Like DKIM and SPF, DMARC is essentially another record added to your domain’s Domain Name Settings (DNS) to increase the security of your domain and your email reputation.
In our article how to combat email deliverability issues, we talked about the importance of DKIM and SPF to increase the security of your domain and your email reputation. Here is a recap on what they do.
Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM)
The security mechanism Keap uses is DKIM, an email authentication technique that allows the receiver to check that an email was indeed sent and authorised by the owner of that domain.
In all Keap implementations, we help you configure this correctly and your Keap APP is authenticated.
Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
An SPF record is a type of Domain Name Service (DNS) record that identifies which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. The purpose of an SPF record is to prevent spammers from sending messages with forged From addresses at your domain.
Although not mandatory, and in many ways outdated now that the more reliable DKIM approach is implemented, SPF can still improve email reputation and therefore deliverability.
We also help you review and where necessary, configure a SPF record.
So what is DMARC?
Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is used to authenticate an email by aligning SPF and DKIM mechanisms. By having DMARC in place, you can fight business email compromise, phishing and spoofing.
DMARC allows all your emails from email addresses on your domain to be easily identified by recipient spam filters. DMARC tells email receivers to reject fake emails sent from your email addresses (spoofing), if they exist. But equally, it gives email receivers confidence to accept your legitimate emails.
Another way of looking at DMARC is that it replaces the “filter out bad mails” security model with a “filter in good emails” model. So it can improve your email deliverability and inbox placement.
A DMARC record is a text entry within your domain’s DNS record that tells the world your email domain’s policy after checking SPF and / or DKIM status.
Although more advanced configurations are possible, at a minimum we recommend adding the following record to your domain’s DNS.
Type: TXT
Name: _dmarc
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:<youremailaddress>