Email deliverability is crucial for achieving any level of success. Emails that go directly to a contact's spam folder may never be read, let alone opened.
While you will be using your own email provider, we want to provide guidance on how to test and ensure your email account is properly configured.
Email Account Configuration Terminology
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SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This email authentication protocol enables domain administrators to specify which servers are authorized to send email from that domain by creating an SPF record. When combined with other authentication protocols such as DKIM or DMARC, SPF helps protect your email from spoofing attempts by confirming the message origin. In short, SPF records track all the authorized sources that can send email messages from a particular domain.
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DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This authentication protocol links a domain name to a message, using encryption to add a digital signature to the header of your outbound emails. This allows you to sign your email with your domain name. Receiving email servers can then check the signature to verify the authenticity of the sending domain. DKIM not only proves that the domain name has not been falsely used but also ensures that the signed message has not been altered during transmission.
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DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): This authentication method is designed to prevent bad actors from impersonating you. DMARC has become an industry standard practice to help prevent malicious emails from your sender program.
You can test the health of your email configuration for your domain using the following link:
Although all DNS (Domain Name System) providers will have their own instructions, the settings remain the same. Below is a link to an article that provides a good overview:
MXToolbox: Enable SPF, DMARC, DKIM
It is very important to ensure your messages are delivered.
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