Email Authentication: Everything You Should Know in 2024
If you’re serious about making money from your email list, you must first ensure your email deliverability is high, meaning your messages actually reach customers’ inboxes.
Without email authentication in place, the possibility of inboxing diminishes significantly. As mail services adapt to fighting spam, email senders must take authentication seriously.
Below, we share all the information an email marketer needs to fully understand email authentication: the protocols, what they do, and how they work together.
What is Email Authentication?
Email authentication is a set of technical measures designed to verify the authenticity of an email sender. It helps prevent spam, phishing emails, and other malicious activities. By authenticating emails, you can present yourself as a legitimate sender to all mailbox providers.
Authentication helps:
- Improve your email deliverability,
- Protect your brand’s reputation,
- Enhance overall email security.
Mail providers like Gmail and Yahoo have been at the forefront of the battle against spam. They’ve implemented sophisticated spam filters, machine learning algorithms, and user reporting mechanisms to identify and block spam emails. These providers have invested heavily in R&D to stay ahead of spammers and protect users.
However, the sheer volume of spam emails continues to be a challenge. That’s where email authentication comes into play; by verifying the authenticity of email senders, authentication protocols (more on them below) help level the playing field.
Email authentication provides a way for legitimate email marketers to demonstrate their emails are genuine. This improves email deliverability and strengthens the overall ecosystem by making it more difficult for spammers to operate.
Why Email Authentication is Critical in 2024
Email marketers cannot afford to ignore authentication anymore. As mailbox providers add more tech and features to protect their users from spam, they expect email senders to be respectful and follow best practices.
And it’s not just mail services; more and more email service providers (ESPs) and email deliverability services are asking their users to authenticate their email domains.
At Campaign Refinery, we made it a mandate ages ago; all our clients are required to implement these three security protocols:
We are currently working on implementing BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) as well.
The 6 points below explain why you should adopt email authentication immediately.
1. Increased Security Against Phishing
Phishing attacks have gotten more advanced recently, often targeting businesses by imitating their domains to deceive customers or employees. Without authentication, attackers can easily send emails that appear to be from your company.
This can lead to:
- Financial loss,
- Data breaches,
- Lower customer trust.
By implementing authentication, you add layers of protection that make it much harder for cybercriminals to successfully spoof your domain and execute these attacks.
2. Improved Email Deliverability
Email deliverability is crucial for the success of any email marketing campaign.
When authenticated, emails are more likely to be delivered to the recipient’s inbox rather than being marked as spam or bounced. This is because email providers use authentication protocols to filter out suspicious emails.
3. Compliance with Google-Yahoo 2024 Spam Update
In 2024, the Google and Yahoo spam update discussed significant upgrades to their spam filtering systems; the email giants also spoke about stricter requirements for bulk email senders.
This update mandates the use of authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for all bulk email campaigns. Without these in place, your emails are more likely to be flagged as spam or rejected by these providers.
If you want to maintain access to these large email audiences, it’s time to play ball with Google and Yahoo.
4. Brand Reputation
As a marketer, it is your primary duty to protect your brand’s reputation.
If your domain is used to send unauthenticated emails, it can lead to your emails being marked as spam or worse, being used in phishing scams. By authenticating your emails, you safeguard your brand’s reputation.
5. Enhanced Reporting and Analytics
New authentication protocols make your job easier.
DMARC, one of the key authentication protocols, offers more than just security — it also provides detailed reports on email traffic. These reports can help you monitor the effectiveness of your authentication efforts and identify unauthorized attempts to send emails on your behalf.
6. Compliance with Regulatory Authorities
As cybersecurity threats have grown, so have the regulations and industry standards designed to protect businesses and consumers. The two biggest names in the regulatory space are CAN-SPAM and GDPR, but there are many more.
Failing to implement these protocols not only puts your business at risk but could even lead to penalties or fines for non-compliance.
The Pillars of Email Authentication: Security Protocols
To ensure the authenticity and security of emails, several fundamental protocols have been established. These protocols play a crucial role in preventing spam, phishing, and other malicious activities.
The main authentication protocols in use today include:
| Email authentication protocol | Full name |
|---|---|
| SPF | Sender Policy Framework |
| DKIM | DomainKeys Identified Mail |
| DMARC | Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance |
| BIMI | Brand Indicators for Message Identification |
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
SPF is an email authentication protocol that allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain. It helps prevent email spoofing by enabling recipient mail servers to verify that an email is sent from an authorized IP address.
What Does SPF Do?
SPF works by checking the IP address of the sending mail server against a list of authorized IP addresses published in the domain’s DNS records. When an email is sent, the recipient’s server queries the SPF record of the sending domain.
If the IP address matches one of the authorized addresses in the SPF record, the email passes the SPF check. If it doesn’t match, the email may be flagged as spam, rejected, or subjected to further scrutiny by the recipient’s email filters.
How to Implement SPF on an Email Domain
- Identify authorized IP addresses: Determine which mail servers (including third-party services like marketing platforms) are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
- Create an SPF record: Log in to your domain’s DNS management platform. Create a new TXT record with the name as “@” or your domain name. The value of the record should list the authorized IP addresses or domains.
- Publish the record: Save the SPF record, and it will be added to your domain’s DNS settings. It may take some time for the changes to take effect.
- Test configuration: Use online tools to verify that your SPF record is correctly configured and monitor your email traffic to ensure it’s functioning as intended.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM is an authentication protocol that allows the sender to digitally sign their emails using cryptographic techniques. This signature is associated with the sending domain, enabling the recipient’s email server to verify that the email was indeed sent by the domain owner and that it hasn’t been tampered with during transit.
What Does DKIM Do?
DKIM adds a digital signature to the header of an outgoing email, created using a private key associated with the sender’s domain.
When the email reaches the recipient’s server, the server retrieves the corresponding public key from the DNS records of the sending domain. The server then uses this public key to verify the signature. If the signature is valid, it confirms that the email was not altered and that it genuinely came from the claimed domain.
This helps prevent email spoofing and increases the credibility of your emails, making them less likely to be flagged as spam.
How to Implement DKIM
- Step 1: Use your email server or a DKIM tool to generate a pair of cryptographic keys — a private key and a public key. Your mail server will use the private key to sign outgoing emails, while the public key will be published in your DNS records.
- Step 2: Log in to your domain’s DNS management platform. Create a new TXT record for DKIM.
- Step 3: Update your email server settings to use the private key to sign outgoing emails. This step varies depending on the email server or service you use.
- Step 4: Use DKIM testing tools to ensure your DNS records and email server are correctly configured. Monitor your emails to verify that they are being signed and that recipients can validate the signatures.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
DMARC is an email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM. It allows domain owners to specify how unauthenticated emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks should be handled by receiving mail servers.
DMARC also provides a reporting mechanism, allowing domain owners to monitor and improve their authentication practices.
What Does DMARC Do?
DMARC adds a layer of security by aligning the results of SPF and DKIM with the “From” domain in the email header. It enables domain owners to instruct receiving email servers on how to handle emails that fail these checks — whether to quarantine, reject, or allow them through.
By specifying a DMARC policy, domain owners can reduce the likelihood of their domain being used in phishing or spoofing attacks. Additionally, DMARC provides reports that give insight into how email is being processed by recipient servers, helping to identify and address any issues.
How to Implement DMARC on an Email Domain
We wrote a detailed guide on how to set up DMARC for your domain; here is the compressed version:
- Create a DMARC Record: Log in to your domain’s DNS management platform. Create a new TXT record and set its value according to the DMARC policy you want to implement.
- Choose a Policy: You can start with p=none to monitor how emails are handled without affecting delivery. Gradually move to p=quarantine to mark unauthenticated emails as spam. Use p=reject to block unauthenticated emails entirely.
- Continue monitoring: Review the reports sent to the addresses you specified in the DMARC record. These reports will show how your emails are being handled and help you identify any issues. Adjust your SPF and DKIM records as needed based on the insights from the reports.
Once you have SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in place, run an email deliverability test to see how well your new configuration works. Additionally, ensure your DNS records are in proper order; mail platforms often run reverse DNS lookups to confirm you’re legit.
SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC: How They Work Together
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC play different but equally critical roles in email authentication:
| Aspects | SPF | DKIM | DMARC |
|---|---|---|---|
| What does it do? | SPF verifies if the email is sent from an authorized IP address for the domain. | DKIM confirms that the email content has not been altered and is from the claimed domain. | DMARC aligns SPF and DKIM with the “From” address and provides a policy for handling failures. |
| How does it work? | Email servers can check the sender’s IP against the list of authorized IPs in the domain’s DNS. | DKIM adds a digital signature to the email header, which is validated using a public key published in the domain’s DNS. | Email servers check if the email passes SPF and DKIM; they then apply the domain owner’s policy on how to handle failures. |
| What type of DNS record is used? | DNS TXT record specifying authorized IP addresses. | DNS TXT record containing the public key for signature verification. | DNS TXT record specifying the domain’s policy for handling SPF/DKIM failures and where to send reports. |
| Reporting | It has no built-in reporting. | It has no built-in reporting. | DMARC provides aggregate and forensic reports on email authentication activity. |
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
BIMI is an email authentication standard that allows organizations to display their brand logo alongside their emails in the recipient’s inbox.
BIMI works in conjunction with existing authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. It’s designed to enhance brand recognition and build trust with recipients by providing a visual indicator. This indicates the email is legitimate and comes from the claimed sender.
What Does BIMI Do?
BIMI helps increase brand visibility and trust by displaying a verified brand logo next to emails in supported email clients and web-based email services.
When an email passes DMARC authentication and meets the BIMI requirements, the recipient’s email inbox displays the sender’s logo. This visual cue reassures recipients that the email is from a legitimate source.
BIMI enhances brand consistency across email communications, as recipients see the same logo that is used in other marketing channels.
How to Implement BIMI
- Ensure email authentication is in place: Make sure your domain is fully protected with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, with a DMARC policy set to quarantine or reject.
- Create a verified logo: Design a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) version of your brand logo that adheres to specific standards. You will also need a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from a trusted certificate authority to verify your logo’s authenticity.
- Publish a BIMI Record: Log in to your domain’s DNS management platform. Create a new TXT record and set the value of the record to point to the URL where your logo is hosted.
- Test to see if it worked: Use BIMI testing tools to ensure your record is properly configured. Monitor your email campaigns to see if the logo is being displayed.
10 Other Factors that Impact Email Deliverability
If you have to ask your subscribers to add your email to a safe senders list before they can receive your messages, you clearly have deliverability issues.
Once you have your authentication protocols in place, pay attention to the 10 factors below to further improve inboxing rates.
- Email sender reputation: Ensure your IP address reputation and domain reputation are excellent; these scores dictate whether mail platforms see you as a trusted sender or not.
- SSL in email: Using SSL in email marketing is critical; as an internet standard, mailbox providers see your emails as suspicious when you don’t use one.
- Email list management: Maintain a clean email list by regularly removing invalid or unengaged addresses. Invalid email addresses can lead to queued emails, leaving you confused as to why your emails take so long to send.
- Email content: Send emails with relevant, well-crafted content. Keep your content hyper-relevant by creating different customer segments for targeted email marketing.
- Email engagement: High engagement rates (opens, clicks, replies) signal to ISPs that your emails are wanted, which can improve deliverability.
- Email personalization: Use personal information to tailor your emails to the interests and behaviors of different subscriber segments.
- Mobile email marketing: Ensure your emails are optimized for viewing on smartphones.
- Proper use of HTML: Poorly coded HTML or emails that are too image-heavy can be flagged by spam filters. Additionally, remember that between HTML vs plain text emails, the latter performs better.
- One-click unsubscribe: Comply with email unsubscribe laws by making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe; include an easy unsubscribe link in all types of emails.
- Compliance with CAN-SPAM or GDPR: Adhere to email regulations; it helps you avoid legal penalties and ensures your emails are not blocked by mail services due to non-compliance.
Campaign Refinery: Best Practices, Always
At Campaign Refinery, we are all about following best email practices; we have always advocated for email authentication by supporting essential protocols. This commitment ensures our clients’ email campaigns are recognized as legitimate.
Beyond authentication, Campaign Refinery offers features designed to maximize email deliverability.
These include:
- Top-tier shared IP pool: Our shared IP pool enjoys an excellent reputation with mail providers.
- Automated list cleaner: Remove invalid emails from your contact list with high accuracy.
- New customer screening: This ensures we don’t onboard spammers.
- Evergreen Flash Sales: Harness the power of FOMO to increase email engagement, which boosts deliverability.
- Segmentation tools: Target your audience list with high precision, boosting conversions.
At Campaign Refinery, you can experience the true pinnacle of email performance. Apply here to become a user!
