How do I set up DKIM on G Suite for outgoing mail, especially when using multiple email services?

Summary

Setting up DKIM for G Suite with multiple email services requires generating a DKIM key, adding it as a TXT record to your DNS settings, and enabling DKIM signing within the G Suite admin console. A critical aspect is using unique DKIM selectors or subdomains for each service to prevent conflicts and authentication failures. Aligning DKIM with DMARC is essential for improved email deliverability. Proper setup validates email authenticity, preventing spoofing and ensuring messages aren't marked as spam.

Key findings

  • DKIM Setup Process: Involves generating a DKIM key, updating DNS records, and enabling signing in G Suite.
  • Unique Identifiers: Using unique DKIM selectors or subdomains is vital for multiple services.
  • DMARC Alignment: Aligning DKIM with DMARC improves email deliverability and security.
  • Authentication: DKIM validates email authenticity and prevents domain spoofing.

Key considerations

  • Selector Management: Carefully manage DKIM selectors to avoid overlapping and authentication issues.
  • DNS Access: Ensure access to DNS records is available to add and manage DKIM TXT records.
  • Testing: Test DKIM setup after implementation and periodically to ensure proper function.
  • Multiple Services: Careful management and isolation when managing multiple services.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Setting up DKIM for G Suite involves generating a DKIM key, adding it as a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings, and then enabling DKIM signing in the G Suite admin console. When using multiple email services, it's crucial to use unique DKIM selectors or subdomains for each service to avoid conflicts and ensure proper authentication. Aligning DKIM with DMARC is also important for deliverability. Failing to set up DKIM properly can lead to emails being marked as spam or rejected.

Key opinions

  • DKIM Setup: DKIM setup requires generating a DKIM key, adding it to your DNS records, and enabling signing in G Suite.
  • Multiple Services: When using multiple services, employ unique DKIM selectors or subdomains to prevent conflicts.
  • DMARC Alignment: DKIM should be aligned with DMARC to improve email deliverability.
  • Validation: DKIM validates authenticity and prevents unauthorized use of your domain.

Key considerations

  • Unique Selectors: Ensure each service uses a unique DKIM selector or subdomain.
  • DMARC Alignment: Verify DKIM signatures align with DMARC policies to ensure deliverability.
  • Regular Checks: Regularly check and validate DKIM configuration.
  • Proper setup of DKIM: Improper setup of DKIM will lead to emails being marked as spam or rejected
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that DKIM works at the mail server level, using a signing domain's DNS zone to store the public key. They also noted that Google automatically validates inbound DKIM signatures, and on G Suite, outbound signing needs manual configuration.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares the steps after finding *Authenticate Email* in G Suite including selecting the domain, generating the key, adding the host name and key as a TXT record in the DNS zone file, and clicking “start authenticating”.

February 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit mentions using different DKIM selectors for each service (e.g., Mailgun, SendGrid) when sending emails through multiple platforms. They suggest generating a unique selector for each to avoid conflicts. It's also important to check each service's documentation for setup instructions.

September 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailhardener answers the question regarding the DKIM setup procedure for G Suite and suggests the setup involves generating a DKIM record, which needs to be added to your DNS records. Once that's done, you need to turn on the DKIM signing in the admin console.

October 2022 - Mailhardener
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares the steps after finding *Authenticate Email* in G Suite including selecting the domain, generating the key, adding the host name and key as a TXT record in the DNS zone file, and clicking “start authenticating”.

February 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Small Business Blog explains that DKIM validates the authenticity of your outgoing email messages, preventing spammers from forging your domain and sending email without your authorization. If you fail to validate your outgoing email messages, spam filters may mark these messages as spam or reject them entirely.

October 2023 - Small Business Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that when setting up DKIM with multiple services, it's important to sign with subdomains or use two-part selectors to prevent conflicts. Also, if the plan is to use DMARC, ensure signing with DMARC aligned domains.

June 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange answers by highlighting the importance of aligning DKIM with DMARC, especially when using multiple email services. Each service should sign emails in a way that passes DMARC checks, otherwise email deliverability can be affected. Ensuring the domain in the 'From' address matches the DKIM signing domain is crucial.

July 2021 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that DKIM works at the mail server level, using a signing domain's DNS zone to store the public key. They also noted that Google automatically validates inbound DKIM signatures, and on G Suite, outbound signing needs manual configuration.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Valimail shares information about avoiding the common mistake of using the same DKIM key for all services, which can cause authentication issues. They recommend generating separate DKIM keys for each service to maintain proper email authentication.

April 2024 - Valimail

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

When configuring DKIM for G Suite with multiple email services, it's essential to use unique DKIM keys and selectors for each service to avoid conflicts and authentication failures. Utilizing subdomains or two-part selectors can help isolate each service's DKIM signature. Aligning DKIM with DMARC is crucial, ensuring that all services sign with DMARC-aligned domains to improve email deliverability.

Key opinions

  • Unique Keys/Selectors: Each email service must have its own unique DKIM key and selector.
  • DMARC Alignment: Align DKIM with DMARC by signing with DMARC-aligned domains.
  • Subdomains/Two-Part Selectors: Using subdomains or two-part selectors helps prevent DKIM conflicts.

Key considerations

  • Overlap Prevention: Avoid overlapping selectors to prevent authentication failures.
  • Deliverability: Ensure proper DKIM setup to maintain email deliverability.
  • Key Management: Carefully manage DKIM keys to ensure security and avoid disruptions.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that when setting up DKIM with multiple services, it's important to sign with subdomains or use two-part selectors to prevent conflicts. Also, if the plan is to use DMARC, ensure signing with DMARC aligned domains.

January 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that a challenge with DKIM setup, especially when using multiple email services, is ensuring that each service has its own unique DKIM key and selector. Overlapping selectors can cause authentication failures and deliverability problems.

June 2021 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
6Technical articles

Setting up DKIM in G Suite involves generating a DKIM key within the admin console, adding the corresponding TXT record to your domain's DNS settings, and activating DKIM signing. To manage multiple services, use unique DKIM selectors for each to avoid interference. After setup, test the DKIM configuration using tools to confirm its functionality. DKIM helps prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks by providing a way for receiving servers to verify the authenticity of outgoing messages.

Key findings

  • DKIM Key Generation: Generate a DKIM key within the G Suite admin console.
  • DNS Record Update: Add the DKIM key as a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings.
  • Activate DKIM Signing: Activate DKIM signing for your domain in the G Suite admin console.
  • Unique Selectors: Use unique DKIM selectors for each service when managing multiple services.
  • Testing: Test the DKIM configuration to confirm it is functioning correctly.

Key considerations

  • Access to DNS Records: Ensure you have access to your domain's DNS records to add the DKIM TXT record.
  • Testing: Always test the DKIM setup after configuration to ensure it's working.
  • Security: Regularly review and update DKIM settings to maintain email security.
  • Multiple Services: Managing multiple services requires diligent use of selectors or it can prevent email deliverability.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Support shares details about accessing the admin console of G Suite, navigating to the Email authentication section, generating the DKIM key, and then adding a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings.

November 2022 - Google Support
Technical article

Documentation from AuthSMTP explains generating the DKIM key in the G Suite admin console, publishing the TXT record to your DNS settings, and then activating DKIM signing for your domain. It also emphasizes the importance of testing the DKIM setup to ensure it's working correctly.

October 2021 - AuthSMTP
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains how DKIM works by adding a DKIM signature to outgoing messages, which receiving servers use to verify the message's authenticity. It is recommended to generate a new DKIM key and update the domain's DNS records with the public key.

January 2024 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from dmarcian explains that using DKIM selectors allows multiple services to sign email from the same domain without interfering with each other. Each service uses a unique selector, which is part of the DKIM signature and helps the receiving server find the correct public key in DNS.

June 2021 - dmarcian
Technical article

Documentation from EasyDMARC explains DKIM in G Suite helps prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks. They explain the steps involving generating a DKIM key, adding a TXT record to the domain's DNS, and then enabling DKIM signing.

March 2023 - EasyDMARC
Technical article

Documentation from MXToolbox describes how to confirm that the DKIM setup is functioning. It involves using a DKIM record lookup tool to view the DKIM record. Then send a test email, view the header, and check for the presence of the DKIM signature.

December 2022 - MXToolbox