Introduction

Review and update your sending domains now to ensure full compliance. Gmail and Yahoo are tightening their domain authentication standards. This is how you can safeguard your campaigns reaching your customers.

The Importance of Email Authentication

Achieving the goal of your email campaign – landing in your customer’s inbox with engaging content – starts with ensuring your emails actually reach your customers. Email authentication is crucial in this process. Gmail and Yahoo, two major mailbox providers (MBPs), are soon to strengthen their domain authentication criteria. Here’s your action plan.

Choosing an ESP: Just the Beginning

Choosing an email service provider (ESP) is just the beginning of your email journey; it doesn't guarantee inbox arrival.

Free Webinar on Deliverability Strategy

Our experts will guide you through key email deliverability concepts, effective strategies, and interpreting metrics in this complimentary webinar.

The Heart of Successful Inbox Placement

The crux of successful inbox placement lies in authenticating your email domain. Email authentication is like a digital signature, confirming to MBPs your legitimacy as a sender and your right to be in a recipient's inbox. This is fundamental for your campaign's success.

Understanding Email Authentication

Email authentication involves techniques that verify the origin of email messages. Authenticating your domain identifies you as a trusted sender, helping spam filters, MBPs, and reputation services to monitor and track your mail's reputation.

The Impact of Domain Spoofing

If your sending domain is spoofed, proper authentication will help prevent these false emails from reaching a subscriber’s inbox, protecting your reputation.

3 Key Techniques for Email Authentication

Protect your sender reputation and ensure your emails are delivered by Gmail and Yahoo by following these best practices. Improved inbox placement and spam protection for your brand are the rewards.

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: The Authentication Triad

Explaining Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC).

Preparing for Gmail and Yahoo's New Authentication Requirements

Starting 1 February, Gmail and Yahoo will mandate all three authentication techniques for senders dispatching over 5,000 messages daily.

Importance of Compliance

Review your setup now by checking all your sending domains for full compliance.

Utilising Marketing Cloud Engagement's SAP

Marketing Cloud Engagement's Sender Authentication Package (SAP) offers comprehensive domain authentication.

3 Do’s and Don’ts for Email Authentication

Before you dive back into crafting impactful email campaigns, here are three key do’s and don’ts for email authentication.

Do’s

Fully authenticate with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Regularly review and test your domains. Plan for domain setup and warming before bulk communications.

Don’ts

Assume all is well based on good open/click rates. Rely on registered domains; this doesn't equate to authentication – it only shows domain ownership. Delay domain review – per Gmail: “Non-compliance with these guidelines may result in poor email delivery or marking as spam.” Email authentication should be at the forefront of your campaign planning. Regular reviews are essential, but Gmail and Yahoo's announcements add urgency to these best practices. Ensure your company is ready to maximise success and dodge spam filters.

Conclusion

Email authentication should be at the forefront of your campaign planning. Regular reviews are essential, but Gmail and Yahoo's announcements add urgency to these best practices. Ensure your company is ready to maximise success and dodge spam filters.