DNS Setup Guide: Automating Email Infrastructure
85% of emails are flagged as spam, often due to misconfigured DNS settings. Properly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC can prevent this, ensuring your emails are authenticated, secure, and delivered. Tools like Mailforge automate these setups, saving time and reducing errors.
Key Takeaways:
- SPF: Verifies sender servers. Limit DNS lookups to 10.
- DKIM: Adds a digital signature to emails. Rotate keys every 6 months.
-
DMARC: Combines SPF and DKIM. Start with
p=none, then move to stricter policies. - Automation: Platforms like Mailforge handle DNS setup, bulk updates, and security features.
Why It Matters:
- 40% of senders misconfigure SPF/DKIM.
- 19% of emails fail to reach inboxes due to poor DNS setups.
- Automated tools simplify processes, boosting deliverability and reducing risks.
Secure your email campaigns with accurate DNS configurations and automation tools to achieve 98-99% inbox placement rates.
How to Prepare Your Domains for Cold Email in 2025
Core DNS Records for Email Authentication
Setting up the right DNS records is a critical step in securing your email communications. These records work together to ensure that your domain is protected from misuse and that your emails are trusted by recipients.
SPF Records: Setting Up Sender Verification
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is like your domain's "approved sender" list. It tells receiving servers which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. This helps confirm that incoming messages claiming to be from your domain are legitimate.
Here’s a typical SPF record format:
| SPF Component | Description | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| Version | Identifies the SPF version | v=spf1 |
| IP/Domain | Specifies authorized sending sources | ip4:192.0.2.0/24 |
| Mechanism | Defines the policy for non-authorized sources | ~all or -all |
To avoid performance issues, keep your SPF record under 10 DNS lookups. For added security, consider pairing SPF with DKIM for digital signing.
DKIM Setup: Adding Email Signatures
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) helps verify that an email hasn’t been altered during transit by adding a digital signature to each message. However, a recent analysis of 500,000 DKIM records revealed that around 16,000 contained critical errors, making them invalid.
To set up DKIM:
- Generate a unique key pair for each domain.
- Configure your mail server to sign outgoing messages with the private key.
- Publish the public key in your DNS as a TXT record.
- Rotate your keys every six months to maintain security.
When combined with DMARC, DKIM strengthens your email authentication framework.
DMARC Configuration: Combining SPF and DKIM
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) ties SPF and DKIM together, giving instructions on how to handle emails that fail authentication checks.
| DMARC Policy | Action | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| p=none | Monitor only | Best for initial testing |
| p=quarantine | Mark as spam | Use during the transition phase |
| p=reject | Block delivery | Apply for full enforcement |
According to Valimail, 75–80% of domains with DMARC face challenges when enforcing policies. Start with a "p=none" policy to monitor email flows, then gradually move to stricter policies like "p=quarantine" or "p=reject" once you're confident in your setup.
Even if your domain doesn’t send emails, having a DMARC policy in place can stop spammers from spoofing your domain. Regularly reviewing DMARC reports will help you spot authentication issues and maintain high email deliverability.
DNS Setup with Mailforge
Mailforge simplifies the process of configuring DNS for email authentication, taking care of everything automatically.
Quick DNS Setup Tools
When you add a domain to Mailforge, it automatically generates and configures all the necessary DNS records. This includes:
- SPF record setup to prevent email spoofing
- DKIM key generation for verifying email integrity
- DMARC policy configuration to protect against phishing
- Custom domain tracking for branded email links
This automation reduces the chances of errors and ensures your domain is ready for reliable email delivery. Mailforge also streamlines domain management, making it easy to oversee multiple domains in one place.
Bulk Domain and Mailbox Management
Mailforge's centralized dashboard makes managing multiple domains and mailboxes a breeze. Features like workspace organization help you keep projects and campaigns neatly separated. Key tools include:
- Bulk DNS Updates: Apply changes across multiple domains at once
- Workspace Organization: Keep different projects and campaigns distinct
- Domain Transfers: Move domains between workspaces effortlessly
What used to take hours can now be done in minutes.
Security Features: SSL and Domain Masking
After organizing your domains and mailboxes, Mailforge enhances security to safeguard your email operations. Key features include:
- SSL Implementation: Encrypts communications for secure email services
- Domain Masking: Displays custom-branded websites while hiding the primary domain
- Privacy Protection: Keeps sender identities private without affecting deliverability
These security tools are available as an add-on for $2 per domain per month or $6 per domain per year. Whether you’re managing a few domains or hundreds, Mailforge scales effortlessly to meet your needs. It’s already trusted by over 10,000 businesses, from small startups to Fortune 500 companies.
"The simplicity and automation in domain purchasing, DNS setting, inbox creation, forwarding, etc. - everything in one place."
- Isabella L., Founder, Let's Fearlessly Grow
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DNS Performance Optimization Tips
Leveraging Mailforge's automated setup is a great starting point, but ensuring optimal DNS performance is critical for email deliverability. Statistics show that 19% of emails never make it to the inbox, highlighting just how vital DNS optimization is for running successful campaigns.
Building IP Reputation
A solid IP reputation lays the foundation for high deliverability rates. To earn trust with ISPs, it’s important to warm up new domains and IPs gradually. Keep spam complaint rates under 0.3% to meet the expectations of major email providers. Begin by sending small volumes of emails, slowly ramp up the numbers, and consistently monitor bounce rates. Removing invalid addresses is also key to maintaining a clean sender reputation.
"An IP reputation is hard to build, easy to lose, and hard to regain. Therefore, ensuring you are sending the best emails before they are sent will limit the damage caused, and monitoring, post-send, will allow fine-tuning - and it will allow you to know when further action needs to be taken to protect or improve your IP status." - Rob Pellow, digital experience director at Armadillo
DNS Testing and Error Resolution
Regular DNS testing is an essential step to catch and fix issues before they negatively impact deliverability. Common problems include authentication errors, incorrect record setups, or misconfigured subdomains. To stay ahead, make it a habit to:
- Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC record setups
- Check IP and domain status on blacklists
- Ensure DNS records are formatted correctly
- Confirm complete propagation of DNS changes
For example, in February 2024, a Cloudflare user discovered that an Ezoic integration repeatedly overwrote their DNS settings, causing disruptions. This serves as a reminder of why regular testing and proactive error resolution are so important.
DNS Maintenance Schedule
A structured DNS maintenance routine is key to keeping email delivery performance on track. Here are some best practices to include in your schedule:
- Monitor authentication statuses and delivery metrics
- Regularly check blacklist statuses and delivery performance
- Conduct security audits of DNS configurations
- Rotate DKIM keys periodically and review DNS settings
When DNS management is taken seriously, the results can be impressive. One business reported a 99.5% average monthly delivery rate while keeping spam rates as low as 0.007%, all thanks to disciplined DNS practices.
Conclusion: Simplifying Email DNS Management
Automating DNS setup has become a game-changer for managing email infrastructure. Research indicates that well-executed email programs can deliver a return of up to $36 for every $1 invested.
What used to be a time-consuming process can now be done in minutes. As Karlo Binda from Leadsnack.co explains:
"When it comes to cold email infrastructure setup, Mailforge provides 100x improvement! Procedures that usually took hours (setting DKIM, SPF, etc. records) for multiple domains, now take a few minutes."
Accurate DNS configuration leads to impressive results, with inbox placement rates reaching 98-99%. This is crucial because 70% of emails often have at least one spam-related issue, which can directly affect business outcomes.
Carin Slater, Manager of Lifecycle Email Marketing at Litmus, emphasizes the importance of staying proactive:
"Deliverability is a measure of the health of your email marketing program, so it's important to do regular check-ups on your domain, IP, and authentication in particular to make sure you're up-to-date, just like how we all go to the doctor each year."
In addition to boosting deliverability, streamlined DNS management reduces operational risks. IT downtime can cost businesses approximately $5,600 per minute. Automating DNS setup and monitoring helps avoid these disruptions, enabling companies to maintain smooth operations, enhance email security, and stay focused on their core goals.
FAQs
How do I properly set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to improve email deliverability?
To properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records and improve your email deliverability, follow these steps:
-
SPF: Set up an SPF record that lists all the IP addresses authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Make sure the record stays within the 10 DNS lookup limit to avoid delivery problems. While testing, opt for
~all(soft fail) instead of-all(hard fail) to allow some flexibility. - DKIM: Generate a pair of public and private keys for DKIM. Publish the public key in your DNS records. This allows recipients to verify that your emails haven’t been altered during transit, ensuring their integrity.
-
DMARC: Add a DMARC record to specify how receiving servers should handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. Begin with a
nonepolicy to monitor reports, then transition toquarantineorrejectas you fine-tune your setup. Regularly review DMARC reports to identify and resolve any issues.
Setting up these records correctly not only strengthens your sender reputation but also helps safeguard your domain against spoofing and phishing attempts while improving email delivery rates.
What are the advantages of using Mailforge to automate DNS setup for email campaigns?
Using Mailforge to handle DNS setup comes with some clear advantages:
- Time-Saving: Instead of manually configuring DNS records, Mailforge speeds up the process, letting you set up domains and mailboxes in no time.
- Fewer Errors: Automated systems minimize the risk of mistakes in DNS configurations, which means better email deliverability and a stronger sender reputation.
- Easier Scaling: Whether you’re managing a handful of domains or launching large email campaigns, Mailforge simplifies the process, making it manageable no matter the scale.
By automating critical tasks like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, Mailforge optimizes your email setup for authentication, security, and reliable delivery.
How often should I update my DKIM keys and DNS settings to ensure secure and reliable email delivery?
For the best email security and to ensure your messages reach their destination, it's a good idea to rotate your DKIM keys every six months. If you're using 1024-bit keys, stepping up the frequency to every three months can provide an extra layer of protection.
Once you've generated new keys, don't delay - update your DNS settings within a week to keep your email authentication running smoothly. Regularly rotating these keys not only keeps your email campaigns secure but also helps protect your sender reputation.