Resources · Email & Deliverability

Email & Deliverability

Make sure your emails actually reach the inbox, and protect your domain from being spoofed by scammers.

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The email essentials

Three DNS records and a few habits that keep you out of the spam folder.

1. Set up SPF

A DNS record listing which services are allowed to send email for your domain.

2. Set up DKIM

A digital signature on your messages that proves they weren’t altered and really came from you.

3. Add a DMARC policy

Tells inboxes what to do with mail that fails SPF/DKIM, and sends you reports. Start with monitoring, then tighten it.

4. Use a real sending service

Send website and marketing email through a dedicated email service, not your web server’s built-in mail.

5. Use your own domain

you@yourbusiness.com builds trust and deliverability far better than a free Gmail or Yahoo address.

6. Keep your list clean

Remove bounces and people who never open. Sending to dead addresses hurts your sender reputation.

7. Watch for spoofing

If you start getting bounce-backs for emails you never sent, someone is forging your domain. DMARC is the fix.

8. Secure your mailboxes

Strong passwords and two-factor authentication. A compromised mailbox is how most invoice-fraud scams start.

Guides

In-depth walkthroughs, with more being added. Join the list on the homepage to hear when new ones go live.

Guide

SPF, DKIM & DMARC in Plain English

Why your emails land in spam, and the records that fix it.

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Guide

Reading DMARC Reports

What the reports mean and when to move to a stricter policy.

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Checklist

Email Security Checklist

Lock down your mailboxes against takeovers and spoofing.

Read it now →

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The specific products I use and recommend, with honest notes on why.

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