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8d • General discussion
PSA from Jay - Your Emails Aren't Reaching Gmail Anymore - Here's Why (26 Nov Update)
Following is an FAQ generated from the transcript (CC )
Based on the transcript provided, here is a list of frequently asked questions and their answers regarding the recent Google cold email update.
### **The Situation**
**Q: What happened with the recent Google update?**
**A:** Google rolled out an update around Thanksgiving that significantly reduced email deliverability to Google mailboxes. Even well-maintained domains seeing 100% deliverability previously have seen drops of around 50%.
**Q: Who is affected by this update?**
**A:** This issue is ubiquitous. It affects everyone sending cold emails to Google addresses, regardless of whether they are sending from Google, Microsoft, or private SMTP infrastructure. Even the top 1% of cold email agencies are facing this issue.
**Q: Is this happening because I am using a specific email provider?**
**A:** No. The transcript notes that switching providers (e.g., from Google to Microsoft or Mission Inbox) is unlikely to fix the problem right now. The issue is happening across the board with all infrastructure providers when sending *to* Google mailboxes.
### **Causes and Speculation**
**Q: Why is Google doing this?**
**A:** While there are no concrete answers yet, the consensus among experts is that Google has raised its "guardrails" too high in an attempt to block spam. Factors likely include:
* Stricter authentication enforcement.
* AI detection of spammy or promotional copy.
* Identifying "fingerprints" like custom tracking domains.
* Increased restrictions due to the high volume of promotional emails sent during the holiday season.
**Q: Is this related to the recent ban on Google Legacy panels?**
**A:** Likely not. While Google did recently ban legacy panels, this deliverability issue is affecting fresh domains and domains hosted on Microsoft or Mission Inbox that were never associated with Google Workspace. This suggests the issue is a broader defense mechanism by Google rather than a specific target on legacy domains.
### **Solutions and Best Practices**
**Q: What should I do immediately to protect my deliverability?**
**A:** The most recommended immediate action is to **stop sending to Google mailboxes** temporarily.
* Use your email sending tool (like Instantly) to filter your leads by provider.
* Select all leads using "Google."
* Move them to a separate draft campaign to save for later.
* Continue sending only to Microsoft or other providers.
**Q: Should I continue using custom tracking domains?**
**A:** The recommendation is to remove custom tracking domains (CNAME records) for now. Google may be looking at DNS records and flagging domains pointing to common tracking IPs. If you don't strictly need to track open rates or link clicks, remove the tracking domain to reduce your "fingerprint."
**Q: How should I adjust my email copy?**
**A:**
* **Avoid promotional language:** Do not use salesy words or phrases.
* **Keep it short:** Good cold emails should be concise.
* **Use Spintax:** Ensure you are using heavy variations (Spintax) in your copy so providers don't detect the same message repeatedly.
* **Rewrite completely:** If you are still having trouble, try scrapping your current copy and writing something entirely new.
### **Outlook**
**Q: Is this permanent?**
**A:** Probably not. Google has likely raised its defenses too high, which inadvertently blocks legitimate emails (like those from new startups). Historically, similar issues with Microsoft resolved over time. The speaker predicts Google will eventually lower the guardrails because blocking all new or cold traffic isn't sustainable for their own ecosystem.
**Q: How long will it take to resolve?**
**A:** Based on past events, these issues usually resolve within **2 to 4 weeks**, or a maximum of 8 weeks.
**Q: What is the general advice while waiting for a fix?**
**A:** "Hang tight." Don't panic. Follow best practices (DNS records, authentic copy), avoid sending to Google mailboxes for the time being, and wait for the community to find the specific solution or for Google to relax the restrictions.
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PSA from Jay - Your Emails Aren't Reaching Gmail Anymore - Here's Why (26 Nov Update)
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