In this guide, I will walk you through the steps of adding SPF, DMARC, Custom MX, and white-label URLs to the DNS records of your sending domain.
Recent updates from email providers such as Gmail and Yahoo have mandated that in order to send email campaigns successfully, you must add these records to authenticate your sending domain.
It is essential to address these requirements, as doing so will enhance your email deliverability and protect your domain from unauthorized usage.
What Are DKIM and SPF?
DKIM: Adds a digital signature to your emails, which helps the recipient's server verify that the email hasn't been tampered with.
SPF: Specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain, helping to prevent spam and phishing.
Now that you understand what these records are and why you have to add these records to your sending domain via the DNS manager, you can begin by verifying your sending domain email. You can do this by following these steps.
Step 1: Log in to your Mailvio account
Step 2: From the Dashboard, click on the profile icon in the top right corner
Step 3: It will reveal a drop-down menu; select "Integrations" from the available options
Step 4: Once in the Integrations section, click "My Domains"
Step 5: Click “Add & Verify Domain” and enter the email address associated with the domain you verify.
Step 6: Verify Your Sending Domain (You will receive the email at the address you have provided)
Once verified, proceed to include the necessary DNS entries, host values, and DNS values required for both main domains and sub-domains for adding SPF and DKIM.
Step 7: Click on the "Authenticate" button to access the SPF and DKIM records.
Step 8: Log into your DNS manager account or access your domain settings.
Step 9: Look for an option to add DNS records in your domain provider.
Step 10: Click on “Add New Record” to create a CNAME record for adding DKIM. In the placeholder where you will be asked to add the name for the CNAME record, paste the first record value you received from the authentication process, for example, mp1._domainkey.
Note: When adding records, you do not need to include your domain because your DNS manager automatically includes it. For example, if the record name you are adding starts with
"MP1._DOMAINKEY.YOURDOMAIN.COM," it should be entered as "MP1._DOMAINKEY." This is true for most DNS managers, but not all of them; some may require you to add the complete entry like "MP1._DOMAINKEY.YOURDOMAIN.COM."
Step 11: Host: Copy the second value provided in the authentication records and paste it into the Value placeholder.
Step 12: TTL (Time to live): Set the value to Automatic or whatever the default setting is.
Note: If you are in a hurry and want faster propagation, then use the lowest value available.
Step 13: Save the new CNAME record.
Now that you have successfully added all the important records for DKIM, the only one missing is SPF, and it's quite simple to add that detail as well.
Step 14: Click on “Add New Record” to create a TXT record for adding SPF. In the placeholder where you will be asked to add the name record for the simple use @ as the value.
When setting up the SPF record for your domain, it's important to note that you should not have more than one SPF record for a top-level domain. Having multiple SPF records can lead to conflicts and cause issues with email delivery.
Top-level domain (TLD): The highest level in the domain name system, typically denoting the domain extension such as .com, .org, .net, etc.
Subdomain or lower-level domain: A domain that is part of a larger domain, placed to the left of the top-level domain. For example, in mail.example.com, "mail" is a subdomain of "example.com.", for the subdomain can have their own SPF record
Step 15: Paste the value you receive from Mailvio during the authentication process into the value placeholder of the TXT record. For example, v=spf1 include:spf_234mailvio.ourmailsender.com include:spf.titan.email ~all
Step 16: TTL (Time to live): Set the value to Automatic or whatever the default setting is.
Note: If you are in a hurry and want faster propagation, then use the lowest value available.
Step 17: Once you have added all necessary records, click "Authenticate” to allow DNS to propagate the changes.
If you want to use subdomains and not the main domain, you can follow a similar process as outlined for the main domain. When adding SPF and DKIM records for subdomains, it's important to note the following:
SPF Record for Subdomains: Each subdomain can have its own SPF record. Include the necessary SPF details for each subdomain to ensure proper email authentication.
DKIM Record for Subdomains: Similarly, you can set up separate DKIM records for each subdomain by following the steps mentioned earlier, ensuring that the DKIM records are specific to each subdomain
Secure Your Email Domain with DMARC
After incorporating DKIM and SPF details, the next step involves adding a DMARC record to enhance the security of your outgoing emails.
Step 1: Go to: https://dmarc.postmarkapp.com/
Step 2: Fill out your domain & email
You will be provided with a DMARC DNS entry that looks similar to:
v=DMARC1; p=none; pct=100; rua=mailto:re+bncrabjsyjw@dmarc.postmarkapp.com; sp=none; aspf=r;
Note: The email address following 'mailto:' is unique for each user, so ensure you use the one provided specifically for you.
Optionally, you may use your email address but be prepared to receive many technical reports that may become burdensome.
Step 3: Change the 'p=none' setting to 'p=reject' and update 'sp=none' to 'sp=reject'.
Step 4: Access the control panel or DNS management section of your domain hosting provider
Step 5: Find your domain's DNS records and proceed to the section for TXT records
Step 6: Create a new TXT record, setting the host/name to "_dmarc.{yourdomain}"—be sure to substitute "{yourdomain}" with your actual domain name.
Note: Keep in mind that if your emails are sent from a subdomain, the TXT record should be "_dmarc.sub.[yourdomain]", replacing 'sub' with your specific subdomain
Step 7: Enter the entire DMARC value you obtained after completing step 2 into the record's value field.
Ensure you adjust the 'p' and 'sp' values as outlined in step 3.
Example : v=DMARC1; sp=reject; pct=100; rua=mailto:business@sabintimsina.com; sp=reject'; aspf=r;
Step 8: Select the option to 'Add Record/Value' or 'Save Change’
Okay, so everything has been set up for DMARC. Now, it's time for you to add a few more records that play crucial roles.
Tracking and CDN records
Tracking Domain: The tracking domain is a subdomain that overrides the links used in your emails. This makes the links appear as if they are coming from your actual domain, not from Mailvio. It ensures that your email links maintain a professional appearance.
CDN Domain: The CDN domain is used for images in your emails. By adding the CDN domain, your image links will be tracked under your own domain. This contributes to improved email deliverability.
Adding these records is really simple, just like the way you added other records to your DNS manager.
So let's start with tracking domain:
If you prefer to watch the dedicated video and read an article where you can go into a bit more detail on how to add tracking and CDN domains, you can refer to this article:
https://support.kvsocial.com/294773-How-to-add-your-Tracking-and-CDN-records
Step 1: Select "Company Profile," then choose the "My Domains" tab.
Step 2: Find the sending domain where you want to add the records. Click on the "Add Tracking Domain" button.
Step 3: A new page will open with some text, but you don't need to know the type of record you are adding yet.
Step 4: Click on "Add Tracking Domain" to proceed.
Step 5: Enter details about your tracking domain and click the "Authenticate" button.
Step 6: The record type will change to a CNAME record.
Step 7: The subdomain will be named "tracking," and the value will be provided.
Note: This value needs to be added to your DNS Manager.
Step 8: Go to your DNS Manager and add a new CNAME record with the name "tracking," the value obtained from the authentication process, and set the TTL to default.
Note: It may take up to 48 hours to update, but it usually only takes a few minutes. Your tracking domain should be authenticated shortly.
CDN Records:
Now it's time to add the CDN domain. The process is straightforward, similar to the other records you've added:
Step 1: Select "Company Profile," then choose the "My Domains" tab.
Step 2: Click the "Add CDN Domain" button and enter your subdomain.
Step 3: Navigate to your DNS Manager and find the section for managing DNS records.
Step 4: Locate the option to add a new DNS record.
Step 5: Set the record type to CNAME.
Step 6: Click "Authenticate your CDN Domain" to obtain the CNAME value that will be updated in the DNS record.
Step 7: Copy the second value provided in the authentication records and paste it into the Value field.
Step 8: Set the TTL to the default value.
Step 9: Click "Save" to add the record.
Step 10: Click on "Authenticate the CDN Domain."
Note: It may take a minute or two for the DNS record to resolve. After a brief wait, your CDN domain should be fully authenticated.
Now next step involves adding the custom MX record for your sending domain
Why is it really important to add MX records?
MX (Mail Exchange) records are DNS records that specify the mail servers responsible for receiving email messages on behalf of a domain. These records point to the mail servers that handle incoming email for a specific domain. Understanding and properly configuring MX records is crucial for ensuring the smooth flow of emails to and from your domain.
Here's why MX records are important:
Email Delivery: MX records ensure that emails sent to your domain reach the correct mail servers for processing. Without proper MX records, emails may not be delivered to the intended recipient's mailbox.
Reliability: Configuring correct MX records helps ensure the reliability and availability of your email service. It ensures that incoming emails are directed to the designated mail servers, preventing any disruptions in email communication.
Spam Protection: MX records play a role in spam prevention by allowing you to specify trusted mail servers that are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. This helps prevent spammers from impersonating your domain.
Customization: By setting custom MX records, you can control how incoming emails are handled, prioritize different mail servers, or route emails to specific servers based on your requirements.
Adding custom MX records for your sending domains
Step 1: Verify SPF and DKIM: Before adding the custom MX records, ensure that you have already verified your SPF and DKIM records for your sending domain.
NOTE: Do not remove or modify the SPF and DKIM that you've previously added to your sending domain and instead create new records for the Custom MX.
Step 2: Navigate to your Company Profile on the Dashboard, then proceed to My Domains. Select the domain you want to add Custom MX records for and locate the Setup MX Records option to click on.
On the new window, add the needed records listed there. After they've resolved, you may click on Check Records to see if you're successful. Once all the records are added and resolved by your hosting provider then the cogwheel will turn green indicating that the process is successful.
Step 2: Access MX Records Setup: Once you have verified SPF and DKIM, log in to your domain hosting provider account. In this example, the domain hosting provider is Namecheap.
Step 3: Locate Custom MX Records: On the MX Records setup page, you will see options to add specific records to your sending domain. Take note that Namecheap organizes these records under "Custom MX" instead of the typical section for adding records.
Step 4: Add MX Records: The first record you need to add is the MX record. If you have already added it, you can choose to edit it. Under the "Custom MX" section, click on "Yes" to proceed.
Step 5: Add MX Record Details: In Namecheap, you don't need to add the top-level domain. Simply enter the subdomain name. For example, if the record asks for "mpmail.mailvioprospect.com", only add "mpmail" under the "Host" field. The value should be provided, and the priority to 10. Choose "Automatic" or the lowest value available. Click on "Save" to add the record.
Step 6: Add CNAME Record: The next record to add is the CNAME record. Click on "Add New Record" and select the "CNAME" option.
Step 7: Add CNAME Record Details: Similar to the MX record, exclude the top-level domain and enter the subdomain name in the "Host" field. Paste the provided target value and click on "Save" to add the record.
Step 8: Add TXT Record: The last record to add is the TXT record. If you already have an SPF record, ensure that you add another TXT record instead of modifying the existing one. Click on "Add New Record" and select the "TXT Record" option.
Step 9: Add TXT Record Details: Add the subdomain name under "Host". If it's the top-level domain, only enter "mpmail". Paste the provided value for the SPF record. Set the lowest priority value available. Click on "Save" to add the TXT record.
Step 10: Wait for Record Resolution: It may take approximately 2 to 4 hours for the records to fully resolve. Check back after this timeframe to see if the records have been successfully resolved. If not, the system will indicate which records are still pending.
Step 11: Verification Message: Once all three records have been successfully resolved, you will receive a verification message indicating that the custom MX records have been set up.
That's it! You have now successfully added custom MX records to your sending domain. If you have further questions, please reach out to us here