Introduction

Starting February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo will enforce a stringent new policy. All email marketing senders dispatching more than 5,000 emails per day must be fully authenticated, or else emails beyond this threshold will be blocked. This guide offers a step-by-step process to set up your custom sending domain in SmartrMail, ensuring compliance with these new requirements.

Why Switch to a Custom Sending Domain?

Authentication Compliance: A custom sending domain helps meet the authentication standards set by Gmail and Yahoo.
Enhanced Deliverability: Using a custom domain reduces the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.
Brand Consistency: It allows for brand consistency and recognition in your email campaigns.

Setting Up Your Custom Sending Domain

Step 1: Accessing Email Settings

Navigate to your Settings dashboard and select the 'Email settings' tab.

Step 2: Initiate Domain Setup

Click on the option to set up a Request sending domain.

Step 3: Verifying Your Domain

We will automatically generate your domain name.
You will receive DNS (Domain Name System) records to add to your domain's DNS settings. This is typically done through your domain registrar's website. For assistance, here are guides from some popular DNS providers:

Important note: Some DNS providers, such as GoDaddy and Namecheap automatically add your domain to TXT, MX, and CNAME records in your DNS. As a result, it isn't necessary to add "again" your domain when entering the hostname section of your custom sending domain records.

For example, in a store with the domain "amazingemails.com" hosted on a DNS provider automatically adding the main domain to new records, the hostname "smartr.amazingemails.com" can be added by creating a text record containing exactly "smartr". The DNS provider of amazingemails.com will automatically add the end section of this hostname (amazingemails.com), allowing the "entire hostname" to be smartr.amazingemails.com

After updating DNS settings, confirm the changes in SmartrMail by clicking on "Verify record status". Note that your custom sending domain won’t be active and usable until this verification is complete.

Step 4: Copy over your Dmarc Policy as a TXT record.

You will notice that there is 1 more record to add, the Dmarc Policy, please copy this over as a TXT record.
Step 5: Finalising the Setup.

SmartrMail will verify the DNS changes, which can take up to 48 hours.
Once verified, your custom sending domain is ready to use. To ensure optimal performance, we advise warming up your new sending domain by sending to a segment of your most engaged subscribers. Here is a doc on the subject.

Additional Assistance

If you encounter any issues or have questions, feel free to reply to this email or contact us through our in-app chat for support.

Conclusion

Switching to a custom-sending domain is crucial for ensuring your email marketing campaigns remain effective and compliant with the new standards set by major email providers. By following these steps, you can easily set up your custom domain in SmartrMail.

FAQ:

I added records to my DNS and I clicked on Verify records in SmartrMail, but my domain hasn't been verified yet.

Records can take up to 48 hours to propagate online. If you added your records more than 48 hours ago, it is likely that the hostname of your record, or the record type is incorrect.

I've been recommended to use only one SPF record in my DNS, should I add SmartrMail's SPF record?

SmartrMail's SPF record will apply to the subdomain "smartr.yourdomain.com". As a result, your pre-existing SPF record and this new SPF record will not conflict between them. You can add this extra SPF record to your DNS as long as you enter the correct subdomain, as per the records in your SmartrMail account (smart.) .

Where should I add the DNS records?
You can add records to your DNS through your DNS provider and if you don't know it you can contact your website developer.

What is my DNS provider?
Your DNS provider is the company that manages your domain name's DNS records. You can find your DNS provider by looking up your domain name on a DNS lookup tool.
https://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx?action=a%3awww.ccslightsound.com.au&run=toolpage

I am sending for less than 5K is it necessary for me as well to set up the custom domain?
Yes, you must set up a custom domain even if you are only sending for a small number of recipients. This will help to improve the deliverability of your emails and protect your brand from being spoofed.

Should I unsubscribe from DMARC emails that are automatically sent?
Yes, it is safe to unsubscribe from receiving these DMARC reports. The reports are intended to provide you with information about how your domain is being used to send emails, but if you don't need this information, you can opt out of receiving the reports.
Here are the steps on how to unsubscribe from receiving DMARC reports:

Locate your DMARC record.
Remove the rua tag. The rua tag is the tag that specifies the email address that should receive DMARC reports. To unsubscribe from receiving reports, you can remove this tag from your DMARC record.
Update your DNS records. Once you have removed the rua tag from your DMARC record, you will need to update your DNS records to reflect the change. This can be done through your domain registrar or hosting provider.

Once you have completed these steps, you will no longer receive DMARC reports.