Email updates Google & Yahoo starting February 2024

Rebecca Mathura
September 25, 2024

Starting February 2024, significant changes will be implemented in the world of email marketing. In a new effort to make email communication safer and more organized, Google and Yahoo are introducing sweeping changes. What will change and what impact will this have on your email marketing?

The new rules will impose new requirements on senders who send more than 5,000 emails per day to Gmail and Yahoo addresses. Due to these changes, billions of emails could be marked as spam.

The following three rules will be implemented starting February 2024:

Easy unsubscribe or opt-out
Email authentication
Maximum spam rate

1. Easy unsubscribe or opt-out

Google wants to simplify the unsubscribe process for email subscriptions. Both Google and Yahoo require that recipients can unsubscribe from your mailing list with a single click. You can no longer ask for a reason for unsubscribing; the unsubscription must occur immediately once the recipient clicks the link.

You do have the option to optionally inquire about the reason for unsubscribing. Google will require that these unsubscribe requests are processed within two days.

2. E-mail authentication ✅

Greater emphasis is placed on email authentication through proper settings. These settings are essential to ensure that your emails do not end up in the spam box. DKIM, SPF, and DMARC will be required for bulk senders starting February 2024.

3. Maximum spam rate ❗️

As measured by Google’s Postmaster Tools, Google will enforce a clear spam threshold of 0.3% of sent messages. If your emails have a spam ratio above the specified threshold, there is a high risk that you will end up in the spam folder.

Yahoo does not specify a percentage but will also set a threshold to ensure a spam-free inbox.

💡 Tips 💡

If you have a mailing list with more than 5,000 recipients, it’s time to review your email (marketing) strategy. Here are some tips:

Adjust your unsubscribe page so that recipients can unsubscribe with one click.
Regularly check your authentication settings and ensure they are up-to-date.
Monitor your spam ratio using tools like Google’s Postmaster Tools to check and adjust your spam percentage if necessary.

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