Starting February 2024, Google and Yahoo will now require DKIM and DMARC authentication to send emails. Whether or not you use a Gmail or Yahoo domain, you'll need to abide by these new requirements to ensure your emails are reaching your customer's inboxes and not being sent to their spam folder or, worse, just deleted altogether.
Overview
Here's a quick summary of what you need to do:
Authenticate your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Set up a one-click unsubscribe button in your emails (having it at the top is best)
Make sure your spam complaint rate is below 0.1% (1 in 1,000 emails)
Why is this being implemented?
Google and Yahoo want to limit spam or junk emails reaching people's inboxes. These new authentication requirements ensure you're a credible sender.
What is DKIM, SPF, and DMARC?
DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) – ensures your emails are sent using your name, and that an email is coming from you and not someone impersonating you.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) – ensures your emails use your domain name and not a string of numbers and letters.
For example:
*Photo from ActiveCampaign
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) – a policy that supports DKIM and SPF, specifying what to do if an email fails SPF and DKIM checks.
*If you don't have one of these three authenticated. You might be given error codes due to non-compliance with their sender requirements. If you're dealing with error code messages, check out this article to understand what each error code means and what you need to fix.
How to Authenticate your Domain
Depending on what email client you're using, they'll give you different methods of authenticating your Domain. Some can do it automatically, but some might require you to do it manually. If you have to do it manually, you'll have to create new DNS records in your domain provider (i.e., GoDaddy, Squarespace, Wix, etc.).
They'll provide you with the information you need to create the DNS records, so it's just a matter of figuring out where to add new DNS records.
Here's an example of authenticating through ActiveCampaign as the email server, and GoDaddy as the domain provider:
Step 1:
In your email server (i.e. ActiveCampaign, MailChimp, Constant Contact, etc.) find where you have to authenticate your domain. In this case, it's in advanced settings.
Step 2:
Connect a domain and start the authentication process. You'll likely be given DNS records like below that you can copy and paste into your domain provider.
Step 3:
Go to your domain provider (i.e. Godaddy, Squarespace, Wix, etc) and find your domain. It should give you an option to manage DNS records like below. You'll simply fill out the information that was given to you in Step 2.
Step 4:
Once you add the required DNS records, you'll simply have to save it and go back to your email service and make sure its all authenticated.
Here's some helpful videos and articles you can refer to in case you need more info: