Email Deliverability is not exciting and cool, but email is the backbone of digital campaigning and if you are not across this:
Your email messages are getting blocked.
Let Google explain:
Starting November 2022, new senders who send email to personal Gmail accounts must set up either SPF or DKIM. Google performs random checks on new sender messages to personal Gmail accounts to verify they’re authenticated. Messages without at least one of these authentication methods will be rejected or marked as spam. This requirement doesn’t apply to you if you’re an existing sender. However, we recommend you always set up SPF and DKIM to protect your organization’s email and to support future authentication requirements.
Source: Google
What does this mean?
We are talking about two systems that are configured via your domain name records. These systems have been around for a while, however they are now being enforced by more email systems.
These records get checked when your email passes through various email and anti spam systems. If your email address that is linked to your domain fails these tests, a lot of these systems will block your message.
It is best practice to be using an email address that includes your domain such as for getting through spam and also representing your brand. You don’t work for Google or Hotmail do you?
The following two systems need to be configured into your domain name using domain name records:
DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail)
This is an email authentication technique that allows the receiver to check that an email was sent and authorised by the correct email account, and wasn’t modified in transit.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
A way to stop hackers and spammers from sending out spoofing emails using your email address.
And there is more
Getting past email filters has become a complex science. You can read about it in this article: Email Deliverability Manager: What’s This Lesser-Known Yet Crucial Job Role?
Generally you do not need to go to these extremes as this is written from the perspective of team who are managing an application that uses email as a main component but I recommend reading this to get your head around the issues.
What should I do?
At very least, you should be ensuring that DKIM and SFP is configured correctly with your domain and also for any system that sends email for your campaign such as your CRM, ActionNetwork, MailChimp, Nationbuilder etc
If this is too complex, contact your systems or IT manager or technology supplier to help you. ActionSkills has a service to audit and configure domain records to improve Email Deliverability. for our clients.