A simple way to boost email deliverability is to check, define, and resolve any errors with your domain's Domain Name System (DNS) records. These records help email recipients identify the authenticity of an email and its origin.
📚 Tip
To learn more about what DNS records, like DKIM and SPF, are—and why they’re critical for email deliverability—check out this article.
Effective February 2024, Google and Yahoo will be implementing stricter requirements for any businesses or entities that send commercial emails, in an effort to reduce email spam. Both platforms have already been blocking senders who have high spam complaints or missing domain records.
Defining your DKIM, SPF and DMARC records is done directly in your domain provider’s Domain Name System (DNS) settings, using information from your email provider. As the process varies by provider, you will need to reach out to your domain provider or visit their help center if you need guidance on setting up DKIM, SPF, or DMARC.
Define a DKIM record
Before you get started: Not sure if you've correctly defined DKIM? You can check this using HoneyBook's domain tester tool.
Defining this record is done entirely outside of HoneyBook and directly in your domain provider's Domain Name System (DNS) settings. HoneyBook is not able to complete this process for you, and you will not need any information from, or enter any information into, your HoneyBook account.
1. First, log in to the management console for your email service provider (ESP).
Not sure who your email provider is?
1. Visit this resource.
2. Click MX lookup.
3. Scroll down to locate where your email service provider is listed.
2. From your email provider’s settings, locate DKIM.
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Make sure the status for DKIM is turned ON.
Keep this tab open–you’ll need to copy a few things from your email provider and paste them into your domain provider.
3. Next, open a new tab and log in to the management console for your domain provider.
Not sure who your domain provider is?
1. Visit this resource.
2. Enter your domain name and click Lookup.
Tip: If your email address is [email protected], your domain name should be entered as: honeybook.com
3. Scroll down to the Registrar Information section. Your provider will be listed as the Name.
Note: If there is a Reseller Information section, your provider will be listed there, not under Registrar.
4. Locate the page where you update DNS TXT records for your domain.
5. Open the DKIM record area.
While the exact process varies by provider, here are resources to define DKIM for some of the most common providers:
6. Enter the relevant information for DKIM: Type, Name/Host, Value/Data, and TTL.
Field name | Value to enter |
Type | TXT
Note: Make sure to select TXT as the type—don't select DKIM. |
Name/Host | Copy the name from your email provider. |
Value/Data | Copy the full value from your email provider.
Note: The DKIM value must include:
|
TTL (time to live) | How long the server should cache this information. For example: 300 seconds |
7. Once you've added the record, remember to save your changes.
Once you've made the appropriate changes in your domain provider's DNS settings, you're all set—nothing needs to be done in HoneyBook.
Define an SPF record
Before you get started: Not sure if you've correctly defined SPF? You can check this using HoneyBook's domain tester tool.
Defining this record is done entirely outside of HoneyBook and directly in your domain provider's Domain Name System (DNS) settings. HoneyBook is not able to complete this process for you, and you will not need any information from, or enter any information into, your HoneyBook account.
1. Log in to the management console for your domain provider.
Not sure who your domain provider is?
1. Visit this resource.
2. Enter your domain name and click Lookup.
Tip: If your email address is [email protected], your domain name should be entered as: honeybook.com
3. Scroll down to the Registrar Information section. Your provider will be listed as the Name.
Note: If there is a Reseller Information section, your provider will be listed there, not under Registrar.
2. Locate the page where you update DNS TXT records for your domain.
3. Click to add a new record.
While the exact process varies by provider, here are resources to define SPF for some of the most common providers:
4. Enter the relevant information for SPF: Type, Name/Host, Value/Data, and TTL.
Field name | Value to enter |
Type | TXT
Note: Make sure to select TXT as the type—don't select SPF. |
Name/Host | The host or name information from your provider. Here are the name/host values for some of the most common providers:
|
Value/Data | The TXT value.
Here are TXT values for some of the most common providers:
|
TTL (time to live) | How long the server should cache this information. For example: 1 hour |
Example:
5. Once you've added the record, remember to save your changes.
Once you've made the appropriate changes in your domain provider's DNS settings, you're all set—nothing needs to be done in HoneyBook.
Define a DMARC record
Defining this record is done entirely outside of HoneyBook and directly in your domain provider's Domain Name System (DNS) settings. HoneyBook is not able to complete this process for you, and you will not need any information from, or enter any information into, your HoneyBook account.
1. First, if your DMARC record does not currently exist, you will not find this record anywhere and will need to create one. You can type this up and store it anywhere until you're ready to add it to your domain provider.
This is a TXT record with three elements: the v, p, and rua tags
Here is an example: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]
📚 Tip
Need extra guidance on what to enter for each element? Check out step 2 of this resource.
2. Log in to the management console for your domain provider.
Not sure who your domain provider is?
1. Visit this resource.
2. Enter your domain name and click Lookup.
Tip: If your email address is [email protected], your domain name should be entered as: honeybook.com
3. Scroll down to the Registrar Information section. Your provider will be listed as the Name.
Note: If there is a Reseller Information section, your provider will be listed there, not under Registrar.
3. Locate the page where you update DNS TXT records for your domain.
4. While the exact process varies by provider, here are resources to add DMARC for some of the most common providers:
5. Once you've added the record, remember to save your changes.
Once you've made the appropriate changes in your domain provider's DNS settings, you're all set—nothing needs to be done in HoneyBook.
Next steps
Check your DKIM and SPF records using HoneyBook's domain tester
Start by verifying your email authentication through HoneyBook's DKIM and SPF domain tester. If the authentication fails, it’s crucial to follow the steps in the domain tester to update these records, as your emails are likely to go to spam otherwise. After verifying your DKIM and SPF, you can also check your DMARC settings to make sure it’s set properly as well.
Think about other ways to improve your email reputation
Take steps like keeping your engagement rate in mind, and making sure clients add you to their contacts lists, to boost your sender reputation. Learn more here.
Read up on the 2024 Google and Yahoo spam filter updates
Check out the blog for more on how you can ensure your business is prepared for the email spam filter updates.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!