How do I set up DNS records for GoDaddy, Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo to be ready for email authentication updates?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit user u/SomeTechGuy explains that for GoDaddy, Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo, you'll need to add TXT records for SPF and DMARC, and a DKIM record if supported. The SPF record should include all sending sources, like Microsoft and any third-party senders. The DMARC record tells receiving servers what to do with non-compliant emails.
Email marketer from Mailmodo explains that SPF and DKIM are crucial for email authentication. SPF verifies the sender's IP address, and DKIM uses a digital signature to validate the email's integrity. Implement both to improve deliverability and prevent spoofing.
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) allows you to display your brand logo next to your email in supporting inboxes. It requires DMARC authentication with a policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject' and a verified trademark.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow user TechGuru123 answers that an SPF record is a TXT record in your DNS settings that lists the IP addresses or domains authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. You must include any services that send emails for you, such as Google Workspace, Outlook, or third-party marketing tools.
Email marketer from Postmark explains that DMARC reporting is essential for monitoring email authentication performance. Analyzing DMARC reports helps you identify sending sources, detect authentication failures, and adjust your DMARC policy safely.
Email marketer from SparkPost shares that implementing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) reduces the risk of phishing and spam. Authentication helps mailbox providers verify that you are who you say you are, improving your email deliverability and sender reputation.
Email marketer from AuthSMTP explains that DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication method designed to detect email spoofing. It allows an organization to take responsibility for transmitting a message, by signing it in a way that mailbox providers can verify.
Email marketer from EasyDMARC shares that setting up DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records involves generating the records, publishing them in your DNS zone, and validating them. SPF authorizes sending sources, DKIM adds a digital signature, and DMARC tells recipient servers what to do with emails that fail SPF and DKIM checks. Always start with a DMARC policy of 'none' to monitor the effects.
Email marketer from Cloudflare explains that email authentication is essential for protecting your domain's reputation and ensuring that your messages reach their intended recipients. Without proper authentication, your emails are more likely to be marked as spam.
What the experts say7Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that DMARC deployment involves a phased approach. Start with a policy of 'p=none' to monitor the impact of your authentication settings. After analyzing reports and ensuring correct configuration, gradually move to 'p=quarantine' and then 'p=reject'.
Expert from Email Geeks advises to follow the email provider's instructions for setting up DNS records like SPF and DKIM, and to start with SPF.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that starting with p=none for DMARC policies is the wise choice to prevent legitimate emails being discarded if they are not compliant with DMARC rules.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that when setting up SPF records, it's crucial to include all third-party senders (like email marketing services) that send mail on your domain's behalf. Neglecting to do so can cause deliverability issues.
Expert from Email Geeks explains the process of setting up DKIM for Klaviyo and Microsoft, including finding the DNS records, checking DKIM status in Gmail, and publishing a DMARC record with a 'none' policy initially.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) helps protect your email program. They are not magic bullets, but they do let you take control of your email program and ensure that any sender who can use your domain, will comply with authentication standards.
Expert from Email Geeks recommends monitoring DMARC reports before implementing a 'reject' policy to avoid discarding legitimate emails.
What the documentation says6Technical articles
Documentation from RFC explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is a protocol that allows email senders to protect their domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as email spoofing. It is built on top of SPF and DKIM.
Documentation from OpenSPF details the syntax for SPF records. The record starts with `v=spf1` and includes mechanisms such as `include`, `a`, `mx`, `ip4`, `ip6`, and qualifiers like `+`, `-`, `~`, and `?`. The `all` mechanism is used to specify the default behavior for addresses that do not match any of the other mechanisms.
Documentation from Yahoo explains that to use Yahoo Mail, you need to configure your DNS records to send email correctly and securely. They require that you have valid SPF and DKIM records to ensure reliable email delivery. They recommend that you implement DMARC for enhanced email authentication.
Documentation from GoDaddy explains how to add, edit, or delete DNS records. Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Control Center, select your domain, then go to DNS and add the required records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.). You'll need to input the host, value, TTL, and record type according to the specifications provided by your email service.
Documentation from Microsoft explains how to add a DKIM TXT record in Microsoft 365. You need to generate the DKIM key, then add two TXT records to your DNS: one for the hostname `selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com` and another for `selector2._domainkey.yourdomain.com`. The values are provided in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Email Authentication settings.
Documentation from Google explains that to create an SPF record, you need to add a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings. The value should include `v=spf1` followed by the mechanisms that authorize sending mail, such as `include:_spf.google.com` for Google Workspace. End with a qualifier like `-all` to specify how receivers should handle mail that doesn't match the SPF record.