SPF, DKIM, DMARC, what is authentication for email marketing?

Authentication encompasses a set of techniques that allow mail servers to authorize sending emails with a domain name. It comprises a set of essential techniques that secure email sending by guaranteeing the sender's identity and preventing the falsification of the original email address. This is particularly important for establishing trust between senders and email providers, which contributes to improving message deliverability and promotes a better open rate.

Why is authentication necessary?

Nowadays, unfortunately, it is quite easy for anyone to create an email address and use it to send fraudulent or unwanted emails. This can harm the reputation of the legitimate sender whose identity is usurped and can also affect the deliverability of legitimate emails by being blocked or classified as spam by email providers.

Authentication is therefore a way of telling receiving mail servers that the domain used in the email address is not being usurped. It thus plays a crucial role in improving the deliverability of email marketing campaigns.

It is important to note that authentication does not guarantee delivery to the inbox. It contributes to improving message deliverability but does not replace other necessary optimizations on content and contact list hygiene, among others.

Authentication techniques:

Increasingly, email providers, especially Yahoo, AOL, Outlook.com, and Gmail, encourage senders to authenticate their emails for better deliverability.

There are three main authentication techniques used in email marketing. Their descriptions are as follows:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF and Sender ID are mechanisms for validating IP addresses that allow mail servers to verify if the sender is authorized to send emails for the domain mentioned in the email address.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

DKIM uses a digital signature to verify that the email content has not been altered during transit. This ensures the authenticity of the email and its sender.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

DMARC is a security policy that allows the sender to specify how email providers should handle emails that fail SPF and DKIM authentication. DMARC also provides reports on attempts to deliver fraudulent emails.

Additionally, some providers display a small icon in their email clients indicating that you are an authenticated sender. This enhances trust and can influence the open rate.

Authentication with Sarbacane Campaigns

At Sarbacane, we attach great importance to authentication to ensure the good reputation of our users and improve the deliverability of their campaigns.

Sarbacane Campaigns by default uses its own sending domain names, which are authenticated when you activate the "Enable Authentication" option in your campaign settings (recommended). In this case, SPF/SENDER ID, DKIM, and DMARC signatures are already implemented on our default domain names assigned during your sendings.

Authentication in email marketing is an essential process to ensure your legitimacy as a sender and improve the deliverability of your emails. By using techniques such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, you strengthen your reputation and gain the trust of email providers, which promotes better open and conversion rates for your campaigns.