Authentication
- Create SPF Record
- Common Problem #1: Over 10 SPF Records - Growing SaaS Deployment can cause this. Multiple CRM,HRMS, Recruitment etc..
- Common Problem #2: Not putting all the records there or changing them overtime to be incorrect.
- Create DKIM Record
- Common Problem #1: Not setting up the Google one, the UI is sometimes easy to miss.
- Common Problem #2: Not aligned because something else is using the same selector on that domain.
- Create a DMARC record for your domain
- Add a DMARC record to your domain host records with a policy of p=none
- Collect data from DMARC reports using a monitoring service for several weeks or months depending on your organization
- Perform an audit and adjust your SPF & DKIM records if neccessary to bring your domain into alignment
- Collect more data from DMARC reports for several weeks or months depending on your organization
- Perform an audit, adjust your SPF & DKIM records if neccessary and enforce a stricter DMARC policy of p=quarantine
- Continue collecting data from DMARC reports for several weeks or months depending on your organization
- Perform a final audit, adjust your SPF & DKIM records if neccessary and enforce the strictest DMARC policy of p=reject
- Continue collecting DMARC reports and monitoring your sending habits
- Setup DMARC Monitoring (GlockApps, Dmarcian, Powerdmarc)
- Send email via secure SSL/TLS connection (free cert most hosting providers - Cloudfare does)
Infrastructure
- Correct Tool to Send
- Transactional - Welcome, Sales Receipt, Comments - SES, Mailgun, Mailjet, Sendgrid
- Inbound - Newsletter - Marketing Automation Software (Opt-in)
- Outbound - Sales or Unsolicited - Zoho, Google, Microsoft (with Lemlist, Reply.io, Instantly, SmartLead, QuickMail, Outreach.io, Mailshake)
- Do not try to swap one out for the other
- Setup Batch Send (for Newsletters)
- Chose Correct IP Strategy (Dedicated is not good for Cold E-mail, Shared is not good for Transactional or Bulk)
- Use separate email address, subdomain and IP address for transactional and marketing emails
- Subscribe to feedback loops (Postmaster)
- Create a Custom Tracking Domain (open tracker - never use link tracking)
Reputation
- Check Domain for IP or Blacklist