Authenticate your sending domain

When you send a newsletter in your company's name, mail providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and others) check that you are allowed to use that domain name. Without that proof, your emails may be sent to spam or even rejected. Authenticating your sending domain means publishing a few DNS records that prove emails sent from Upkyo Campaigns really come from you. This guide is for every customer who sends from their own address, for example newsletter@yourdomain.com.

Before you start

• Your Campaigns workspace is open, see Open your Campaigns workspace.
• You own a domain name and can edit its DNS zone, at Upkyo or another registrar.
• The Free plan allows 1 sending domain and 1 tracking domain. To add more, move to a higher plan with Change plan.

Authenticate your domain step by step

1. In your Campaigns workspace, open Sending domains and click Add a domain.
2. Enter your domain, without http or a path (for example yourdomain.com).
3. Copy the DNS records shown by the tool.
4. Add these records to your domain's zone. At Upkyo: Domains, your domain, DNS tab, see Edit your DNS records.
5. Go back to Sending domains and click Verify.

What are SPF, DKIM and DMARC for?

These three mechanisms are now the standard. Major mail providers require proper authentication from senders who send in bulk.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): a TXT record listing the servers allowed to send email for your domain. The receiving server compares the message's origin with that list.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): a digital signature added to each email. The public key is published in your DNS and proves the message was not altered in transit.
• DMARC: a TXT record on _dmarc.yourdomain.com that tells mail providers what to do if SPF or DKIM fails (nothing, spam folder, reject) and where to send reports. A common starting policy is v=DMARC1; p=none;, which you then tighten.

What if verification fails?

• The change is not visible yet: DNS changes take time to propagate. Wait a few hours, then click Verify again. The delay is explained in Why is my DNS change not visible yet?.
• The record name is doubled: some interfaces add your domain at the end automatically. If you type selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com, you may end up with selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com. Enter only the part before your domain.
• Two SPF records: a domain must have only one SPF record. If you already have one (for your mailboxes, for example), merge the include: mechanisms into a single v=spf1 … ~all line instead of adding a second record.
• Truncated value or extra quotes: copy the full value, with no space at the start or end. DKIM keys are long, so check they were not cut off.
• Your DNS is managed elsewhere: add the records with the provider that manages your DNS, which is not always where you bought the domain. See also Use Upkyo Mail with a domain bought elsewhere.

Sending domain vs tracking domain: what is the difference?

The sending domain is the one shown in the sender address. The tracking domain is used for links and for counting opens and clicks: with your own tracking domain, the links in your emails show your domain name instead of a generic address, which builds trust with readers and spam filters alike. It is usually set up on a subdomain (for example links.yourdomain.com) with a DNS record provided by the tool.

Best practices

• Use a sender address on your authenticated domain, never a Gmail or Hotmail address: those providers forbid sending in their name from another service.
• Keep the same sender address from one campaign to the next so readers recognise you.
• To protect your main domain's reputation, send newsletters from a dedicated subdomain such as news.yourdomain.com.
• To go further, read Improve the deliverability of your email campaigns.

Frequently asked questions

How long does sending domain verification take?

From a few minutes to 48 hours, depending on DNS propagation. For most customers, a few hours are enough. Click Verify again once that time has passed.

Do I have to authenticate my domain to send a newsletter?

It is strongly recommended. Without SPF and DKIM, major mail providers often send bulk email to spam or reject it. Authentication is the foundation of good deliverability.

Can I have two SPF records on my domain?

No. A domain must publish only one SPF record, otherwise the check fails. Merge the permissions into a single line starting with v=spf1.

Does authenticating my sending domain affect my mailboxes?

No, as long as you do not delete your existing records. You add new lines (and merge SPF if it already exists): your mailboxes keep working normally.

How many sending domains can I add?

The Free plan allows 1 sending domain and 1 tracking domain. Paid plans offer more; to use them, click Change plan on the service page.