Ever wonder why some emails land in spam? Or how scammers can send emails that look like they're from your domain? Yeah… welcome to the shady side of the internet.
But don’t worry—you’re not defenseless. That’s where SPF and DMARC step in. Think of them as your email bodyguards.
🚫 Wait, What’s the Problem?
Let’s say you own yourdomain.com. You’re sending legit emails to customers, partners, or subscribers. But one day, someone decides to spoof your email—maybe pretending to be support@yourdomain.com to scam people.
That’s called email spoofing, and it's bad news for your brand, your reputation, and your deliverability. The solution? SPF and DMARC.
☀️ SPF: It’s Not Sunscreen, It’s Your First Line of Defense
SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework, and it acts like a bouncer at the club.
“Only these email servers are allowed to send mail from my domain. Everyone else? Nope.”
🔍 How It Works
When your email hits someone’s inbox, their server checks your domain’s SPF record (a simple TXT record in your DNS). That record contains a list of servers that are allowed to send email on your behalf.- ✅ If the sending server is on the list: email goes through.
- ❌ If not: the email is flagged as suspicious or rejected entirely.
If you use Gmail or Google Workspace to send emails, your SPF record might look like this:
That tells the world: “Google can send on my behalf. Anyone else? Suspicious.”
📜 DMARC: The Rulebook That Enforces the SPF Check
While SPF checks who can send, DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) tells email providers what to do when a message fails those checks.
Think of DMARC like setting up your home security system:
-
SPF checks the visitor’s ID.
-
DMARC decides if the door stays locked or not and alerts you if something shady happens.
🚦 DMARC Policy Options
You can customize your DMARC policy based on how strict you want to be:
| Policy | What It Does |
|---|---|
p=none | Take no action, just monitor and report. Great for testing. |
p=quarantine | Flag suspicious emails and send them to spam. |
p=reject | Block all emails that fail SPF/DKIM checks. |
Plus: DMARC gives you visibility! You can get reports on who's trying to spoof your domain. That’s right like a “suspicious activity” alert for your email.
🧠 Quick Recap: SPF vs. DMARC
| Feature | SPF | DMARC |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Defines who can send from your domain | Decides what happens if they fail |
| Policy Enforcement | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (reject/quarantine/none) |
| Sends Reports | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Needs DKIM? | ❌ Optional | ✅ Recommended |
🔧 How to Set Them Up (Without Losing Your Mind)
✅ Add an SPF Record
Log into your domain registrar or DNS manager (like Cloudflare, GoDaddy, etc.), and add a new TXT record:
Replace _spf.google.com with the provider you use (Amazon SES, MailerLite, etc.).
✅ Add a DMARC Record
Another TXT record, this time for your DMARC policy:
-
p=reject= Block anything that fails. -
rua=mailto:...= Where reports get sent. example platform you can use is postmarkapp -
Start with
p=noneto monitor without blocking anything.
🚨 Tips for Stronger Email Security
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Use SPF + DKIM + DMARC together for maximum protection.
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Use tools like MXToolbox to validate your DNS records.
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Regularly review your DMARC reports to catch abuse attempts.
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Don’t set
p=rejectuntil you’re confident everything is passing.
Setting up SPF and DMARC is like adding locks and security cameras to your email house. You don’t need to be a tech expert—you just need to:
✅ Add two TXT records
✅ Monitor what happens
✅ Sleep better at night
If you're serious about your brand, your emails, and your credibility—set up SPF and DMARC today. Not tomorrow.
Because spam sucks.
But email security doesn’t. 😉
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