Suped
Are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as important in B2B as in B2C email marketing?
Summary
Both experts and marketers agree: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are equally vital for B2B and B2C email marketing. These authentication methods are crucial for establishing sender credibility, improving email deliverability by reducing spam risks, securing emails, and protecting domain reputation. Major email platforms like Google and Microsoft rely on these protocols. A significant number of B2B subscribers use common email providers like Gmail, reinforcing the need for authentication. While some B2B environments may have stricter email filtering policies requiring a strong DMARC setup, the fundamental importance of these protocols transcends business model.

Key findings

  • Universal Importance: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for both B2B and B2C email.
  • Improved Deliverability: These protocols enhance email deliverability by reducing spam risks.
  • Sender Credibility: Email authentication helps establish sender credibility and builds trust.
  • Domain Protection: Email authentication safeguards domain reputation and prevents spoofing.
  • Platform Reliance: Major email platforms like Google and Microsoft rely on SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

Key considerations

  • Stricter B2B Filtering: Some B2B environments have stricter email filtering policies that demand a robust DMARC setup.
  • Gmail Usage: A significant portion of B2B subscribers use Gmail, highlighting the necessity for authentication.
  • Accurate Configuration: Correctly setting up and maintaining SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for effective authentication.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
The overwhelming consensus is that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are equally crucial for both B2B and B2C email marketing. These email authentication methods are essential for establishing sender credibility, improving email deliverability, securing emails, protecting domain reputation, and building trust with recipients. While B2B communications often place a higher emphasis on trust and reliability, the need to avoid spam folders and ensure message delivery applies universally across both sectors. Setting up these protocols correctly is emphasized as having no downside, and in some B2B scenarios, a strong DMARC policy may be necessary to ensure delivery to companies with strict email filtering policies.

Key opinions

  • Universal Importance: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for both B2B and B2C email marketing.
  • Enhanced Deliverability: Proper implementation improves email deliverability and reduces the risk of emails landing in spam folders.
  • Sender Credibility: Authentication methods help establish sender credibility and build trust with recipients.
  • Domain Protection: These protocols protect your domain's reputation and prevent spoofing.
  • No Downside: Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly has no downside.

Key considerations

  • B2B Trust: B2B communications often require higher levels of trust and reliability, making authentication particularly important.
  • HTML Filtering: Some large companies filter all HTML external emails, requiring a strong DMARC policy and potentially whitelisting to ensure delivery.
  • Correct Setup: Ensuring correct configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential to realize their benefits.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailToolTester explains that the advantages of email authentication apply to both B2B and B2C businesses. Securing your email practices is important for deliverability to inbox.
9 Nov 2022 - EmailToolTester
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests getting SPF, DKIM, and DMARC right, as there's no downside when set up correctly.
18 Dec 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts agree that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are universally important for both B2B and B2C email marketing. A significant portion of B2B subscribers use common email providers like Gmail, making authentication crucial. Furthermore, major hosting platforms like Google and Microsoft rely on these protocols, and security solutions like Proofpoint also support them, blurring the lines between B2B and B2C needs. Ultimately, the risk of spam and the necessity of domain protection necessitate authentication regardless of business model.

Key opinions

  • Universal Importance: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are universally important for both B2B and B2C.
  • Common Platforms: Major email hosting platforms (Google, Microsoft) rely on these protocols.
  • Subscriber Demographics: A significant percentage of B2B subscribers use Gmail, necessitating authentication.
  • B2B/B2C Myth: The distinction between B2B and B2C is a myth.

Key considerations

  • Domain Protection: Regardless of business model, protecting your domain from spoofing is crucial.
  • Deliverability: Ensuring email deliverability is a core concern for both B2B and B2C senders.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that many domains are hosted at Google and Microsoft, which rely on SPF/DKIM/DMARC. They also mention Proofpoint as a big supporter. They state the distinction between B2B/B2C is a myth.
7 Aug 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares data from a past provider showing that almost 50% of B2B subscribers subscribed with a Gmail.com address, emphasizing the importance of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
1 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Technical documentation consistently emphasizes that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for all email senders, regardless of whether they operate in the B2B or B2C space. DMARC protects against domain spoofing, ensures legitimate email delivery, and offers feedback for improving authentication. Microsoft highlights the importance of SPF for validating email sources in Exchange Online to ensure deliverability. Google Workspace mandates email authentication to verify senders and prevent domain abuse. DKIM, as defined by RFC, provides a general email authentication method, confirming the claimed origin of messages.

Key findings

  • Universal Authentication: Email authentication is essential for all businesses, B2B and B2C.
  • Spoofing Protection: DMARC protects domains from being spoofed.
  • Delivery Assurance: Authentication ensures legitimate emails are delivered.
  • Source Validation: SPF validates the source of emails.
  • Prevent Abuse: Email authentication is needed to protect your domain and prevent spoofing.

Key considerations

  • Technical Setup: Correctly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for effective authentication.
  • Regular Monitoring: DMARC provides valuable feedback to improve email authentication practices.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace states that email authentication is essential for all businesses using their platform, irrespective of whether they are B2B or B2C. It's needed to prove you are the actual sender of your messages. Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is necessary to protect your domain and prevent spoofing.
31 Aug 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from RFC answers that DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is designed to provide an email authentication method. This authentication ensures that a message was indeed sent by the domain that it claims to have originated from.
27 Dec 2022 - RFC
Start improving your email deliverability today
Get a demo