Why authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM and DMARC are important for your email reputation

Whether your emails land in the intended inbox depends largely on their relevance. Relevant emails generate more interaction, such as opens and clicks, which strengthen your sending reputation and increase the likelihood of your emails reaching the right inbox. However, before you can start emailing, you need to set up the correct authentication details. Copernica simplifies this process by ensuring proper configuration of SPF, DMARC, and DKIM, so you don't have to worry about it. But why are these terms important, and how do they work? Here's an overview of these essential authentication protocols.

What is the role of authentication in email deliverability?

Email providers like Gmail, Microsoft, and Yahoo impose strict requirements on senders, and their filters are increasingly sophisticated. They evaluate emails not only based on authentication but especially on their relevance to the recipient. Interactions like opens, clicks, and avoiding spam reports help build your reputation, but without correct authentication details, this process can slow down or even fail. When authentication is improperly configured, you risk emails landing in spam and damaging your reputation.

What authentication protocols are there?

To make your emails reliable, three protocols (rules) are necessary: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These DNS-configurable rules ensure that your emails are recognized as authorized.

DNS works similarly to an old-fashioned phone book, where you can look up various details about a domain name: the IP address of web servers, mail servers for sending mail, and much more. As the owner of a domain name (e.g., www.example.com), you can place rules in the DNS specifying how you send mail.

• SPF: This is a list in your DNS that specifies which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your email address. Essentially, it's a list of “carriers” permitted to “deliver letters” (emails) for you. As a sender, you authorize Copernica to send emails on your behalf.

• DKIM: This is a digital signature on your email. This unique signature cannot be duplicated. The receiving mail server checks the signature to confirm that the email truly came from you and hasn't been altered by anyone else.

• DMARC: DMARC dictates what happens with emails that don't align with your SPF and DKIM settings. SPF and DKIM alone are solid protocols for authentication, but DMARC was developed because recipients didn't know how to handle incorrect emails. Should the email be deleted, delivered, or should you receive a notification? DMARC helps filter out incorrect emails, making your domain more trustworthy. In Copernica, you can easily configure your preferences.

What should you do?

With Copernica, you only need to set up the DNS records as indicated by the tool to optimize your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings. Once this configuration is complete, you can move on to the next step in email deliverability: creating relevance for your recipients. By following these steps carefully, you build a stronger reputation and increase the chances of successful email campaigns reaching the desired inbox.