To reduce spam and increase email security, email service providers use an email authentication method named Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC). DMARC tells mailbox providers how to handle email messages from your organization's domain that fail authentication:
Do nothing — Deliver as usual
Quarantine the message — Place the email in the recipient’s spam or junk folder
Reject the message — Don’t deliver the email
DMARC isn’t required if you send fewer than 5,000 emails each day, but we still recommend it as a best practice for email deliverability.
This is a technical task, which means you might need help from your IT support provider. We’ll help get you started.
In this article:
What is DMARC?
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication protocol. DMARC compares the domain name of the sending email server and the domain name in the From address. A strict DMARC policy says that if these domains don’t match, the receiving email server should reject the email. Many free email providers, such as Google and Yahoo, enforce a strict DMARC policy.
DMARC works together with SPF and DKIM, which are additional email authentication methods. When you set up DMARC, DKIM, and SPF, mailbox providers know that Kindful, and our email service provider Madrill, are authorized to send emails on your behalf and the email is legitimate. Email authentication also helps protect your organization and supporters from phishing and spoofing attempts.
Set Up DMARC for Your Organization's Domain
Wait 48 hours after you add SPF and DKIM records before you add a DMARC record.
Note: These instructions are a general outline to help you get started. Your domain provider might use different names for some settings. Get specific instructions from your domain provider.
To add a DMARC record in your organization's domain settings:
Sign in to your domain provider account.
Open the DNS manager.
Add a new TXT record.
In the Name or Host text box, enter
_dmarcfollowed by your domain name (for example,_dmarc.example.org). Your domain provider might automatically append your domain name.In the Value text box, enter this tag and value:
v=DMARC1; p=none;
We recommendp=none;while you’re testing email delivery after setting up DMARC. This option enables reporting but doesn’t enforce email rejection. To reject emails that fail DMARC, changep=none;top=reject;
Save the record.