What is the dig tool useful for in email marketing?

Summary

The `dig` tool is a versatile command-line utility used extensively in email marketing for DNS-related tasks. Experts, marketers, and documentation all agree that it's crucial for checking DNS records (SPF, MX, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure proper email authentication, deliverability, and security. It aids in diagnosing issues, verifying configurations, confirming propagation, and protecting against spoofing and phishing. Google provides a GUI version, but the core functionality remains the same: to accurately query and validate DNS settings.

Key findings

  • DNS Record Lookup: `Dig` allows looking up specific DNS records, including MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Troubleshooting Deliverability: It helps diagnose and troubleshoot email delivery problems by verifying DNS configurations.
  • Email Authentication: `Dig` confirms that DNS records are set up correctly for email servers to properly authenticate domains and send emails.
  • Security Against Spoofing: It validates DMARC records, protecting domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • DNS Propagation: The tool verifies DNS propagation after any changes have been made.

Key considerations

  • Regular DNS Checks: Routinely check DNS records with `dig`, especially after any configuration adjustments.
  • Verify Email Routing: Validate MX records to make certain that emails are being directed to the correct mail servers.
  • DMARC Implementation: Confirm DMARC implementation via the tool to ensure protection from email spoofing.
  • Configuration and Understanding: Thoroughly understand how to configure and interpret the results of dig, in order to properly manage DNS settings.

What email marketers say
8Marketer opinions

The `dig` tool is a command-line utility essential for email marketers to diagnose DNS-related email deliverability issues. It allows users to check various DNS records, including SPF, MX, and DMARC, ensuring they are correctly configured and propagated. By querying DNS records, email marketers can troubleshoot mail server problems, verify domain authentication, and protect against spoofing and phishing attacks, ultimately improving email deliverability.

Key opinions

  • DNS Record Verification: `Dig` allows verification of DNS records like SPF, MX, and DMARC, which are essential for email deliverability.
  • Troubleshooting: It helps troubleshoot mail server issues by confirming the proper configuration of DNS records.
  • Authentication: `Dig` confirms that email servers can properly authenticate a domain when sending emails.
  • Security: It aids in validating DMARC records to protect domains from spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • DNS Propagation: The tool can quickly help identify propagation issues.

Key considerations

  • Proper Configuration: Ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly configured using `dig` to improve email deliverability.
  • Regular Checks: Regularly use `dig` to check DNS records and ensure they are correctly set up, especially after making changes.
  • Email Routing: Verify MX records with `dig` to ensure emails are routed to the correct mail servers.
  • Tool Familiarity: Familiarize yourself with `dig` commands and how to interpret the results for effective email marketing DNS management.
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailGeek Forum shares that using dig allows email marketers to troubleshoot mail server issues by verifying the DNS records are properly configured. They share it can help confirm if DNS records are properly set up and that email servers can properly authenticate the domain when sending emails.

August 2022 - EmailGeek Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Provider Forum responds to a question by explaining that they use `dig` to verify MX records for a domain. By querying MX records they are able to ensure that email is being routed to the correct mail servers, which is critical for email deliverability.

October 2022 - Email Provider Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that the `dig` tool is useful for diagnosing DNS problems related to email delivery, such as checking SPF records, MX records, and other DNS settings to ensure they are correctly configured. It helps verify that DNS changes have propagated correctly and that mail servers can properly resolve the domain's records.

February 2024 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that they use `dig` to check SPF records for a domain. By querying the DNS TXT record for a domain, they can verify that the SPF record is correctly configured and includes all authorized sending sources.

April 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from DNS Records Blog states that the importance of proper DNS configuration for email marketing and how `dig` helps analyze and validate DNS settings. They can check if the configuration has been correctly set, and quickly identify propagation issues and thus help marketers in email troubleshooting.

December 2023 - DNS Records Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailhardener shares that using the Dig tool is used to check their DNS configuration and helps ensure that the DNS records are configured correctly for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). It quickly helps verify that the records are in place and correctly formatted.

November 2024 - Mailhardener
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the Dig tool is for looking up specific DNS records and references the dig unix command line tool, and highlights that Google's version is a GUI for the same tool.

July 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Deliverability Site responds to a question by saying that by using Dig can they validate DMARC records, to help email marketers ensure their DMARC policies are correctly implemented, protecting their domains from spoofing and phishing attacks.

October 2024 - Email Deliverability Site

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

Experts agree that the `dig` tool is vital for email marketers to ensure email deliverability by allowing them to check DNS records, particularly SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Verifying these records' correct configuration is essential for authenticating emails, preventing spam, and implementing DMARC policies that protect domains from spoofing and phishing attacks.

Key opinions

  • DNS Record Verification: `Dig` helps verify the correct configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for email deliverability.
  • Email Authentication: Ensuring these records are correct is crucial for email authentication and preventing emails from being marked as spam.
  • DMARC Implementation: `Dig` allows email marketers to verify the proper implementation of DMARC policies to protect domains from spoofing and phishing.

Key considerations

  • Regular Checks: Email marketers should regularly check their DNS records using `dig` to ensure they remain properly configured.
  • Policy Implementation: Pay special attention to DMARC policies and use `dig` to confirm they are correctly implemented to prevent spoofing and phishing.
  • Authentication Standards: Understand and utilize SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records effectively for better email deliverability and security.
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that `dig` is useful for checking DNS records related to email deliverability. It helps ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured, which is crucial for email authentication and preventing spam.

March 2022 - SpamResource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) shares that `dig` can be used to check the DMARC records associated with a domain. It allows email marketers to verify that the DMARC policy is properly implemented, which helps protect the domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks.

February 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Technical documentation consistently highlights the `dig` tool's importance in email marketing as a command-line utility for querying and validating DNS records. It aids in confirming correct DNS configurations (MX, A, SPF, DKIM, DMARC), diagnosing email delivery issues, and verifying DNS propagation. Proper use of `dig` ensures emails are authenticated correctly, improving deliverability and reducing the likelihood of being marked as spam.

Key findings

  • DNS Querying: `Dig` is a command-line tool used for querying the Domain Name System (DNS).
  • Record Validation: It allows validation of DNS records, which is essential for email deliverability.
  • Authentication Records: `Dig` ensures that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and propagated across the internet.
  • Delivery Issues: Using `dig` helps in diagnosing and resolving email delivery issues related to DNS settings.
  • Server Authentication: It confirms the server has the correct DNS records for mail exchange and email authentication.

Key considerations

  • Record Accuracy: Ensure the accuracy of DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) using `dig` for optimal email delivery.
  • Propagation Checks: Verify DNS propagation after making changes to ensure the records are correctly updated.
  • Problem Resolution: Utilize `dig` for identifying and resolving DNS-related issues that might affect email delivery.
  • Authentication Standards: Employ `dig` to ensure compliance with email authentication standards, improving email trustworthiness.
Technical article

Documentation from Cloudflare explains that the dig tool can be used to verify DNS propagation after making changes to DNS records, answering that is particularly important in email marketing to ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly updated and propagated across the internet.

March 2024 - Cloudflare
Technical article

Documentation from MXToolbox explains that using `dig` is crucial for diagnosing email delivery issues. By querying DNS records, email marketers can identify and resolve problems related to SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, ensuring that emails are properly authenticated and less likely to be marked as spam.

January 2023 - MXToolbox
Technical article

Documentation from Google Admin Toolbox explains that the Dig (Domain Information Groper) tool is a network administration command-line tool used to query the Domain Name System (DNS). It is helpful to confirm the server has the correct DNS records for mail exchange (MX) records, host (A) records, and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records for email authentication.

May 2021 - Google Admin Toolbox
Technical article

Documentation from DigitalOcean explains that the `dig` tool is used to validate DNS records, which is essential for email deliverability. It allows you to check the accuracy and propagation of DNS records, including MX, SPF, and DKIM records, ensuring email servers can properly verify the sender's authenticity.

February 2025 - DigitalOcean
Technical article

Documentation from BIND Documentation explains that the `dig` command is a powerful DNS lookup utility, explaining that you can use it in an email marketing context to query DNS records related to your domain and email servers.

June 2022 - BIND Documentation