What are email industry standards?

Email industry standards are the technical specifications, protocols, and best practices that govern how email systems communicate, authenticate, and behave. They range from mandatory technical protocols defined in RFCs (Request for Comments) to voluntary guidelines published by industry organizations like M3AAWG.

Technical standards include SMTP for message transmission, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for authentication, and MIME for content formatting. Best practice standards cover consent management, complaint handling, list hygiene, and ethical sending behavior.

These standards create a shared language and expectations that enable interoperability between millions of email systems worldwide. Following standards improves deliverability, protects recipient trust, and ensures your email program operates within accepted boundaries.

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