For businesses today, it is vital that emails, whether for marketing or other purposes, get delivered to your customers. If they get blocked or sent to spam, potential revenue is lost and important messages aren\u2019t received. However, with the rise in spoofing and phishing, email providers like Google and Yahoo are implementing tighter rules. If you\u2019re a bulk sender to these providers and don\u2019t comply with their new DMARC rules by 1 April 2024, the deliverability of your emails may be affected. Here we look at what DMARC is, why it is important and how to implement it.<\/p>\n
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance, DMARC for short, is an email security protocol that enables recipient servers to verify your email is legitimate. The protocol uses two existing verification methods, the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM). The SPF identifies the servers and services that have been authorised to send your emails, while DKIM verifies that the content of your messages has not been interfered with. At the same time, DMARC allows you to tell receiving servers how to handle emails that fail these checks.<\/p>\n
When you send an email, the SPF and DKIM records in your DNS can be used by the recipient to verify your identity. If the email fails verification, your DMARC policy instructs the recipient server on whether to accept the email, quarantine it or block it completely. You will also be provided with a report informing you of how your emails are being handled so you can identify unauthorised use of your domain. <\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t become a victim, read: The Tell-Tale Signs of a Phishing Email<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Google and Yahoo tightened their email verification rules on 1 Feb 2024 and on 1 April 2024, those that do not comply will see a percentage of their unverified emails blocked. Over time, this percentage will increase.<\/p>\n To comply with Google and Yahoo, all businesses that send more than 5,000 emails a day to either of these service providers must have a DMARC policy in place. The policy must also align with either the SPF or the DKIM framework. Additionally, from 1 June 2024, all marketing emails must contain a one-click unsubscribe link or button.<\/p>\n Failure to comply means your emails could see reduced deliverability on the Gmail and Yahoo platforms with the rate of rejection increasing over time. <\/a><\/p>\n Find out: How to Prevent Email Data Breaches<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Complying with DMARC brings a number of important benefits. Firstly, it ensures that your emails are not going to be rejected or filtered into spam folders, ensuring that your marketing campaigns aren\u2019t affected and that important communications are received by your customers.<\/p>\n Equally important is that it helps receiving email servers to better understand which emails using your domain are genuinely from you and which have been spoofed. This helps them block phishing and other malicious emails from arriving in your customers\u2019 inboxes while purporting to have come directly from you. As a result, fewer of your customers will be defrauded by cybercriminals or see their devices infected with malware. What\u2019s more, as spoof emails make unauthorised use of your domain name, eradicating them is vital to ensuring your business\u2019 reputation and customer trust. <\/a><\/p>\n Finally, with DMARC implemented, you\u2019ll also receive reports that give insights into your email traffic. This can be helpful in implementing security measures to prevent further incidents of spoofing.<\/p>\n Setting up DMARC can be tricky and requires some technical know-how. To help, here is a step-by-step guide.<\/p>\n Google and Yahoo require your DMARC record to align with your SPF or DKIM. To ensure this is in place, firstly, make sure your SPF record includes all the IP addresses which are authorised to send emails on behalf of your domain, including any third-party services you use. Secondly, check that your DKIM is signing emails correctly. Finally, check that your DMARC policy is set to require alignment. <\/a><\/p>\n Learn How to Get Your Marketing Emails Read<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Aside from the technical challenges of creating the DMARC TXT record, there are a number of other issues that can affect the implementation. If you have incorrectly configured SPF and DKIM records, for example, then legitimate emails can fail authentication checks and end up being blocked. Regular checking your SPF and DKIM to ensure they are accurate can help remove any problems with deliverability. <\/a><\/p>\n Another challenge for businesses with limited technical experience is that DMARC reports can be difficult to interpret, making it harder for you to spot issues. One way around this is to make use of third-party DMARC reporting tools. These can provide user-friendly interfaces that make the information easier to understand.<\/p>\n From April 1, 2024, bulk senders of emails will need to implement DMARC to comply with Google and Yahoo\u2019s new rules and avoid potential deliverability issues. From reading this article, you should now have a better understanding of what DMARC is, its importance and crucially, how to implement it.<\/p>\n Keep your email contents secure and protect your customers from phishing and other malicious emails with Email Signing Certificates<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For businesses today, it is vital that emails, whether for marketing or other purposes, get delivered to your customers. If they get blocked or sent to spam, potential revenue is…<\/p>\nCompliance requirements by Google and Yahoo<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Benefits of DMARC compliance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Step-by-step DMARC implementation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Authentication alignment<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Common challenges in DMARC implementation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Conclusion<\/strong><\/h4>\n