E-Mail Authentication using DomainKeys, DKIM, SPF and SenderID
What is E-Mail Authentication?
E-Mail authentication is used by a number of ISPs, large and small, in the fight against spam. E-Mail which has been authenticated ensures that it has been sent from a server which is legitimately allowed to send mail for the sending domain, improving deliverability and sometimes reducing the chance of it being flagged as spam.
There are four
main methods used for authenticating e-mail, these are called
DomainKeys, DKIM, SPF and SenderID. DomainKeys and DKIM use a special
encryption sent along with the e-mail message whilst SPF and SenderID
verify the sending server details are correct.
The major ISPs and webmail providers can use any combination of the four, so the best practice is to ensure your e-mail authenticates with every method.
Suite26 supports all four authentication methods.
What are the advantages of setting up an authenticated domain?
Although it's no guarantee of ensuring your e-mail is not blocked by spam filters it can certainly help. Because the receiver of the mail can validate that it has come from a legitimate sender it is often passed through fewer spam checks than if the mail was not validated.
Some webmail services also provide a visual indication to the user receiving the mail that e-mail has been authenticated and successfully verified. For example in Yahoo! webmail the user will see a small symbol with a key next to the sender's e-mail address. This visual indication shows you have taken the time and effort to authenticate your domain and can project a more professional image.
Above, how an e-mail would display in Yahoo! webmail when if has been successfully authenticated by DomainKeys and below how it would look if it had not been.
How do I authenticate my e-mails in Suite26?
To ensure your e-mails are sucessfully authenticated when sent from Suite26 you will need to setup an authenticated domain. We recommend using a sub-domain of one of your existing domain names (ie; mailings.mydomainname.com) or alternatively registering a brand new domain specifically for sending your mailings (ie; my-mailings-domain.co.uk).
NOTE: We do not recommend setting up your existing domain name as an authenticated domain as this may complicate some of the changes you will need to make and could affect any existing mail or web services you have running on that domain.
Once you have added your authenticated domain into Suite26 we will provide you with four entries that you will need to add to the DNS of your domain. If you do not know what DNS is or who looks after this for you then please contact us and we will point you in the right direction.
If you are ready to set up your authenticated domain, just click on the link below for our How-To:
Set up an authenticated domain for DomainKeys, DKIM, SPF and SenderID