Summary
Email service providers (ESPs) like ActiveCampaign are continually evolving their features to support better email deliverability, especially in response to new sender requirements. A significant development is the ability for all users to set up a custom return-path. While this feature simplifies compliance, it introduces complexities regarding DMARC record handling. ESPs often verify standard DNS records, but their approach to existing DMARC records can sometimes lead to issues, such as suggesting generic DMARC records even when a valid one is already in place.
Key findings
- Expanded Custom Return-Path: ActiveCampaign has made custom return-path setup available across all plans, not just enterprise, improving domain control for more users.
- DMARC Verification Gaps: Some ESPs verify DNS records like SPF and DKIM, but may overlook existing DMARC records, often suggesting a new, generic one.
- Risk of Duplication: This can lead to duplicate DMARC records, creating confusion and potential authentication problems, as only one DMARC record should exist per domain. For more on DMARC, see how DMARC works.
- API-Based Setup Benefits: API integrations (like Entri) can simplify DNS record creation by automatically setting up SPF and DKIM, but proper DMARC handling within these APIs is crucial.
- Return-Path and Alignment: The custom return-path directly impacts SPF alignment, which is a critical component for DMARC pass results. Understanding return-path's impact on SPF is important.
Key considerations
- Accurate DMARC Handling by ESPs: ESPs should have sophisticated DNS checkers that recognize and respect existing DMARC records to prevent conflicts.
- User Education: Clients and their teams need to be aware of DMARC best practices, particularly the rule of one DMARC record per domain.
- API vs. Manual Setup: While APIs offer ease, users concerned about security or unintended DNS changes might prefer manual setup, requiring clear guidance from ESPs.
- Preserving DNS Integrity: ESPs should aim to leave existing, functional DNS records untouched and avoid overwriting important comments or tags.
- Impact on Deliverability: Incorrect DMARC setup, or conflicts from duplicate records, can significantly impact email deliverability, potentially leading to emails being marked as spam or blocked.
What email marketers say
Email marketers often welcome new features from ESPs that aim to simplify complex technical setups like custom return-paths. There's a general appreciation for efforts to streamline the authentication process, especially as new sender requirements from major mailbox providers emerge. However, a common concern revolves around how ESPs manage existing DMARC records, with many noting instances where a new DMARC record is suggested even when a legitimate one is already configured, potentially leading to issues.
Key opinions
- Positive Reception of New Features: Marketers appreciate ESPs extending features like custom return-paths to all users, making compliance easier.
- Concerns over Duplicate DMARC: A recurring issue is ESPs suggesting generic DMARC records without checking for existing ones, which can cause conflicts and impact DMARC failures.
- Ease of Compliance: Many marketers seek solutions that simplify the process of meeting new email authentication standards.
- API vs. Manual DNS Setup: While API integrations are seen as smooth and convenient, some users prefer manual setup due to security concerns or a desire to retain control over their DNS records.
- Impact of Configuration: Marketers recognize that correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations are critical for ensuring emails reach the inbox and avoiding spam folders. Improving email deliverability is a top priority.
Key considerations
- Preventing DMARC Conflicts: ESPs should implement checks to ensure that they don't prompt users to add a duplicate DMARC record if one already exists.
- Clarity in DNS Instructions: Clear disclaimers or user interface elements are needed to inform users about the implications of DNS record changes.
- Preserving Existing DNS Records: ESPs should strive to only add necessary records and avoid deleting or overwriting perfectly working DNS records, especially with existing comments or tags.
- Balancing Convenience and Control: While API-based DNS setup is convenient, marketers need options that provide control and transparency over their DNS configurations. More on DMARC implementation challenges.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks celebrates that ActiveCampaign has significantly updated its custom return-path feature. This capability is now available to all plans, moving beyond just enterprise users. The initial rollout has been swift and successful for multiple clients, indicating a positive step for broader adoption.
Marketer view
Marketer from Quora suggests that email deliverability is a key metric. It helps determine the success ratio of your emails and identifies potential issues preventing messages from reaching recipients. Regularly monitoring this can uncover hidden problems that impact campaign performance.
What the experts say
Experts in email deliverability acknowledge the efforts of ESPs to streamline DNS record setup, particularly with DMARC. However, they emphasize the critical need for ESPs to implement robust checks to prevent issues like duplicate DMARC records. A consensus among experts is that ESPs should prioritize leaving existing, valid DNS records untouched and offer clearer guidance to users, especially during manual setup flows. This approach minimizes user confusion and ensures proper authentication, which is vital for maintaining good sender reputation and inbox placement.
Key opinions
- Validation of Existing DMARC: Experts stress that DNS checkers should accurately identify and validate existing DMARC records to avoid prompting users to create redundant ones.
- API Integration Benefits: The API integration for DNS setup is considered highly efficient and smooth, reducing manual error. This is especially true for ESPs that integrate with services like Entri.
- No Duplicate Records: It is crucial for ESPs to ensure their systems do not create duplicate DMARC records if one already exists, preventing authentication conflicts. Learn how DMARC affects deliverability with ESPs.
- Preserving DNS Integrity: ESPs should aim to leave existing DNS records as they are, without replacing them, even if the new record is identical. This preserves any comments or specific tags.
- DMARC Importance: DMARC is vital for protecting sender domains from abuse and enhancing deliverability by providing clear authentication instructions to receiving servers. More information on DMARC reporting and its importance.
Key considerations
- Improved Manual Setup: During manual setup, ESPs should completely hide DMARC record suggestions if one already exists to prevent user errors.
- Clear Disclaimers: If a DMARC record must be shown, a prominent disclaimer is needed to clarify that users should not create a duplicate.
- Consistent DNS Record Handling: ESPs should ensure their DNS setup processes are consistent and do not inadvertently cause issues for senders. Discover how to troubleshoot DMARC settings.
- Security Concerns with API: While convenient, API-driven DNS changes raise valid security concerns for some users, necessitating alternative setup methods.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks notes that their DNS checker is designed to consider existing DMARC records valid. This is an important feature, as it helps prevent users from mistakenly adding redundant records. The goal is to avoid confusion and ensure correct DMARC implementation.
Expert view
Expert from SpamResource.com notes that DMARC is vital for protecting sender domains from abuse. Proper implementation helps prevent phishing and spoofing attacks, while also providing valuable feedback to senders. Ensuring DMARC alignment is a core component of modern email security, enhancing overall trust.
What the documentation says
Technical documentation often outlines the precise mechanisms by which DMARC, SPF, and DKIM operate, especially concerning the return-path. It emphasizes that while ESPs manage the return-path domain, the ultimate DMARC alignment depends on the 'From' domain. Documentation highlights that DMARC is an authentication protocol that allows domain owners to protect their domain from unauthorized use, such as spoofing and phishing, by ensuring both SPF and DKIM align with the organizational domain in the 'From' header.
Key findings
- DMARC Alignment Principle: DMARC requires either SPF or DKIM to align with the 'From' header domain (RFC 5322.From). The custom return-path impacts SPF alignment. For more, see what RFC 5322 says.
- Return-Path and SPF: The return-path, also known as the Mail-From or Envelope-From address, is the domain used for SPF authentication. If it aligns with the 'From' header domain, SPF passes DMARC.
- DKIM's Role: DKIM provides cryptographic authentication, verifying that email content hasn't been tampered with and that the email originates from the claimed domain. Its domain also needs to align with the 'From' header for DMARC.
- Policy Enforcement: DMARC policies (p=none, p=quarantine, p=reject) dictate how receiving servers should handle emails that fail authentication. These policies provide control over unauthorized email. See DMARC tags and meanings.
Key considerations
- Delegated Sending: When using an ESP, the ESP often manages the return-path domain, requiring careful setup to ensure SPF alignment with the sender's 'From' domain.
- DMARC Reporting: Monitoring DMARC reports (RUA and RUF) is crucial to identify authentication failures and gain visibility into email streams, helping to refine configurations.
- Subdomain Strategy: Using subdomains for email sending can simplify DMARC implementation and isolate reputation issues, as each subdomain can have its own DMARC policy.
- Potential for False Positives: Even with proper DMARC implementation, misconfigurations or forwarding can lead to false positives, where legitimate emails fail checks. A comprehensive guide to email deliverability provides further context.
Technical article
Documentation from DmarcDkim.com outlines that DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records are fundamental for email domain authentication. Configuring these records correctly with your DNS provider is a crucial step for senders. This setup helps receiving mail servers verify the sender's legitimacy and combat phishing.
Technical article
Documentation from Skysnag.com explains that interpreting DMARC reports is key to understanding email delivery performance. Reports provide insights into SPF and DKIM alignment, as well as source IP monitoring. Automated solutions can simplify the analysis of this complex data, offering actionable intelligence for domain owners.
Related resources
7 resources
Related pages
How do SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and dedicated IPs affect email deliverability when using a third-party ESP?
How does DMARC work, why implement it with SPF and DKIM, and what tools are available for DMARC record creation?
How to troubleshoot DMARC failures and their impact on email deliverability?
What are the key considerations and challenges for DMARC implementation?
What are the best practices for changing an email's return-path domain, especially regarding DKIM and warm-up?
What is the impact of the 'from' domain record on SPF when the ESP uses its own domain for the return-path?
A simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM
List of DMARC tags and their meanings
Understanding and troubleshooting DMARC reports from Google and Yahoo
Boost email deliverability rates: technical solutions from top performing senders
