The Gmail/Yahoo February 2024 rules
In February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo introduced strict new rules for bulk senders (anyone sending more than 5,000 emails per day to their users). Failing to comply means your emails are quietly rejected or sent to spam — with no error message.
Rule 1: Authenticate your sending domain
SPF, DKIM, AND DMARC records all required — not just SPF/DKIM
DMARC policy must be set to at least "p=none" (receive reports) — stricter "quarantine" or "reject" is better
From address must align with your authenticated domain (no "From: [email protected]" — must be your business domain)
Rule 2: Make unsubscribing one-click
Marketing emails must include a List-Unsubscribe header (RFC 8058)
Recipients clicking unsubscribe must be removed within 2 days
Intellivizz CRM auto-includes the List-Unsubscribe header on all marketing campaigns
Rule 3: Keep spam complaints below 0.3%
If more than 3 in every 1,000 recipients mark you as spam, Gmail/Yahoo will start blocking you
Critical threshold: 0.1% — above this, your reputation degrades quickly
Monitor spam rate in Marketing → Email → Reports
WARNING — These rules apply to ALL senders, not just big ones
Even if you send fewer than 5,000/day, exceeding the spam complaint threshold or having weak authentication will hurt deliverability. The 5,000/day threshold just changes from "recommended" to "strictly enforced". Set up correctly from day one regardless of your volume.
How to check your authentication status
Settings → Email Services → Domain Authentication
All four indicators (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, Tracking CNAME) should be green
If any are yellow or red, click for the specific DNS record needed
Reduce spam complaints
Set clear opt-in expectations (frequency, content type) at signup
Honor unsubscribes immediately — don't "one last email"
Re-engagement campaigns to dormant subscribers are the most common cause of complaint spikes — use sparingly
Match the email content to the subject line — mismatch triggers "this is spam" reactions
