Let's say your business email account occasionally sends emails to contractors with a @yahoo.com or @gmail.com address and they are consistently kicked back undeliverable.
Google and Yahoo mail announced in 2023 that starting early in 2024, bulk senders will be subject to more stringent requirements for authentication of the mail sent to these two mailbox providers.
To ensure better email deliverability and security, Google and Yahoo have implemented changes requiring domains to have SPF and DKIM authentication configured. Here's an overview of these changes:SPF Requirement: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a protocol that helps verify if an email comes from an authorized server. Google and Yahoo now require that domains sending emails have an SPF record set up, which helps prevent email spoofing.DKIM Requirement: DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) adds a digital signature to emails, ensuring that the email content hasn't been altered. Google and Yahoo mandate DKIM authentication to improve email security and confirm the authenticity of the sender. DMARC Implementation: Both service providers also support DMARC policies, which work alongside SPF and DKIM to provide a framework for handling emails that fail authentication. This includes setting policies for email handling, such as rejecting or quarantining unauthenticated emails. Impact of Non-Compliance: Emails from domains that do not have SPF and DKIM set up are more likely to be bounced or treated as spam by Google and Yahoo. This can affect email deliverability significantly. For more details on email authentication, you can refer to this article.
For the purposes of our discussion (and for the purposes of the new Google and Yahoo requirements), “your domain” is the domain you’ll be using in the visible From: header of your emails. The directive is to set up SPF and DKIM email authentication for your domain, which means that:
So that covers SPF and DKIM, but what about SPF or DKIM?
Even though DMARC only requires an aligned pass for SPF or DKIM, it’s long been a best practice that messages sent with From domains with published DMARC policy to do so with both SPF and DKIM aligned if possible.
In conclusion, while setting up SPF and DKIM records is crucial for meeting the new email authentication requirements from Google and Yahoo, it's not a task you should tackle on your own. The intricacies involved in correctly configuring these records can be overwhelming and mistakes can lead to severe email deliverability issues. To ensure your business emails are properly authenticated and reach their intended recipients without a hitch, it's advisable to hire a professional IT service provider. Their expertise will save you time, prevent potential headaches, and safeguard your email communication from unnecessary disruptions.
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