Do I need multiple DKIM records if I use multiple ESPs like HubSpot, Sendgrid and ActiveCampaign?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from MailerLite explains that you should set up DKIM records for each ESP to properly authenticate your emails. This ensures that your emails are not marked as spam and improves your overall email deliverability.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that it is essential to configure DKIM for each ESP you use. Each provider will give you its own DKIM record to add to your DNS to ensure proper authentication.
Email marketer from Email Geeks mentions that ActiveCampaign now has custom DKIM records (2 CNAME vs old single) and only offers custom return path for the Enterprise version, but offering custom return path for all accounts is being discussed.
Email marketer from SparkPost shares that having separate DKIM records helps in maintaining your sender reputation for each domain or subdomain and ensures better deliverability. So multiple ESP's need to have their own DKIM records configured.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection explains that using multiple ESPs requires a dedicated DKIM setup for each. This prevents authentication conflicts and maximizes inbox placement.
Email marketer from Superuser forum explains that when using multiple email services like transactional emails and marketing campaigns, each service should have its own DKIM record to ensure proper authentication and prevent emails from being marked as spam.
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms that for authentication to align with multiple ESPs (e.g., HubSpot, Sendgrid, and ActiveCampaign), you would need a DKIM record from each ESP.
Email marketer from Gmass shares that the way to authenticate different sending services is by having separate DKIM records, it verifies to email services that you have authenticated the mail coming from different ESP's and that they are all yours.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that yes, you absolutely need separate DKIM records for each ESP you use. Failing to do so will cause authentication issues and hurt your deliverability.
Email marketer from Litmus says that DKIM is a crucial element for email authentication, and using different ESPs means you need to setup DKIM for each to have emails correctly identified and avoid spam filters.
Email marketer from StackOverflow shares that having a DKIM record for each ESP is crucial to ensure each service can properly sign emails, preventing them from being marked as spam.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks explains that DKIM requires each email sent to be signed. If Google Workspace isn’t configured to sign DKIM, then the email sent from there isn’t signed. He suggests fixing it to see what happens.
Expert from Spam Resource shares that each sending source should have its own DKIM record. This configuration prevents authentication conflicts and ensures each ESP’s emails are properly verified by recipient servers.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that it is vital to configure DKIM for each sending service. Using unique DKIM records for each ensures proper authentication and helps avoid deliverability issues, particularly when using multiple ESPs.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SendGrid explains that if you send email from multiple services, each should have its own DKIM key. This ensures proper authentication and prevents deliverability issues.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that each sending source (e.g., Google Workspace, marketing platform) should have its own DKIM signature to improve deliverability and avoid spam filters.
Documentation from ietf.org details that DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) allows a domain to associate a signature with an email message, vouching for its authenticity. Each sending domain or subdomain should have its own DKIM record.
Documentation from AuthSMTP tells you need to create individual DKIM keys for each sending domain. If you send through multiple services (like your own server + a marketing service), ensure that each uses a separate DKIM record.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that setting up DKIM for each of your sending domains enhances email security and ensures that your messages are trusted by recipient email servers. So each ESP should have its own DKIM configured.