How do I align SPF authentication with my sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Postmark App responds that to align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, you need to configure your domain's DNS records properly. This involves creating or updating an SPF record that includes all the authorized mail servers or services that send emails on behalf of your domain, ensuring SPF alignment for better deliverability.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that SPF alignment is important because it helps to ensure that your emails are not marked as spam. When SPF is aligned, it means that the domain used to send the email matches the domain listed in the SPF record. This helps to prove that the email is legitimate and not a phishing attempt.
Email marketer from Stackoverflow shares that steps for SPF alignment include: Ensure your sending domain has an SPF record, add all authorized sending sources to your SPF record, and verify your SPF record using online tools.
Email marketer from DNS Records responds that checking your SPF record is vital to making sure it is set up properly. They suggest you can use a DNS lookup tool to check your SPF records quickly and easily.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that When you're looking at headers for authentication, the three ueful things to extract are: 1. The 5321.From domain. This is often represented as the return-path, envelope-from or bounce address. 2. The DKIM signing domain(s). For each DKIM-Signature header, look at the "d=xxxx" - that's the signing domain. 3. The 5322.From domain. This is the visible or user friendly From that you see in the email client. SPF works on the 5321.From, unless DMARC is enabled, then (because of alignment) it works on the 5322.From.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the 5321.From domain is track.stocksearning.com, which is what the SPF works on. The SPF is passing but not aligned.
Email marketer from Sendgrid explains that SPF records are extremely important to help prevent spammers from sending messages with forged addresses from your domain. An SPF record lists all the machines authorized to send mail from your domain.
Email marketer from EmailonAcid defines SPF alignment as ensuring that the domain listed in the 'Return-Path' (or 'Mail From') of your email matches the domain specified in your SPF record. This confirms that the email is sent from a source authorized to send on behalf of that domain.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that one of the most basic methods to show Google that you are who you say you are is to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. DMARC alignment is when the domain used to send an email aligns with domain on which the policy is set. The closer your domains are to each other, the more likely DMARC is to function well.
Email marketer from SparkPost explains that to achieve SPF alignment for DMARC compliance, the domain used to send the email (5321.MailFrom) must match the domain that the user sees (5322.From).
Email marketer from Validity responds that SPF records are important in email authentication as they are critical to ensuring your messages reach the inbox. When an SPF record is configured correctly, it helps prevent malicious actors from spoofing your domain, which has implications for deliverability.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks explains there's no authentication connection between stockearnings-newsletter.com and the headers posted. To fix this, ask Socketlabs to sign with the d= of stocksearnings.com (or a subdomain) and register stocksearnings.com with Google Postmaster Tools, publishing DNS records for the DKIM public key and domain verification.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a form of email authorization, but that DKIM and DMARC are the strongest forms of email authorization. It is important to configure all of these to ensure safe and accurate mailstreams.
Expert from SpamResource explains that SPF alignment is essential for improving email deliverability and building a positive sender reputation. By aligning the domain used in the 'Mail From' address with the domain authorized in the SPF record, you ensure that your emails are properly authenticated and less likely to be flagged as spam.
Expert from SpamResource recommends using DMARC with an SPF policy, in addition to SPF itself, in order to best help improve your email deliverability by verifying and authenticating mail streams.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC shares that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) allows a domain to authorize mail servers to send email on its behalf. An SPF record is published in the DNS and specifies which IP addresses or domains are permitted to send emails using that domain name.
Documentation from EasyDMARC shares that SPF alignment has two modes: strict and relaxed. In strict mode, the 5321.MailFrom domain must exactly match the organizational domain. In relaxed mode, the 5321.MailFrom domain only needs to be a subdomain of the organizational domain.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that to authenticate email with SPF, you need to publish an SPF record for your domain. This record specifies the mail servers and domains that are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Google Postmaster Tools uses this information to verify that emails are legitimately sent from your domain.
Documentation from Microsoft responds that SPF records can help prevent spoofing by validating the sender’s IP address against the apparent owner of the sending domain. Microsoft lists the steps you should take including: Gathering a list of authorized sending domains for email, create the SPF record, add the SPF record to your domain, and test your SPF record.