DMARC, SPF and DKIM Simplified
In Email Marketing, ensuring your emails hit the inbox stage without a hitch is crucial. This is where the trio of DMARC, SPF, and DKIM takes the spo...
DMARC
Also known as: Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance
DMARC is an email security policy that tells receiving mail servers what to do when messages from your domain fail SPF or DKIM checks. It helps stop spoofing and gives you reports about who is sending email using your domain.
DMARC sits on top of SPF and DKIM and acts like a clear set of rules for your domain. When someone sends email that claims to be from you, the receiving server checks those records. If the checks fail, DMARC tells the server whether to deliver, send to spam, or reject the message. This cuts down on fake email that can confuse your customers or hurt your brand.
DMARC matters because inbox providers trust domains that use it correctly. With a good DMARC policy, more of your real email reaches the inbox instead of spam. It also makes it harder for scammers to send phishing emails that look like they came from your brand. Over time, this improves your reputation and the performance of your email marketing.
Most teams start with a gentle DMARC policy that only monitors traffic. They review the daily reports to find all the services that send email for their domain, such as their app, support tool, or billing system. Once everything is authenticated, they move to a stricter policy that quarantines or rejects failing messages. This gives strong protection without breaking legitimate email.
Related Terms
DKIM(DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM is a way to sign your emails so receiving servers can confirm they came from your domain and were not changed on the way.
Learn more →SPF
Sender Policy Framework is a DNS setting that lists which servers can send email for your domain so inbox providers can quickly check if a message is real or spoofed.
Learn more →Domain Reputation
How trusted your sending domain is by email providers like Gmail and Outlook. A strong domain reputation keeps your emails in the inbox instead of spam.
Learn more →Email Appending
Email appending is when you use a third party to add email addresses to your existing customer records based on other details like name or postal address. It is risky because these people did not ask to hear from you, which often leads to spam complaints and poor deliverability.
Learn more →Related Articles About DMARC
DMARC: What is it and why is it important?
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AboutMyEmail: Free Email Testing Tool for Headers and Compliance
Test email headers, authentication, and Yahoo/Gmail compliance with AboutMyEmail. Get detailed reports on SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI, and more from this ...