If you're getting a lot of unwanted emails, here's a little good news: Google will add some (admittedly low) barriers for users who send thousands of marketing messages every day, most of which will go into effect in early February. On the other hand, if you're a bulk sender, you'll need to follow these new guidelines to avoid your messages being rejected or sent to spam.
What to know? About Gmail's bulk sending rules
Google defines a bulk sender as a user who sends "close" 5,000 or more messages to a personal Gmail account from the same primary domain within a 24-hour period. Even if you only do it once, you'll always be classified as a bulk sender.
As of February 1, Google is requiring mailers to follow specific rules to avoid errors and rejections. These guidelines set out spam rates, authentication requirements, and unsubscribe options – you can find detailed requirements on Google's support page.
It's important to know that Google will be rolling out bulk sending guidelines in the coming months, giving users time to address compliance issues:
February 2024: Bulk senders will start receiving a temporary error for a small percentage of incompatible messages.
April 2024: Google will begin rejecting non-compliant email traffic, starting with a small percentage and increasing over time.
June 2024: Bulk senders must have a one-click unsubscribe option in all commercial,** emails.
Note that these guidelines only apply to messages sent to personal Gmail accounts — messages sent to Google Workspace accounts and in-domain messages are not included. However, all remitters must follow these rules, regardless of the type of account they have.
For senders who don't follow the rules, the likelihood of the email becoming spam or being rejected increases. If you qualify as a bulk sender, you can check the compliance status dashboard in the Postal Manager tool.