New Google and Microsoft guidelines for bulk email senders

Mailbox providers raised the bar again. Whether you send product updates or invoices, you must meet stricter authentication, spam, and user-control standards. Here's what changed and how Mailqor fits in.

Key requirements at a glance

• Authenticate every email with SPF and DKIM.
• Publish DMARC (p=none minimum) with a monitored rua mailbox.
• Maintain a spam rate below 0.1% (Gmail) or risk throttling.
• Include one-click unsubscribe headers in promotional mail.

Google Workspace specifics

• All senders exceeding 5,000 messages/day to Gmail must align SPF & DKIM and enable DMARC reporting.
• From 2025, Gmail will reject traffic lacking aligned authentication or functional unsubscribe.
• Use Google Postmaster Tools to track spam complaints, TLS, and delivery errors.

Microsoft (Outlook/Office 365) specifics

• Bulk senders must pass SPF/DKIM and publish DMARC with actionable policies.
• Microsoft Defender now penalizes domains with poor user-report metrics.
• Implement feedback loops so complaints automatically remove recipients.

Operational checklist

1. Inventory every sending domain (marketing, product, support).
2. Rotate DKIM keys twice a year and document selectors.
3. Automate DMARC report parsing to catch misconfigurations.
4. Maintain hygiene lists and remove bouncing or inactive addresses.
5. Provide visible trust signals (Mailqor badge) so employees trust internal campaigns.

Conclusion: compliance + trust go hand in hand

Meeting bulk sender requirements is now table stakes. Pair airtight authentication with Mailqor's badge so recipients and employees see the payoff: fewer phishing attempts and higher deliverability.

FAQ

Do transactional emails need unsubscribe links?
No, but promotional mail targeting Gmail users does.

Can we share one DKIM key across brands?
Avoid it—use unique selectors so compromise of one stream doesn't impact others.

How fast must we act on spam complaints?
Aim for removal within 24 hours to keep complaint rates low.