Ensuring Your Emails Reach the Inbox: The Importance of Correct DNS Settings

TLDR: If you don’t have your DNS records set up correctly, every receiving inbox thinks you’re sketchy.

When you're launching a new company or brand, there's a long list of things to take care of, and setting up your domain can feel like a mountain of technical tasks. One key aspect that often gets overlooked is configuring DNS records correctly, especially if you're using your domain to send emails. A small mistake here can result in your emails being marked as spam or blocked entirely. The technical jargon can be overwhelming, but it's essential to get your DNS settings right to ensure your emails don't end up in spam filters.

Understanding the Basics: DMARC, SPF, and DKIM

To make sure your emails are delivered successfully, you'll need to configure three important DNS records: DMARC, SPF, and DKIM. These are essentially security tools that help prove to email servers that your emails are legitimate and trustworthy.

1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This is like a whitelist for your domain. SPF allows you to specify which email servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. If an email server receives an email from your domain but it's not listed in your SPF record, it will likely treat the email as suspicious.

2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails. This signature is a unique cryptographic key that tells receiving servers the email is genuine and hasn't been tampered with in transit. If the key doesn’t match, the email might be flagged as spam.

3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC acts as a policy enforcer, telling email servers what to do with emails that fail the SPF and DKIM checks. It also allows you to receive reports on email activity from your domain, helping you monitor any phishing attempts or spoofing.

Why Are These Records Important?

Without these security protocols in place, your emails might fail to reach your recipients' inboxes, damaging your brand's reputation and losing valuable communication opportunities. Properly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protects your domain from being used for malicious purposes, like phishing or spoofing, and increases your chances of avoiding the dreaded spam folder.

How to Check Your DNS Records

Before making any changes, it’s a good idea to check your current setup to see if your DNS records are configured correctly. You can use tools like MXToolbox’s DMARC Checker to quickly check your domain’s DMARC, SPF, and DKIM settings.

Update Your DNS Record Code Guide

Need help writing the actual DNS records? You can use ChatGPT to generate the code for your DNS settings. Here’s how:

1. SPF Record

You can ask ChatGPT to generate an SPF record based on the services you use. For example:

Prompt:
"I need an SPF record for my domain that allows emails from Google Workspace and Mailchimp."

ChatGPT Output:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:servers.mcsv.net ~all

Add this to your DNS Record as a TXT - NOTE: You may already have an SPF record so if you’re adding a second sending platform (ie hubspot) you’ll add it to the existing not a second record.

2. DKIM Record

If you’re on outlook, follow these instructions.

1. Generate Your DKIM Key

• If you're using an email service provider (ESP) like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, HubSpot, or Mailchimp, go to their admin panel and generate a DKIM key.

• This typically includes:

  • A selector (e.g., google, mail, or a unique value like s1)

  • A public DKIM key

  • The hostname/domain where the TXT record should be added

2. Log In to Your DNS Hosting Provider

• Use the control panel of the service where your domain is hosted (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, Bluehost, etc.)

3. Add a New TXT Record

• In the DNS settings for your domain, add a new TXT record:

  • Type: TXT

  • Host/Name: Format it like this: s1._domainkey.example.com

  • Value/Data:
    Paste the public DKIM key provided by your ESP. It should look something like: v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GN...

  • TTL (Time to Live): You can typically leave this at the default (e.g., 3600 seconds or 1 hour)

4. Save and Propagate

• Click “Save” or “Add Record.”

• DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate.

5. Verify Your DKIM Setup

• Go back to your ESP’s dashboard and use their verification tool to check if the DKIM record is properly configured.

• Some platforms will auto-verify, while others require you to click a “Verify” button.

3. DMARC Record

DMARC records help you control how receiving mail servers handle failed SPF and DKIM checks.

Prompt:
"Write a DMARC DNS record that rejects all emails that fail SPF and DKIM checks, and sends reports to dmarc@example.com."

ChatGPT Output:
_dmarc.example.com IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com"

Add this record do your DNS settings as a “TXT” record

Ensuring your DNS records are properly set up might seem like a technical hassle, but it's a crucial step in protecting your brand and ensuring your emails reach their intended recipients. With tools like MXToolbox and the assistance of AI like ChatGPT, you can confidently set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records and protect your domain from spam filters.