How to Keep Your Emails Out of Junk Folders
How to Keep Your Emails Out of Junk Folders
Email deliverability has become a hot topic recently, especially with updated standards aimed at reducing spam. While these changes are great for inboxes everywhere, they can create headaches for small business owners and individuals who rely on email to communicate with clients and customers. If you’ve noticed your open rates dropping or heard that your emails are landing in junk folders, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Here’s a quick and simple guide to improving your email deliverability.
Step 1: Set Up SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
What is it? SPF tells email servers which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. Without it, your emails may look suspicious and get flagged as spam.
How to Set It Up:
1. Log into your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.).
2. Go to the DNS settings or DNS management section.
3. Add a new TXT record with these details:
- Name/Host: Enter @ (or leave it blank if required).
- Value/Content: Use the SPF record provided by your email provider. You can typically find this record in their documentation or support center. For example, Gmail users might use:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all - TTL: Leave it as default or set it to 1 hour.
4. Save your changes
Step 2: Set Up DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
What is it? DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they came from you and haven’t been tampered with.
How to Set It Up:
1.Go to your email provider’s admin settings:
- For Google Workspace, navigate to Admin Console > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate email.
- For Microsoft 365, go to the Exchange Admin Center > Mail Flow > DKIM.
2. Generate a DKIM key. You’ll get:
- Selector/Name (e.g., google or mail).
- Public Key (a long string of characters).
3. Add another TXT record to your DNS settings:
- Name/Host: Use the selector + _domainkey. Example: google._domainkey.
- Value/Content: Paste the public key.
- TTL: Leave as default or set to 1 hour.
4. Save the record and verify it in your email provider’s admin panel.
Step 3: Add a DMARC Record
What is it? DMARC tells email servers how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks—whether to reject, quarantine, or accept them.
How to Set It Up:
1. Add another TXT record in your DNS settings:
- Name/Host: _dmarc
- Value/Content: Example DMARC policy:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:your-email@example.com - TTL: Default or 1 hour.
2. To identify the correct DMARC policy values, check your email provider’s recommendations. Most providers will guide you on the best policy based on your sending behavior and needs.
3. Change p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject once you’ve confirmed everything works. Learn more about DMARC here.
Step 4: Test Your Setup
Once you’ve set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, it’s time to test everything:
- Use tools like Mail Tester or MXToolbox to check your email deliverability.
- Send test emails to friends or colleagues and ask if they land in the inbox.
If you’re a web client of mine, I’m happy to help ensure your email deliverability is on point as part of our project. While I don’t offer this as a standalone service, I’ve seen how small tweaks like these can make a big difference in reaching your audience effectively.
Let’s make sure your emails shine where they belong—in the inbox!
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