DKIM & DMARC: Why You Need Them in Email Marketing

Discussion Tips & Tricks
, , , ,
1

DKIM and DMARC are two important settings you’ll need to configure for your sending email address (the email address that appears as the sender of your emails).

Why does this matter? Gmail and Yahoo made changes in early 2024 that impact how emails are delivered. If you don’t have DKIM and DMARC set up—or if you’re using a free email address like Gmail, Hotmail, etc.—your emails might end up in spam or not get delivered at all. Since you don’t own the domain with a free email, you can’t set these up for those addresses. So if you’re still using one, it’s a good time to switch to a domain-based email.

Think of DKIM/DMARC as tools to show mailbox providers that you’re a verified, trustworthy sender. They help ensure your emails land in the inbox and also improve your email credibility over time.

Don’t have a domain-based email yet?

  • Reach out to web hosts like Namecheap or Bluehost to set up a domain and email address.
  • Once ready, add your new email in AWeber under Domains and Addresses.
  • Update your List Email Address in your List Settings.

Using a host that supports Domain Connect?

  • Click on Connect Domain in the Domains and Addresses page.
  • Enter your host’s credentials to automatically set up your DKIM and DMARC records.

No Domain Connect option?

Record Type Name Value TTL
CNAME aweber_key_a._domainkey aweber_key_a.send.aweber.com Default
CNAME aweber_key_b._domainkey aweber_key_b.send.aweber.com Default
CNAME aweber_key_c._domainkey aweber_key_c.send.aweber.com Default
TXT _dmarc v=DMARC1; p=none; pct=100; rua=mailto:dmarc@fbl.optin.com; Default

Once everything is set up, hit the refresh button, and you should see that all your records are verified (you’ll see a green checkmark). Keep in mind you may need to do some warmup sending first, especially if you haven’t sent any emails from the domain you’ve added before.

Have you already set up DKIM and DMARC? Need a hand? Ask away in the comments!

3 Likes
2

AWesome information, Amanda! To tack onto that, it’s very important to do your research before selecting a domain provider. Here are two things I considered when making my decision.

  • Ease of use: Check out videos of people navigating their platform’s interface on YouTube to confirm if it’d be a good fit for you.

  • Do they offer support? If so, what’s their support reputation?: It’s essential that know how to get help when you need it.

1 Like
3

Thank you so much for the information.

I have a challenge.

I updated My DKIM and DMARC but it took over my whole domain such that I cannot even login to my WordPress or cPanel.

If I type my domain Aweber will open.

I have to uninstall, add Aweber to my WordPress and add my newsletter link to the WordPress as well.

Please how can I add it again with having the same challenge

Thank you

Ben Nwankwo

1 Like
4

Hi Ben,

Adding DKIM and DMARC records to your site shouldn’t prevent access to the site. If you’re seeing an AWeber page when trying to visit your domain, then it’s possible that incorrect records were added to your DNS settings, such as the records to place an AWeber landing page on your website.

In order to investigate this further, we’ll need to know what domain you’re using so that we can check your records on our end and see exactly what may need to be changed. If you’re not comfortable sharing that information publicly, please feel free to reach out to us at help@aweber.com so that we can continue this conversation and assist you further.

5

Thank you so much Justin.

I appreciate the quick response. My domain is bennwankwo dot com

Ben Nwankwo

6

Hi Ben,

In this case, we’ll need some specific information from within your DNS settings. As that information is sensitive, I’ve just sent you an email from help@aweber.com so that we can talk securely and investigate this further.

7

I saw your email and I have since sent you a response. Can you kindly respond?

Thank you

Ben Nwankwo

8

Hey Ben! We strive to respond to all email inquiries promptly. I noticed we’ve already replied to you. Please check your inbox for a detailed answer and reply directly to the email with any further questions so we can securely gather any necessary information to help resolve your issue!