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Setting Up Your Custom Sending Domain on SmartrMail for Better Deliverability & Authentication

Learn how you can set up a Custom Sending Domain with SmartrMail. As a best practise this step has a huge impact on email deliverability and increased engagement for inbox providers such as Google, Outlook and Yahoo.

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Written by Sam

Introduction

Starting February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo enforce a stringent 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.
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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.
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Setting Up Your Custom Sending Domain

Step 1: Accessing Email Settings

Navigate to your Settings dashboard and select the 'Email settings' tab.
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Step 2: Verify Your Sending Email Address (Prerequisite) 📧

Before generating domain records, you must verify the exact email address you plan to use for sending campaigns.

  1. Look for the Sending Email box on this page.(Settings>Email-Settings)
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  2. Enter the active sending email address that you will be using (e.g., [email protected]).
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  3. Click Send email confirmation.
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  4. Check your email inbox for an automated confirmation link from SmartrMail. Click the link to verify ownership, then return to your SmartrMail dashboard.
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    🛑 Crucial Check: Is your account still using a .myshopify.com domain? If your account domain is currently a default subdomain (e.g., elias-test-store.myshopify.com), you cannot set up a custom sending domain yet. Your SmartrMail account must be linked to your own primary branded custom domain (e.g., eliasestarguars.com) first before the system can generate or automate your authentication records. Make sure your actual custom domain is fully launched and connected to your store first!

Step 3: Initiate Domain Setup

Now that your email address is verified, click on the option to set up a Request sending domain. We will automatically generate your custom domain name records.
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Step 4: Automated Setup with Entri (Recommended)

To make domain authentication as easy as possible, SmartrMail has partnered with Entri to automatically configure your DNS records for you. You no longer need to manually copy and paste records!

  1. After requesting your sending domain, an Entri pop-up window will appear.
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  2. Enter your domain name. Entri will automatically detect your DNS provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, Google Domains).
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  3. Click to authorize. You will be prompted to log securely into your DNS provider directly within the Entri window.
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  4. Once you log in and grant permission, Entri will automatically apply all the required DNS records to your domain in the background.
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  5. When the setup completes, close the window.

🚨 Are you a Shopify user? If you bought and manage your domain directly through Shopify, the automated Entri configuration tool might not be able to access it. Please skip to the specialized Shopify Steps (Step 5a) below.
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Step 5a: Manual Setup for Shopify-Managed Domains 🛍️

If your domain is hosted directly inside Shopify, you will need to bypass the Entri automated window and enter the records manually using these steps:

  1. In the Entri modal, select Go to manual setup at the bottom to generate your SmartrMail records (CNAME, TXT, and MX). Keep this tab open.
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  2. Open a new browser tab and log into your Shopify Admin Dashboard.
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  3. In the bottom left corner, click on Settings, then select Domains from the menu.
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  4. Click on the domain name you are trying to configure.
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  5. Look for the DNS settings section at the bottom and click the Manage button.
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  6. Click Add custom record and choose the record type that matches what SmartrMail gave you (e.g., CNAME or TXT).
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  7. Paste the details from SmartrMail into Shopify using this specific rule:

    • Name / Host: Only type the prefix before your domain name. Shopify automatically appends your domain name to this box. (Example: If SmartrMail asks for smartr.yourstore.com, only enter smartr into Shopify).
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    • Value / Points to: Paste the long text or target string provided by SmartrMail exactly as it is.
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  8. Click Confirm to save. Repeat this process for all generated records, including your DMARC policy.
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    ​(Note: If you used the automated Entri flow in Step 4, this is completed for you automatically).

    If you are performing a manual setup (including Shopify), you will notice that there is 1 more specific record to add: the DMARC Policy. Please make sure to copy this over exactly as a TXT record into your DNS settings. Your authentication requirements will not be fully compliant without this entry.
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Step 5b: Manual Setup (All Other Providers)

If your DNS provider isn't supported by Entri, or if you prefer to input your data manually, follow this route:

  1. Copy the records generated by SmartrMail (TXT, MX, and CNAME) into a notepad.
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  2. You will notice that there is 1 more record to add, the DMARC Policy. Please copy this over exactly as a TXT record.
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  3. Log into your domain registrar's website and locate your DNS zone editor to add the records.

For platform-specific visual help on navigating your provider's dashboard manually, use these official guides:

⚠️ 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.
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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.
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The DNS provider of amazingemails.com will automatically add the end section of this hostname, allowing the "entire hostname" to be smartr.amazingemails.com.
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Step 6: Finalising and Verifying the Setup 🔄

Once you have added the values to your DNS provider (either manually or via Shopify/Entri), you must return to SmartrMail to click the "Verify record status" button.
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Follow these exact steps to find it:

  1. In SmartrMail, navigate to Settings > Email settings.
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  2. Locate the Custom sending domain box.
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  3. Look for the tab written in blue text named "setup manually instead" and click on it.
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  4. This tab will display the list of DNS records you were supposed to add. Scroll all the way to the very bottom of this page.
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  5. Click the Verify record status button.

💡 Quick Tip: If you clicked once and it didn't work, don't panic! DNS changes sometimes need a brief buffer to coordinate. Simply wait about 60 seconds and click the button again to force a re-check. Your custom sending domain won’t be active and usable until this verification is complete.
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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.
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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 [Domain Warming Guide] on the subject.
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🛠 Troubleshooting & Debugging

If you are having trouble verifying your domain, check these common issues:

  • I can't find the verification button: Go to Settings > Email settings, look inside the Custom sending domain box, click the blue "setup manually instead" link, and scroll completely to the bottom.
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  • The verification failed on the first click: Wait a full minute before trying again. DNS data sometimes needs a brief moment to update across servers.
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  • I didn't receive the email confirmation link: Check your Spam/Junk folder. If it's still missing, verify that you didn't misspell the address in the Sending Email field before hitting send.
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  • The Entri window won't open: Check if your browser has an active pop-up blocker or strict ad-blocker enabled. Disable it temporarily and click the setup button again.
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  • Shopify says "Record conflicts" or won't verify: If your records are stuck on "Pending" for more than 48 hours in Shopify, double-check your Name / Host field.
    Make sure your record doesn't look like smartr.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com. If it does, edit the record in Shopify and remove the extra domain text from the host name field.
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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.
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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 (smartr.).
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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.
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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 like MXToolbox SuperTool.
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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.
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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:

  1. Locate your DMARC record: Access your DNS settings where you added your records.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.


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