You know how important it is to get your emails into subscribers’ inboxes. However, with the rise of email fraud and spam, ISPs are cracking down on what they allow into their users’ inboxes. This is where email authentication comes in.
What is Email Authentication?
It verifies that a message is coming from a specific sender. This is important because fraudsters often use fake email addresses to send malicious emails. Authentication is how ISPs verify that the email comes from a legitimate sender, not a malicious source.
Types of Email Addresses Used in Email Authentication
You can authenticate the “from” and “return-path” email addresses. The “from” address appears in the recipient’s email client, while the “return-path” address sends bounce messages back to the sender if the email cannot be delivered.
Types of Email Authentication
You need to know three types: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
A domain owner can use SPF (Sender Policy Framework) to specify the IP addresses authorized to send emails on behalf of that domain. Try our free SPF record generator to help set that up.
DKIM
DKIM stands for DomainKeys Identified Mail, a way for a domain owner to attach a digital signature to each email to verify that it came from the domain it claims to be from.
DMARC
DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. It allows domain owners to specify what to do with emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.
Try our free DMARC record generator to check that your sending domain is set up correctly.
Importance of Implementing Email Authentication
Implementing these three types of authentication can help ensure that your emails are delivered to your subscribers’ inboxes. If you do not authenticate your emails, email providers may block or mark them as spam, damaging your sender’s reputation and impacting the success of your email marketing campaigns.
Email authentication is crucial for email deliverability (try our free email deliverability test). It is how ISPs verify that emails come from a legitimate sender, not a malicious source. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC can help ensure that your emails end up in your subscribers’ inboxes. Prioritize this in your email marketing strategy to achieve the best results.
Alterable helps email marketers add real-time personalized content to their campaigns — countdown timers, dynamic products, location-based images, and more.
