Many internet service providers out there are looking for ways to make it easier to verify the legitimacy of inbound emails and prevent bad things like spam (where someone sends you email you didn't want) and phishing (where someone sends you an email you didn't want and says, "Hey, what's your bank account password?"). Over the past few years, Hotmail in particular has taken greater measures to help authenticate inbound emails by implementing a program called Sender ID. It uses something called an SPF record to make sure that the email address you're sending from is one that you've authorized to send on your behalf.
In this guide, we'll cover the basics of how an SPF record works and how to make sure yours is up to date. (If you're an Emma agency partner offering email marketing services to your clients, you'll also want to read our agency tips page.)
How do SPF records work?
Most email domains have a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. It's a document that basically says: "This is who we are, and these are the people who send our emails." Emma's own SPF records are up to date, but since we're sending on your behalf, with your email domain in the From Address, it's important to make sure you've added Emma to your SPF record, too.
When servers receive an Emma-powered email, they'll check our domain's technical record (called a DNS record) to make sure the return-path address (ours) matches the IP address (also ours). Easy. That checks out every time and always has. And most servers stop there. But some hosts will also check your domain's SPF record to make sure our domain and IP addresses are authorized to send on your behalf.
What happens if they don't?
If your email doesn't pass both tests, a small (but growing) portion of servers may not deliver your email. Specifically, Hotmail has implemented a program called Sender ID that checks SPF records. If we're not listed on your SPF record, Hotmail recipients may see a note at the top of your email that says something to the effect of: "The sender could not be verified by Sender ID." It should only affect the display of your email, not its actual delivery. For now. But in the future, it's possible that Hotmail may require this step for delivery, and that's why it's a good idea to set up your SPF and Sender ID records now.
Are SPF records a good thing?
Yes, indeed. Any efforts by ISPs and corporate servers to curb the amount of spam, spoofing, phishing and other bad emails that get in the way of the good ones is something we're all pulling for. And we're hopeful other ISPs will implement similar email authentication policies very soon. Like other efforts underway, Sender ID won't single-handedly solve the problems of spam, spoofing, phishing and the like, but it's yet another step in the right direction.
Will publishing an SPF record somehow give people access to my - you know - stuff?
No. All you're doing is publishing a record that ISPs and hosts will access, in the way hosts access such things, when they receive your emails. And since more and more companies are using email service providers these days, adding Emma to your SPF record is a natural part of using Emma's service.
Right on. So how do I do it?
So glad you asked. By all means, keep reading for how-to instructions...
Publishing (or updating) your organization's SPF record is a quick, fairly painless process. Here's how, in three steps:
Step 1: Update your SPF record and add Emma to it.
Go to the SPF Wizard available at mailradar.com. Enter your domain name and click the begin button. If you send emails from news@bobschateau.com, your domain is bobschateau.com. If you don't have a domain, you don't have to worry about your SPF record for now.
Fill out the fields that appear, using this screenshot as your guide. The two Emma-related additions you'll make will be to add e2ma.net to the include: field and to say yes to the final question, "Do the above lines describe all the hosts that send email from (your domain)?"
Below that final question, you'll see your new SPF record. It will look something like this: "v=spf1 a mx include:e2ma.net -all". Copy it and paste it somewhere you can get to it. Like a blank email. Or the side of your bathtub.
Step 2: Turn your SPF record into a Sender ID record.
Now that you've wizarded your way to an SPF record, you're a few tweaks away from a Sender ID record as well. And what's Sender ID, you ask? It's basically Microsoft and Hotmail's version of an SPF record, tweaked with a syntax that Hotmail's servers prefer. We recommend publishing both SPF and Sender ID records so you can optimize your delivery across the board, including Hotmail.
Here's how to make the tweak. Change the text in bold in your original SPF record:
v=spf1 a mx include:e2ma.net -all
to this instead:
spf2.0/pra a mx include:e2ma.net -all
Step 3: Send your updated SPF record to your technical contact.
You'll now add both the updated SPF and Sender ID records your domain's DNS record. Which is to say that you'll hand them to the guy named Jimmy who handles DNS thingies for you.
If don't have a Jimmy, or you're not sure who your domain's technical contact is, there's an easy way to find out. Go to www.networksolutions.com and click the small whois button in the very top row of navigation buttons. At the whois screen, type your domain name into the box and search. Locate the "technical contact" in the list, and send your new SPF record his or her way. It's a pretty easy update to make, so be sure and ask for a confirmation email when it's done.
Step 4: Celebrate your publishing prowess with a tasty root beer float.
You're now a published SPF and Sender ID author, and you've just helped ISPs more easily authenticate your emails. Well done!
Of course, if you get stuck or have questions along the way, we're always here to help. Just drop us a line and let us know.
Emma is a member of the Email Sender & Provider Coalition and the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group.
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