If you use an online email marketing service such as MailChimp, iContact or Constant Contact and are sending from a web-hosted email address (such as from Google, Yahoo or Hotmail), you may soon notice a significant increase in bounced emails. This is due to a new Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance or “DMARC” authentication policy these mail receivers have implemented.
Additionally, if your website allows users to “email this to a friend,” those emails may also bounce as well.
An article from Yahoo reads “All DMARC compliant mail receivers are now bouncing emails sent as “@yahoo.com” addresses that aren’t sent through Yahoo servers. Any messages without a proper Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature or Sender Policy Framework (SPF) alignment will be rejected.”
What Exactly Does This Mean?
Oftentimes, when spam or phishing emails are sent, they appear to be from one email address, but a closer look at the email header shows it was actually sent from another email address. That means the email address DKIM signatures or SPF alignment don’t match. When they don’t match, this sends out a red flag to the recipient’s mail host that it may not be legitimate and there’s a good chance the email could be marked as spam or bounced, preventing the message from being received.
If an email appears to be from a web-based email address but is not sent through their server, the email will be bounced.
- If email marketing is sent from a web-based email client (i.e. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo), it may be marked as fraudulent and not be delivered
- If a website has an “email this to a friend” option, those emails may bounce
How Is This Affected by Online Email Marketing Services?
When an email message is sent through an email marketing service, the service inserts its own authentication in the header. So while the email address may be perfectly legitimate, its DKIM signatures or SPF alignment don’t match up, making the email appear to be spam or fraudulent.
Why Is This Happening?
It’s extremely easy to sign up for a web-hosted email address, so if someone is looking to send spam or phishing emails, they could simply sign up for a new email address and send out fraudulent emails until their account was shut down by the host. They could then just create news accounts to continue sending fraudulent emails.
Since the emails came through the web-hosted email servers, it became pretty easy to block such accounts to prevent them from spamming. So spammers found a way around that by using online email marketing services to continue sending the emails without getting blocked by the email host. The email marketing services would put their own authentication in the header so it didn’t appear the email was coming from the email host, but rather another source.
This is a step by email providers to protect its users and prevent their domains from being used to send spam.
How Can I Get Around This?
- Don’t use web-based email for marketing. The simplest way to get around this is to not send from a Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo email address since these are the kinds of sites blocking these kinds of emails. Instead, the best option would be to use an email address from your company’s own domain (i.e. email@yourcompany.com).
- Authenticate email with a domain key. Users can add a digital signature that is embedded in the email header so emails can be authenticated.
- Keep sending consistent. When sending marketing emails, to improve your chances of delivery, be sure to send from the same email and IP addresses.
- Sign messages with a DKIM to validate your domain name.
- Create an SPF for your domain to confirm email validity.
- Publish a DMARC policy to authenticate emails and prevent them from being marked as spam.
Considerations
While this may be a hassle for those trying to send legitimate email marketing messages, it’s ultimately a good thing because email providers are taking big steps to protect consumers. The biggest drawback is that those who are attempting to get around these precautions can often quickly find ways to trick the system, so the email providers are always having to catch up to fight fraud.
Whats up! I simply wish to give an enormous thumbs up for the nice
data youve got right here on this post. I shall be coming back to your weblog for extra soon.
LikeLike
Hello! I simply would like to give a huge thumbs up for the nice
data youve got here on this post. I shall be coming back to your weblog for extra
soon.
LikeLike
Good day! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if
you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
LikeLike
I have an enthusiastic analytical vision with regard
to detail and may anticipate issues prior to they happen.
LikeLike
Hiya! I simply want to give an enormous thumbs up for the
good info you have here on this post. I might be coming again to your blog for extra
soon.
LikeLike
I read this post completely concerning the comparison of latest and previous technologies,
it’s awesome article.
LikeLike
I like to share understanding that I have built up through the yr to
assist improve group functionality.
LikeLike
Sending From a Web-Hosted Email Address May Bounce Your Email Marketing, Web Inquiries | Sally U: Business, Marketing, Tech & Social Media
fdelojhmfy http://www.g32rzc04d12g712rz3ub5nww83947oefs.org/
afdelojhmfy
[url=http://www.g32rzc04d12g712rz3ub5nww83947oefs.org/]ufdelojhmfy[/url]
LikeLike
Hello! I simply would like to give a huge thumbs up
for the nice info you have got here on this post. I can be
coming again to your weblog for more soon.
LikeLike