Mastering Google and Yahoo’s email sender standards requires understanding their criteria for delivering emails reliably to users' inboxes. Both Google (Gmail) and Yahoo Mail have rigorous standards to filter out spam and ensure sender authenticity. Here’s a breakdown of the essential steps to achieve high deliverability:
Authentication Protocols
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): An SPF record should be added to your domain's DNS. It specifies which IP addresses are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds an encrypted signature to your emails. When your email reaches Gmail or Yahoo, they check this signature to confirm that the email hasn't been altered.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC aligns SPF and DKIM practices, helping to protect against phishing and spam. It allows you to set policies to determine how Google and Yahoo should handle emails failing SPF or DKIM checks.