders as those who send more than 5,000 messages per day.
Here are the three new requirements and how to comply.
1. Prove You Are Who You Say You Are
Step one in successful email marketing is simply getting in your donors’ inbox. If you’re sending emails 1-to-1, no worries. However, if you are sending batch emails to your donor list, be sure you are following proper protocols to authenticate them. Authentication ensures that an email was sent by you and not an impersonator.
Authentication requires compliance with the following three protocols:
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF): Outlines which mail servers are authorized to send email from a certain domain.
- DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM): Adds a digital signature to outgoing messages so that receiving mail servers can verify a message came from the sender.
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC): Enables domain owners to define their authentication procedures and specify the actions to be taken when an email fails authentication. It also gives email recipients a way to report on emails that fail authentication.
Where do I start?
If all of this sounds really technical, that’s because it is. However, if you’re a nonprofit that uses Stelter to send your donor emails, rest easy! Stelter already complies with all these security protocols.
Other good news: if you use a popular platform like HubSpot, MailChimp or Constant Contact they are likely already following these protocols. It may be worth your time to reach out and verify just to be sure. Handling email on your own? Here’s a guide explaining how to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
2. No Long Goodbyes
We all get emails we don’t want. Maybe you signed up for a mailing list to get that 15% discount off your purchase, and now they are spamming your inbox three times a day. For me, nothing is more frustrating than having to spend 5 minutes trying to unsubscribe. The link is often hard to find and once you click on it, you’re taken to a webpage that asks if you really meant to unsubscribe.
Google and Yahoo have put a stop to this. They now require that senders give recipients the ability to unsubscribe from an email in one click.
Seem harsh? We don’t think so. If someone doesn’t want to hear from you by email, it’s best to keep them happy. You can communicate in other ways. A best practice is to ask your supporters how they like to receive communication, document it and abide by it.
How do I comply?
Make sure your email contains a list-unsubscribe header or an unsubscribe link that is easy to find and does not require more than one click. One click and the recipient is off the list. No more asking if they really meant it or if they want to change the frequency of emails, etc. Contact your email marketing provider and discuss how to best implement this.
Again, if you are a nonprofit using Stelter to send your donor emails, we’ve got you! By default, all the emails we send on our client’s behalf have the list-unsubscribe header, which is added automatically by email service providers.
Once a user unsubscribes, our system is updated within 15 minutes. As a Stelter client, you have access to your unsubscribe list in the Stelter Intelligence Center. Be sure to check the list often and update your database promptly. Google and Yahoo require the person be removed within two days. Unsubscribes happen all the time, so pull your email list close to when you plan to send. A list created too far in advance could miss an unsubscribe.
3. Less Complaining
No one likes complaints—and email spam complaints are the worst! They damage your sender reputation, your inbox placement rate and can get you added to a blocklist. All of these will impact your ability to get your email into your donors’ inboxes—even those inboxes of donors who never complained and want to read your content can be affected.
Google says the ideal spam complaint rate is below 0.10% and advises to never reach a spam rate of 0.30% or higher. This equates to just three spam reports for every 1,000 emails sent.
How do I reduce complaints?
- Make sure you are only emailing people who have opted-in to your communications. Never purchase lists.
- Allow subscribers to choose the type of content they receive and the frequency using a subscription center.
- Segment your lists so you are sending relevant content to the right audiences.
- Send “From” a recognizable name.
- Ensure your email looks, feels and sounds like your organization, both in copy and design.
- Don’t send too much—or too little. Finding the right cadence is important to keeping your supporters engaged, not annoyed.
Review your email send data regularly to keep on top of your spam rate. You can use Postmaster Tools to check on your domain reputation, IP reputation, spam rate and email performance.
If you are working with Stelter, there are several things we do to ensure your spam complaint rate remains low. We run our lists through NeverBounce to avoid sending to undeliverable email addresses. Our software will not send to recipients who have made a spam complaint. We remove hard bounces and recurring soft bounces, and we remove recipients who have shown they are not engaged with the content.
We know it’s not easy keeping up with the constant change in the digital world. With Stelter, you don’t have to worry. We have subject matter experts in email, web, analytics and the donor digital experience that you can rely on to ensure your digital marketing succeeds.