When you implement the DMARC record, the drop in your Gmail open rates could be due to a few factors, and while DMARC itself shouldn’t directly cause lower open rates, there are indirect effects that might explain what’s happening. Here are a few points to consider:
1. DMARC, SPF, and DKIM Misconfigurations
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records need to be correctly configured alongside DMARC. If any of these records are misconfigured, emails sent from your domain might end up in spam or be rejected entirely by Gmail and other email providers.
- SPF alignment and DKIM alignment ensure that the “From” domain matches the domains used in SPF and DKIM signing. Misalignment can cause messages to fail DMARC, leading to deliverability issues.
Check your DMARC reports to ensure that your emails are passing both SPF and DKIM checks consistently. If emails are failing DMARC, they might be blocked or delivered to the spam folder.
2. Impact on Gmail Deliverability
- Gmail, like other major email providers, uses DMARC to evaluate the authenticity of your emails. If DMARC was newly implemented, there might be a temporary drop in reputation as Google adjusts to the new policy, especially if there were past deliverability issues or inconsistent email authentication.
- Some emails could now be getting flagged as spam or being throttled (slowed delivery) due to incorrect SPF/DKIM alignment or mismatches with DMARC, which may lower the open rates.
3. Domain Reputation Changes
- DMARC is often part of an overall email authentication process, which improves domain reputation over time. However, domain reputation changes aren’t instantaneous, and in some cases, it might initially cause a drop in deliverability before improving, as older reputation issues are resolved.
- Gmail places a lot of weight on sender reputation. The addition of DMARC might require some time for the positive effects to take hold, particularly if emails were previously ending up in spam or if Gmail needs time to reassess your domain’s reputation after the DMARC policy change.
4. Inbox Placement and Spam Folder
- The drop in open rates could be due to your emails being sent to the spam folder, or promotions folder, more frequently than before. Even though the emails are being delivered, they may not reach the primary inbox.
- Check whether Gmail users are receiving your newsletters in spam, promotions, or updates folders. If the emails aren’t landing in the primary inbox, users might miss them, causing open rates to drop.
5. Monitor and Adjust Policies
- DMARC Policy: Ensure that your policy is set correctly (none, quarantine, or reject). Initially, it’s advisable to use p=none in your DMARC policy to monitor how emails are being handled without enforcing any action. Over time, you can move to p=quarantine or p=reject.
- DMARC Reports: Analyze the daily DMARC reports you receive to check whether your emails are being delivered properly. Look for high failure rates and troubleshoot any domain misalignments.
6. Other Deliverability Factors
- While DMARC improves email security, open rates are also influenced by other deliverability factors like:
- Engagement metrics: If your newsletter’s content or subject lines have changed recently, this could affect open rates.
- List quality: Ensure that your email list is clean and regularly updated. Old or unengaged subscribers may be impacting your open rates.
- Content or formatting changes: Sometimes even subtle changes in your email design or sending frequency can impact how email providers treat your messages.
Steps to Take
- Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to ensure correct implementation.
- Monitor Gmail’s placement of your emails (spam or inbox).
- Analyze DMARC reports to spot any issues with failed messages.
- Keep an eye on domain reputation via tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Allow some time for Gmail to recalibrate the domain’s reputation after the DMARC policy implementation.
In summary, yes, it can take some time for the full effects of DMARC implementation to show positive results in terms of open rates and deliverability. Keep monitoring and making adjustments based on DMARC feedback, and ensure there are no misconfigurations affecting your emails.