If you run an ecommerce operation that relies substantially on email marketing, be aware that both Gmail and Yahoo are implementing tighter controls from 2024, controls designed to cut down on the volume of email spam. The crackdown is not aimed exclusively at ecommerce, but ecommerce marketing is likely to be affected considerably.
Email is alive and well in the 21st century. Despite decades-old claims that email is dead, it is anything but. It is so alive that Gmail and Yahoo feel it is time to take steps to crack down on marketing spam. So beginning in 2024, email marketers will have to adhere to strict rules to avoid their messages being automatically marked as spam.
3 Primary Mechanisms
Practical Ecommerce says that Gmail and Yahoo (and AOL, too) will employ three primary mechanisms beginning next year. Google has said the changes will take effect in February while Yahoo has only said sometime in the first quarter for both Yahoo! Mail and AOL.
Here are the three mechanisms:
- Proper Authentication – Email marketers will have to implement proper authentication through SPF or DKIM standards. It would be better to utilize both. Marketers will also be required to utilize DMARC records.
- Easier Unsubscribing – Next, email marketers will be required to make it easier for people to unsubscribe. Specifically, Google and Yahoo will expect them to implement a single-click unsubscribe policy. However, this only applies to marketing messages. It has no bearing on transactional messages.
- Low Spam Reports – Although Gmail and Yahoo have always expected email marketers to avoid spam, they are now going to enforce such policies by implementing a low spam report rate. Though it is not yet official, rumors suggest the rate will have to be below 0.3%
The changes are most likely to affect ecommerce operators who send thousands of messages to Gmail and Yahoo accounts. However, even marketers sending messages by the hundreds or dozens would do well to heed the changes and act accordingly. No need to take risks, right?
Email and Ecommerce Marketing
Again, the stricter stand on email spam isn’t aimed at or exclusive to ecommerce. However, the changes are likely to impact ecommerce due to the propensity for online retailers to make use of consumer email addresses for marketing purposes. More simply, buying anything online almost always results in signing up for marketing emails unless you purposely look for a box to uncheck.
Gmail and Yahoo have a vested interest in making sure that spam is kept to a minimum. They have no desire to allow their services to be utilized by ecommerce operators who send incessant emails customers do not appreciate. The more customers complain, the worse it is for ecommerce operators.
Email Is Still a Valuable Tool
We don’t want to close this post by giving you the wrong impression about email as a marketing tool for ecommerce. It is a fantastic tool. Ecommerce marketing works best when it keeps existing customers coming back as frequently as it encourages new customers to get on board.
Unfortunately, a tightly controlled email marketing program can get out of hand. And when that happens, spam could be the ultimate result. That is something Gmail and Yahoo are hoping to keep a lid on.
We encourage ecommerce sellers to take a good look at their email marketing policies before the new year. If you are not sure what to do or you just need help with your ecommerce marketing, Webtek is standing by to assist you. Ecommerce marketing is among the many digital marketing services we offer in Utah, Texas, and across the country.
