How Can You Prevent Your Email Marketing From Getting Blocked By Gmail's New Algorithm?

As we look towards 2024, Gmail's impending changes in email security protocols mark a pivotal shift in the world of email marketing.

These changes emphasize the need for rigorous email authentication, streamlined unsubscribe processes, and maintaining a low spam rate. However, they also highlight a crucial aspect often overlooked: the effectiveness of your email marketing strategy goes beyond just technical compliance.

While these updates emphasize stringent email authentication, streamlined unsubscribe processes, and strict spam rate thresholds, they also open the door to a more profound transformation in email marketing strategies.

Preparing for Gmail's 2024 Update: A Strategic Imperative

To be compliant with the 2024 Gmail update and optimize your email marketing strategy for better open rates and sales, there are several key steps you need to take:

1. Clean Your Email List Regularly: Gmail is phasing out inactive accounts. It's essential to clean your email list at least once a year to remove outdated emails and maintain a healthy sender reputation.
2. Authenticate Your Domain with DKIM Verification: Regardless of your business size, authenticating your domain using DKIM verification is crucial. This step ensures your emails are not flagged as spam and enhances deliverability.
3. Obtain a Custom Domain: For those sending more than 5,000 emails per day, using a custom domain becomes essential. This step is part of complying with new bulk sender requirements.
4. Enable One-Click Unsubscribe: Simplifying the unsubscription process is a key 2024 requirement. Ensure your emails include a single-click unsubscribe link to provide an easy opt-out option for recipients.
5. Maintain Spam Complaints Below 0.3%: Keeping your content hyper-relevant and not spammy is crucial to maintain a low spam complaint rate.
6. SPF and DKIM Setup: Setting up SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is the minimum requirement for email authentication. These protocols protect your sender identity and enhance deliverability.
7. DMARC Implementation: If you send more than 5,000 emails per day, implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is necessary. This step allows you to make policy choices based on your email program and further protects your sender identity.
8. Optimize Your Email Sending Practices: Ensure your email content is relevant, engaging, and tailored to your audience to keep open rates high and avoid being classified as spam.

While implementing these steps can improve your email deliverability and may help you achieve over 20% open rates, it's important to note that for larger lists, a more holistic approach is required.

Simply updating authentication codes and maintaining compliance isn't enough for extensive email lists.

You're here for the sales, not for some codes, right?

So, updating authentication codes is a necessary step, but it's just the beginning.

Nor will it get you to higher open rates if your current open rates are sub-par. It may work for smaller lists, but overall, if you keep doing what you're doing, you will end up getting your emails in the trash can.

In such cases, strategies like the Email Engagement Ecosystem, which involves re-engaging inactive subscribers and revitalizing your entire email strategy, are essential to achieve substantial open rates and drive sales effectively.

The Misconception: Authentication Codes as a Panacea

There's a tendency to oversimplify the solution to these changes, particularly when it comes to updating DKIM, DMARC, and SPF codes.

While these are fundamental steps for security and compliance, they are merely the starting point. It's akin to building a strong gate but ignoring the path leading to it.

Many turn to quick, inexpensive fixes on platforms like Fiverr, entrusting these crucial tasks to individuals who might lack the necessary expertise or understanding of the broader context.

This approach can lead to subpar implementation and missed opportunities.

A Real-World Scenario: The Guru's Dilemma

Consider the case of a renowned guru who opted for a low-cost solution to update their email authentication codes.

Despite this, their emails continued to land in the Spam or Promotions tabs, largely because the service provider lacked a comprehensive understanding of effective list management.

The guru is an excellent copywriter (better than me). Yet, his open rates are not picking up.

This highlights a critical point: technical updates and copywriting skills alone are insufficient if your overarching email strategy isn't robust.

The Need For A Comprehensive Approach

The Email Engagement Ecosystem is our response to this challenge. It's a holistic strategy that transcends technical adjustments and dives deep into the essence of email marketing - engagement and connection.

1. Reviving Your Subscriber List: For those with large subscriber bases (over 2,000), simply updating authentication codes is not enough. The Email Engagement Ecosystem revitalizes your list, transforming passive contacts into engaged audience members.
2. Rescuing Dying Engagement: We've seen clients with substantial lists (like 50,000 subscribers) languishing at 5% open rates. Through our approach, they've experienced a revival to 25% open rates, leading to a surge in sales and the need to expand their sales teams.
3. Debunking Myths: The common advice of trimming down your list is a myopic solution. Our Ecosystem focuses on re-engaging and re-energizing your existing list, not just cutting it down.
4. Strategic List Management: Learning to manage your list effectively is key. It's not just about avoiding spam filters; it's about understanding and engaging with your audience at a deeper level.

How Does the Email Engagement Ecosystem Work?

As mentioned above, the Email Engagement Ecosystem is a holistic approach that goes beyond mere compliance.

It's a comprehensive strategy that addresses the core of email marketing - engagement and connection. Here's how it works:

1. Advanced Email Authentication: We start with the technicalities - ensuring your emails are authenticated with DKIM, DMARC, and SPF. This is foundational, setting the stage for improved deliverability and trust.
2. Re-engagement Sequences: Next, we focus on rekindling the relationship with your audience. Our tailored sequences bring back subscribers who haven't engaged recently, sparking renewed interest.
3. Custom Unsubscribe Journeys: Respecting user preferences, our custom unsubscribe pages make the process seamless and respectful, reducing negative brand interactions.
4. Behavioral Segmentation and Tailored Content: We dive deeper into your subscriber list, segmenting based on behavior and engagement. This allows for highly personalized and relevant content, significantly boosting open rates.
5. Inbox Optimization: Beyond authentication, we implement strategies to ensure your emails land in the inbox, not the spam folder. This involves continuous monitoring and tweaking of your email practices to align with evolving algorithms.
6. Empowerment through Education: We don't just implement these strategies; we empower you with knowledge. This ensures your team can sustain and build upon the foundations we lay, maintaining high engagement in the long run.

The Path Ahead: Strategic Mastery in Email Marketing

The upcoming changes are an opportunity to elevate your email marketing strategy. It's about transforming challenges into opportunities for growth, connection, and increased sales. The Email Engagement Ecosystem is your pathway to achieving this transformation, ensuring that your email marketing efforts are not just compliant but exceptionally effective.

Are you ready to take your email marketing beyond basic compliance and into the realm of strategic mastery? Let's embark on this transformative journey together (book your call here).