Domain authentication is a critical step when setting up your Member365 account. This process is essential for ensuring the optimal deliverability of your emails. Domain Authentication not only enhances your email delivery rates but also boosts trustworthiness with both email inbox providers and your recipients.
Formerly known as Domain Whitelabel, Domain Authentication is the process through which Member365 establishes domain setup and configures DNS entries to gain permission to send emails on your behalf. Once you complete Domain Authentication by following the instructions provided:
- Recipients will no longer see "via sengrid.net" alongside the sender's address in your emails.
- Receiving email servers and human recipients are more likely to trust the legitimacy of your emails, increasing the chances of reaching the inbox rather than the spam folder.
Key Terminology
Understanding certain key terms related to email deliverability can be beneficial.
DNS and Domain Setup
DNS records play a vital role in verifying which email servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. DNS acts as a naming system for internet domains, translating human-readable domain names (like sendgrid.com) into specific IP addresses associated with computers.
There are various types of DNS records. For instance, an A record directly points a domain to an IP address where resources can be found. Conversely, CNAME records link a domain to another domain or host, while TXT records store text information about the domain. Your domain may have multiple records of different types, managed through your DNS provider or host such as DNSimple, GoDaddy, Rackspace, or Cloudflare.
DNS Records and Email Authentication
When working with email providers like our partner SendGrid, three types of email authentication are crucial:
- DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC)
DKIM
DKIM uses asymmetric encryption to sign and verify your emails, adding a cryptographic signature to the email headers. The DKIM record, stored as a TXT record, contains the DKIM public key.
SPF
SPF allows listing authorized IP addresses to send emails on behalf of your domain, reducing email spoofing risks. The SPF record, also a TXT record, lists approved IP addresses.
DMARC
DMARC enhances sender authenticity verification and helps prevent malicious activities. It provides policies to email service providers on actions to take for emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.
SendGrid's DNS Records
During Domain Authentication setup, Twilio SendGrid enables automated security by default. This includes CNAME records that link to Twilio SendGrid's domain for SPF and DKIM configuration. Alternatively, turning off automated security provides one MX record and two TXT records.
CNAME
CNAME records link your domain to SendGrid's domain, enabling automatic SPF and DKIM updates and tracking statistics retrieval.
MX
MX records specify the email server responsible for handling inbound emails. Twilio SendGrid provides an MX record during Domain Authentication for return-path setup.
TXT
TXT records store text information about your domain and are crucial for implementing DKIM and SPF. Updating these records manually is necessary when automated security is turned off to reflect changes in email configuration.
By understanding and implementing Domain Authentication and associated DNS records, you can enhance email deliverability and build trust with recipients and email servers alike.
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