📩 Gmail and Yahoo Spam Filters Are Getting Stricter

Hey, it's Raymond here—welcome to the second issue of our newsletter!

Since you already know how important subject lines are from our first newsletter, let’s talk about something even bigger—how to pass Gmail and Yahoo’s latest update.

Both Gmail and Yahoo rolled out stricter rules in February 2024 to cut down on spam and phishing. 

Sounds good in theory, right? 

But if you’re not prepared, your emails might not make it to the inbox.

If you’re sending a lot of emails (5,000+ a day), you’ve probably noticed that Gmail and Yahoo are making things tougher. 

I’ve been in the trenches with email deliverability for years, and let me tell you—these changes aren’t just trending rumors. They’re happening.

You can even read different online forums like Reddit, HubSpot, and Shopify, where marketers and business owners search for solutions.

These inbox providers are cracking down, and if your emails don’t meet their new requirements, they’ll end up in spam—or worse, get blocked entirely.

But don’t panic. I’ve been through plenty of email updates over the years.

And believe me, while these changes are stricter, they’re not impossible to navigate. 

You just need to tweak a few things to stay compliant and keep your emails landing where they belong: the inbox.

Let me guide you through this.

Email Rules Are Changing, and Here’s What I’ve Learned…

What’s changed:

✔ Authentication is now a must – If your emails aren’t properly verified (DKIM, SPF, DMARC), they won’t even make it through.

✔ One-click unsubscribe is required – You need an easy-to-find opt-out button, or your emails won’t pass.

✔ Spam complaints matter more than ever – Too many “mark as spam” clicks? Your deliverability takes a hit.

How to Stay Compliant (And Keep Hitting the Inbox)

Over the years, I’ve seen plenty of email marketers get caught off guard by changes like this. 

The good news? 

If you follow these best practices that I find very effective, you’ll be ahead of senders who are still ignoring the new rules.

1️⃣ Authenticate Your Emails (SPF, DKIM & DMARC)

This is step one. Without proper authentication, Gmail and Yahoo will see your emails as sketchy. 

Make sure you have:

✅ SPF (Sender Policy Framework) – Tells Gmail which mail servers can send on your behalf.
✅ DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) – Adds a digital signature to prove your emails are legit.
✅ DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) – Stops scammers from spoofing your domain and lets you monitor email activity.

If this all sounds technical, don’t worry—your ESP (like Klaviyo) should have guides on setting this up. 

2️⃣ Use Your Own Branded Domain (No More @gmail.com or @yahoo.com)

If you’re still using a free email domain for your marketing campaigns, it’s time to upgrade. 

Gmail and Yahoo want senders to use a branded domain (e.g., [email protected]).

Why? 

It builds trust. 

It also prevents your emails from showing that ugly “via someemailservice.com” warning, which kills credibility.

If you haven’t done this yet, buy a domain ASAP and start warming it up before switching all your campaigns over.

3️⃣ Align Your “From” Address with Your Domain

This one catches a lot of people off guard. 

Your “from” address (the one recipients see in their inbox) needs to match your sending domain.

Example: If your sending domain is emails.yourbrand.com, your “from” address should be something like [email protected]—not [email protected].

It’s a small tweak, but Gmail will flag mismatches, which can hurt your sender reputation.

4️⃣ Make Unsubscribing Effortlessly Easy

Nobody likes losing subscribers, but making it easy for people to opt-out actually helps your deliverability. 

Gmail and Yahoo now require a one-click unsubscribe link in all marketing emails.

My pro tip: 

• The unsubscribe button must be clearly visible (not buried in tiny text).

• Once someone clicks it, you have 48 hours to remove them from your list.

• The easier you make it, the less likely people will mark you as spam.

5️⃣ Keep Spam Complaints Under 0.3%

Gmail and Yahoo are watching your complaint rate closely. If more than 0.3% of recipients mark your emails as spam, I tell you,  you’re in trouble.

Here’s how to keep your complaint rate low:

✔ Send emails people actually want (don’t blast everyone with generic content).
✔ Segment your list so only engaged subscribers get frequent emails.
✔ Make it clear who you are in the “from” name and subject line.
✔ Regularly clean your list (remove inactive subscribers to avoid spam complaints).

I’ve seen brands ignore this and get their emails throttled or even blocked. 

Don’t let that happen to you. 

I personally suggest using Google Postmaster Tools to keep an eye on your spam rate and take action if it creeps up.

Look, I get it—email marketing rules keep changing, and it can feel like a moving target. 

But if you follow these steps, you won’t just stay compliant, you’ll improve your deliverability and build a stronger relationship with your audience.

I’ve helped brands navigate these updates before, and the ones who adapt quickly always come out ahead. 

Don’t wait until your emails start bouncing.

Get your authentication in place, clean up your lists, and make sure you’re following best practices now.

Got questions? 

Reply to this email, I’d love to hear how your deliverability is looking!

Talk soon,
Raymond Chen
Founder & CEO, 11 Agency

Let’s Make This Work for You

There’s a lot that goes into building a high-converting email strategy. 

If you’re serious about optimizing your email marketing, let’s talk. 

Here’s what we can do:

✅ Done-for-You Email Strategy: If you’re ready to scale but don’t have the time, we’ll build out a full email system that maximizes your revenue. You can book a call with me here. 

✅ Or, if you just want to grab a free resource, get a FREE 10-page KPI audit and a 128-point health scorecard to optimize your email marketing. Get it here!

More Resources to Help You Win at Email Marketing

If you’re up about boosting your email game, I’ve got a few more gems for you:

📝 What You Need to Know About Email Compliance in 2025

I just put together a deep dive into the latest email compliance and data privacy updates for 2025. If you want to keep your emails landing in inboxes (and out of trouble), this guide has everything you need. Check it out here!

💡 Let’s Connect on LinkedIn
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