The 6 Best DNS Records for Email Deliverability

Server infrastructure configured with the best DNS records for optimal email deliverability.

Think of your email strategy like a house. You can have a beautiful design and great furniture, but none of it matters if the foundation is cracked. For email, your DNS records are that foundation. These small bits of code are the first thing receiving mail servers check to verify your identity. A solid setup proves you are who you say you are, building the trust needed for consistent inbox placement. We’ll break down the best dns records for email deliverability—SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—and show you how they work together to create a secure base for all your outreach efforts, preventing your messages from being flagged as spam.

Key Takeaways

Build Trust with Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are your email's security team. They work together to prove you are who you say you are, protecting your sender reputation and showing inbox providers that your messages are safe to deliver.
Avoid Simple Mistakes with Big Consequences: A single typo or a second SPF record can get your emails blocked. Always use validation tools to check your work, and start your DMARC policy in monitoring mode (p=none) to avoid accidentally rejecting legitimate mail.
Make DNS Monitoring a Regular Habit: Your DNS setup isn't static. Regularly audit your records, use DMARC reports to spot issues, and monitor your sender reputation to catch problems before they impact your campaigns. This proactive approach is key to long-term deliverability.

What Are DNS Records and Why Do They Matter for Email?

Think of the Domain Name System (DNS) as the internet's address book. It translates human-friendly domain names (like scaledmail.com) into the IP addresses that computers use to find each other. While it sounds technical, understanding how DNS works is absolutely essential for anyone who relies on email. Your DNS records are the specific entries in that address book for your domain, and they play a massive role in whether your emails land in the inbox or get lost in cyberspace.

Getting these records right is the foundation of a strong email strategy. They tell receiving mail servers that you're a legitimate sender, not a spammer trying to impersonate your brand. When your DNS records are set up correctly, you’re building trust with inbox providers like Gmail and Outlook. This trust is what we call your sender reputation, and it directly impacts your deliverability. Without proper DNS configuration, even the most well-crafted email campaigns can fail before they ever have a chance to be read.

How DNS and Email Work Hand-in-Hand

Every time you send an email, a DNS lookup happens behind the scenes. Just as DNS helps your browser find a website, it helps mail servers find the right destination for your message. It’s a fundamental interplay between DNS and email that directs traffic across the internet. When a server receives your email, it checks your domain’s DNS records to verify that the message is authentic and that it’s coming from an authorized server. Properly configured records act as your email’s passport, confirming its origin and giving it clearance to proceed to the inbox. This alignment is a key factor in optimizing your email deliverability.

Why Your Sender Reputation Depends on DNS

Your sender reputation is one of your most valuable assets in email marketing, and your DNS records are its primary defenders. Inbox providers are constantly on the lookout for spammers, and one of the first things they check is your DNS authentication. Mismatched or missing records are a major red flag. They can tarnish your sender reputation over time, leading to more of your emails being flagged as spam or blocked entirely. Think of it this way: your DNS records prove you own your domain and are accountable for the emails you send from it. This verification builds the trust needed for consistent inbox placement.

The Real Cost of Failed Email Authentication

When your DNS isn't set up correctly, the consequences are immediate. Even a tiny typo in your DNS settings can stop your emails from being delivered. This is where email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC come in. These are specific types of DNS records that prevent spoofing and phishing by verifying your identity as a sender. Failing to configure them correctly means you’re leaving the door open for bad actors to impersonate your brand, damaging your reputation. While DNS authentication alone doesn't guarantee a spot in the inbox, it's a non-negotiable first step to prove you're a sender worth trusting.

Your DNS Record Checklist for Flawless Delivery

Think of DNS records as the digital ID for your email campaigns. They’re small bits of text stored in your domain’s settings that tell receiving mail servers, like Gmail and Outlook, that you are who you say you are. Without them, your carefully crafted emails look suspicious and are far more likely to get flagged as spam or rejected entirely. Getting these records right is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your sender reputation and ensure your messages actually reach the inbox.

Setting up your DNS records correctly is like giving mailbox providers a verified list of credentials. It proves that your sending server is authorized, that your message content is authentic, and that you have clear policies for handling any emails that don't meet security standards. This process, known as email authentication, is non-negotiable for anyone sending high-volume campaigns. This checklist covers the six essential records you need to configure for flawless delivery, turning your domain into a trusted source that mailbox providers are happy to accept mail from.

SPF: Tell Servers Who Can Send Your Email

An SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record is your domain's official guest list. It’s a simple text record that specifies which mail servers and IP addresses are authorized to send emails on your behalf. When a receiving server gets an email from your domain, it checks your SPF record to see if the sending server is on the list. If it is, the email passes the check. If not, the server sees it as a potential forgery. This is your first line of defense against spammers who might try to impersonate your domain, helping protect your brand and deliverability.

DKIM: Add a Digital Signature to Every Message

If SPF is the guest list, DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is the tamper-proof seal on the envelope. This record adds a unique digital signature to every email you send. The signature is created using a private key that only your server knows, while a corresponding public key is published in your DNS. Receiving servers use this public key to verify the signature. If it matches, they know two things: the email genuinely came from your domain, and its content hasn't been altered in transit. This cryptographic check adds a powerful layer of trust to your messages.

DMARC: Set the Rules for Your Domain's Email

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is the security guard that enforces your rules. It tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail either the SPF or DKIM checks. You can set a policy to monitor these failures (p=none), send them to spam (p=quarantine), or reject them outright (p=reject). DMARC also provides valuable reports, giving you insight into who is sending email from your domain. This helps you spot unauthorized use and protect your audience from phishing attacks that could tarnish your reputation.

MX: Tell Servers Where to Deliver Your Mail

While other records focus on authenticating your outgoing mail, the MX (Mail Exchanger) record handles your incoming mail. It tells the internet where to deliver emails addressed to your domain. Think of it as the official mailing address for your company’s email server. Most businesses have a primary MX record and at least one backup with a lower priority. This ensures that if your main server is temporarily down, your incoming mail will be rerouted to the backup server instead of bouncing, so you never miss an important message.

PTR: Confirm Your Server's Identity

A PTR (Pointer) record does the opposite of most other DNS records—it performs a reverse DNS lookup. Instead of matching a domain name to an IP address, it matches an IP address back to a domain name. Many email servers automatically perform this check on incoming mail. If the sending server's IP address doesn't have a matching PTR record, the server might assume it's from a spammer using a dynamically assigned IP address. A valid PTR record is a strong signal that you’re a legitimate sender operating from a professionally configured server.

BIMI: Put Your Logo Directly in the Inbox

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is the new kid on the block, but it’s a game-changer for brand recognition. This visual authentication record allows you to display your official brand logo next to your emails in the recipient's inbox. To qualify for BIMI, you must have a strong DMARC policy in place, proving you’re serious about security. It acts as a reward for proper authentication, making your emails instantly recognizable and trustworthy before they’re even opened. This can significantly improve engagement and reinforce brand trust with every campaign you send.

How SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Work as a Team

Think of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as your email’s personal security detail. They aren’t just separate records you set up and forget; they’re a team that works together to verify your identity and protect your sender reputation. Each one plays a distinct role, but their real power comes from how they support each other. When an email arrives at a server, it’s checked against all three of these protocols. This triple-check system confirms that the email is genuinely from you and hasn't been tampered with along the way. Properly configured, this team ensures your messages are seen as trustworthy, which is a huge factor in whether you land in the inbox or the spam folder.

From 'Send' to Inbox: The Authentication Journey

When you send an email, it goes on a quick but critical journey. First, the receiving server checks your SPF record. This is like a bouncer checking a guest list—SPF shows which mail servers are authorized to send emails for your domain. Next up is DKIM, which adds a digital signature to your message. Think of it as a tamper-proof seal on a letter; it proves the email really came from your domain and that its content hasn't been altered. Finally, DMARC steps in as the manager. It tells the receiving server what to do if an email fails the SPF or DKIM checks, giving you control over how unverified emails are handled.

Creating a Triple-Layer Defense for Your Emails

Each protocol on its own is helpful, but together they create a nearly airtight defense. SPF stops unauthorized servers from using your domain, but it doesn't protect against the email's content being changed in transit. That’s where DKIM comes in. DKIM’s digital signature ensures the message is authentic, but it doesn't stop someone from sending an email from an entirely different server. By combining them, you cover both bases. DMARC ties it all together by creating a clear policy and giving you reports on who is sending email on your behalf. This triple-layer defense minimizes the risk of spoofing and phishing attacks, which helps you build a strong sender reputation with inbox providers.

Getting Your Records and Policies Aligned

For this system to work, your records have to be in perfect sync. Your DNS is the foundation for your email deliverability, so getting these records right is crucial. A misaligned policy—like a DMARC rule that’s too strict for your current SPF and DKIM setup—can cause legitimate emails to be rejected. It’s important to ensure your SPF record includes all your sending services and your DKIM signature is correctly implemented. Once they are, your DMARC policy can confidently tell servers to trust your authenticated mail and be skeptical of everything else. This alignment is what turns three separate DNS records into a cohesive email authentication strategy.

Common DNS Mistakes That Hurt Deliverability

Setting up your DNS records is a huge step toward better email deliverability, but a few common slip-ups can undo all your hard work. Think of it like building a house—if the foundation has a crack, the whole structure is at risk. Even a tiny error in your DNS settings can cause receiving servers to view your emails with suspicion, sending them straight to the spam folder or rejecting them entirely. This is especially critical for high-volume outreach, where a small configuration error can affect thousands of emails and damage your sender reputation overnight.

The good news is that these mistakes are completely avoidable once you know what to look for. It’s not about being a DNS wizard; it’s about being meticulous and understanding the logic behind each record. We’ll walk through the most frequent errors we see so you can sidestep them. Getting these details right ensures your authentication framework is solid, giving your emails the best possible chance of landing in the inbox where they belong. From duplicate records to simple typos, we'll cover the fixes that keep your campaigns running smoothly and protect the integrity of your domain.

Using Multiple SPF Records

One of the most common DNS mistakes is publishing more than one SPF record for a single domain. Here’s the rule: you can only have one. When a receiving mail server checks your domain, it looks for a single, authoritative SPF record. If it finds multiple, it doesn't know which one to trust and will likely return an error, causing your email to fail the SPF check.

This often happens when you add a new email service provider without updating your existing record. Instead of adding a new TXT record, you need to combine them into one. For example, if you have one record for Google Workspace and another for a marketing tool, you’d merge their include mechanisms into a single line to keep your authentication clear and effective.

Misconfiguring Your DMARC Policy

Your DMARC policy tells servers what to do with emails that fail authentication, but setting it up too aggressively can backfire. A common error is jumping straight to a p=reject policy. This instructs servers to block any unauthenticated email, which sounds great in theory. However, if you have legitimate sending sources you forgot to account for—like a CRM or a help desk tool—their emails will be rejected, too.

The best practice is to start with a p=none policy. This "monitoring-only" mode lets you collect DMARC reports and see exactly who is sending email on your behalf without impacting delivery. Once you’re confident all your legitimate sources are authenticated, you can gradually move to p=quarantine and finally p=reject.

Forgetting to Rotate Your DKIM Keys

Just like passwords, DKIM keys should be rotated periodically to maintain security. The mistake happens during the transition. Many people generate a new DKIM key, publish it, and immediately delete the old one. This can cause a temporary but significant deliverability problem. Email servers around the world cache DNS records, and some of your emails might still be in transit, signed with the old key.

When these emails arrive, the receiving server will look for the old key to verify the signature. If you’ve already deleted it, the check will fail. The correct way to rotate your DKIM keys is to publish the new key with a new, unique selector while leaving the old key published for at least 48-72 hours. This overlap gives everything time to propagate.

Overlooking Simple Typos and Syntax Errors

It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often a simple typo is the culprit behind major email delivery issues. DNS records have a very specific syntax, and even a misplaced semicolon, an extra space, or a misspelled domain name can invalidate the entire record. When you’re copying and pasting values from your email provider into your DNS host, it’s easy for small errors to slip in.

Always double-check—or even triple-check—every character. After you’ve published a new record or updated an existing one, use a DNS validation tool to confirm it’s configured correctly. These tools can spot syntax errors and other configuration problems, saving you the headache of troubleshooting failed campaigns later on.

How to Keep an Eye on Your DNS Records

Setting up your DNS records is a huge step, but it’s not a one-and-done task. Think of it like maintaining a car—you need to perform regular check-ups to make sure everything is running smoothly. DNS records can be accidentally changed, syntax errors can creep in, and your sender reputation can shift without you realizing it. Staying on top of your records is the only way to catch these problems before they cause a major deliverability headache.

The good news is you don’t have to do this manually. A whole ecosystem of tools exists to help you monitor your setup, understand what’s happening with your emails, and get alerts when something needs your attention. By making DNS monitoring a regular part of your routine, you can protect your sender reputation, ensure your emails consistently land in the inbox, and keep your outreach campaigns performing at their best. It’s a small investment of time that pays off with every successful send.

Use DNS Checkers and Validation Tools

The easiest way to get a quick health check on your email authentication is to use a DNS checker. These tools look up your domain’s records and show you exactly what mail servers see when they receive your emails. They can instantly spot common issues like syntax errors in your SPF record or a misaligned DKIM signature.

Tools like MXToolbox offer a suite of tests that can check your entire email configuration. You just enter your domain, and it will give you a report on your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup. This is a great first step if you’re troubleshooting a deliverability problem or just want to confirm that everything you set up is working as intended.

Make Sense of Your DMARC Reports

If you’ve set up a DMARC record, you’ll start receiving reports that detail which servers are sending email from your domain and whether those emails are passing authentication checks. The catch? These reports are sent as XML files, which are notoriously difficult for humans to read. They’re just a wall of code.

Instead of trying to decipher them yourself, you can use a service to parse your DMARC reports and turn them into easy-to-understand dashboards. These services aggregate the data and show you everything in a clear, visual format. This helps you quickly identify legitimate sending sources, spot potential spoofing attempts, and make sure your DMARC policy is working correctly without needing a degree in computer science.

Monitor Your Blacklist Status and Reputation

Getting your domain or IP address on a blacklist is one of the fastest ways to kill your deliverability. Blacklists are real-time databases used by email providers to identify and block sources of spam. If you end up on one, your emails will be rejected outright.

You can—and should—regularly monitor your blacklist status to make sure your domain and IPs are clean. Many deliverability tools will automatically check your status across dozens of major blacklists. This proactive monitoring helps you catch a problem the moment it happens, giving you a chance to identify the cause and request delisting before it does serious damage to your sender reputation and campaign results.

Set Up Automated Monitoring and Alerts

Manually checking your records and reputation every day isn’t practical. The best approach is to automate the process. Most comprehensive email deliverability tools offer automated monitoring that keeps a constant watch on your DNS records, blacklist status, and sender reputation.

These platforms can send you an instant alert via email or Slack if one of your records changes unexpectedly, your domain gets blacklisted, or your sender score drops. This means you can address issues in near real-time instead of finding out about them after your open rates have already plummeted. It’s like having a security guard for your email program, giving you peace of mind that your setup is always secure and optimized.

Pro Tips for Optimizing Your DNS Records

Once you have your core DNS records in place, you’re off to a fantastic start. But getting them set up is just the first step. To really get the most out of your email efforts and maintain a stellar sender reputation over the long haul, you’ll want to adopt a few advanced habits. Think of these tips as the difference between having a car that runs and having one that’s finely tuned for peak performance. These practices help you protect your domain’s reputation, catch issues before they become major problems, and gain deeper insights into how your emails are being received. Let's look at a few simple but powerful ways to keep your DNS records optimized.

Use Subdomains for High-Volume Campaigns

If you’re sending a lot of emails, especially for different purposes like marketing blasts and transactional updates, don't send them all from your main domain. Instead, create subdomains (like offers.yourdomain.com or updates.yourdomain.com). This strategy isolates the reputation of each sending stream. If one type of campaign sees a spike in spam complaints, it won't tarnish the reputation of your primary domain, protecting your crucial day-to-day corporate emails. When you set up the DNS records, the 'Host' value should just be the subdomain part (e.g., offers), which keeps everything clean and correctly configured. This is a standard practice for managing your sender reputation effectively.

Properly Warm Up Your Dedicated IP

Jumping straight into high-volume sending from a new, dedicated IP address is a major red flag for inbox providers. You need to warm it up first. This process involves gradually increasing the volume of emails you send over a period of weeks. It shows providers like Gmail and Outlook that you're a legitimate sender building a positive history. Skipping this step can damage your sender reputation right from the start, leading to poor deliverability and high spam rates. At ScaledMail, we provide the dedicated email infrastructure to support this process, ensuring you build a solid foundation for your outreach campaigns from day one.

Schedule Regular DNS Audits

Your DNS records aren't something you can set once and forget about forever. Things change—you might switch email service providers, add new tools, or simply make an accidental typo during an update. That's why scheduling regular DNS audits is so important. At least once a quarter, take the time to review your records. Double-check for any mistakes, as even a small error can cause big delivery problems. You can use a DNS checker tool to quickly scan for common issues and ensure everything is still configured correctly. This simple habit can save you from future headaches and keep your emails landing in the inbox.

Set Up Email Feedback Loops

Wouldn't it be great to know exactly when a subscriber marks your email as spam? That's what email feedback loops (FBLs) do. They are a direct line of communication from inbox providers, sending you a report each time a complaint is made. This information is incredibly valuable. It helps you quickly remove uninterested or complaining contacts from your list, which is essential for protecting your sender reputation. Setting up FBLs, along with using a DMARC analytics service, gives you the critical insights you need to monitor your campaign performance and make smart adjustments to your strategy.

Ready to Set Up Your DNS Records? Here's How

Getting your DNS records in order might seem technical, but it’s one of the most impactful things you can do for your email deliverability. Think of it as giving your domain a solid foundation. With the right setup, you’re telling mailbox providers that you’re a legitimate sender who takes security seriously. This section will walk you through the essential steps for configuration, testing, and long-term maintenance, so you can feel confident every time you hit “send.”

A Step-by-Step Configuration Guide

While the exact steps can vary depending on your domain host, the core principles are the same everywhere. First, tackle your SPF record. A critical rule to remember is that your domain can only have one SPF record. If you use multiple services that require SPF, you’ll need to merge them into a single record. Next, set up DKIM by adding the CNAME records provided by your email service. This adds a secure, digital signature to your emails. Finally, implement DMARC with a simple TXT record to start. A safe initial policy is v=DMARC1; p=none;, which lets you monitor email authentication without affecting delivery.

Your Post-Setup Testing Checklist

Once your records are published, you need to verify they’re working correctly. Don’t skip this step—it’s how you catch small errors before they cause big problems. Use a free tool like the MxToolbox MX Lookup to see your records as the rest of the internet sees them. This will show you if your MX records are pointing to the right servers and if your IP address has been flagged on any blacklists. You should also use a DMARC validator to ensure your policy is formatted correctly and that your SPF and DKIM records are properly aligned. Regular checks will help you confirm that everything is configured for optimal email delivery.

Keeping Your Setup Optimized Over Time

DNS management isn’t a one-time task; it requires ongoing attention. Even a tiny typo in a record can disrupt your email flow, so it’s wise to perform regular checks. To keep a close eye on your sender reputation, especially with the largest mailbox provider, you should use Google Postmaster Tools. This free service provides valuable data on your domain’s health, delivery errors, and how Gmail users are engaging with your emails. By monitoring these metrics, you can proactively address issues and maintain a strong sender reputation over the long haul. If managing this feels overwhelming, our team can help you build and maintain a dedicated infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

I use multiple services to send emails, like a marketing platform and a CRM. Do I need separate DNS records for each one? This is a great question and a very common scenario. For your SPF record, you must combine all your sending sources into a single record. Your domain can only have one SPF record, and having more than one will cause authentication to fail. You'll simply add an include: mechanism for each service within that one line. For DKIM, however, each service will typically provide its own unique record (or records) for you to add, and it's perfectly fine to have multiple DKIM records for a single domain.

How long does it take for my DNS changes to start working? After you publish or update a DNS record, it needs to spread across the internet in a process called propagation. While this can sometimes happen in just a few hours, you should plan for it to take up to 48 hours to be fully effective everywhere. It’s best to be patient and avoid making rapid changes. Use a DNS checker tool to see when your new records become visible before you start sending any major campaigns.

This feels a bit overwhelming. What's the single most important record to set up if I'm just starting? Think of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as a team that works best together. If you have to start somewhere, begin by setting up both SPF and DKIM. SPF tells the world which servers are allowed to send your email, and DKIM adds a digital signature that proves your message hasn't been altered. Once those two are in place, you can add a DMARC record with a simple p=none policy. This lets you start gathering valuable reports without affecting your email delivery.

Can I set these records up myself, or do I need to hire a technical expert? You can absolutely do this yourself. Most domain registrars and DNS hosting providers have straightforward interfaces and support guides to help you add and edit records. The key is to be meticulous and double-check everything you copy and paste for typos. However, if you have a complex setup or you've followed the steps and are still running into trouble, getting help from an expert can save you a lot of time and frustration.

My records are all set up correctly, but some of my emails are still going to spam. What else should I look at? Proper DNS authentication is the foundation for good deliverability, but it's not the only factor. If your records are solid and you're still having issues, it's time to look at other aspects of your sender reputation. This includes the quality of your email list, the content of your messages, and whether you properly warmed up your sending domain and IP address by gradually increasing your volume.