Getting emails into the inbox—and keeping your domain safe—starts with proper email authentication. If you’ve ever asked,
“Why are my emails going to spam?”
or
“How do I protect my domain from spoofing?”
Then you need to understand SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These DNS records are the backbone of secure and deliverable cold emailing.
1. What is SPF?SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is like a permission slip for your domain. It tells mail servers which senders (IP addresses or services) are allowed to send emails on your behalf.
How it works:When you send an email, the receiving server checks your domain's SPF record to verify if the sending IP is authorized.
Pass → Email is trusted
Fail → Email could go to spam or be rejected
Example SPF Record:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
This allows Google Workspace to send emails for your domain.
2. What is DKIM?DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) ensures the email wasn’t modified in transit and really came from your domain.
How it works:Your outgoing emails are signed with a private cryptographic key
The recipient’s server verifies it using your public DKIM key stored in DNS
If the signature checks out, the email is verified as genuine
Example DKIM TXT Record:google._domainkey.coldbean.ai IN TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSq..."
This authenticates emails sent via Google for coldbean.ai.
3. What is DMARC?DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) gives you control over what happens if SPF or DKIM fail.
How it works:DMARC instructs mail servers to allow, quarantine, or reject emails that fail authentication
It also sends regular reports on delivery and security issues
Example DMARC Record:_dmarc.coldbean.ai IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@coldbean.ai"
This means:
Quarantine failed emails
Send daily aggregate reports to dmarc-reports@coldbean.ai
Visual GuideLooking for a step-by-step visual?
Watch our DNS Setup Video Guide (Coming Soon)
Why Does This Matter for Coldbean Users?Without proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup:
Your emails might land in spam folders
Your domain could be spoofed or blacklisted
Your deliverability scores will tank, no matter how good your content is
With authentication enabled: Emails hit the inbox Your domain reputation improves Campaign performance goes up You're protected against impersonation
Need Help?If you’re using Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.), we’ve got platform-specific guides to help you.
Still stuck?
Reach out to us at team@coldbean.ai and our team will help you configure your records step-by-step.
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