Sending e-mail is one thing. Making sure it arrives is quite another.

That was the core of our interactive workshop on 22 April and apparently it hit the mark, because with over 40 registrants, it was full house. In this article, we share the key insights.

What is the problem?

Many organisations have their email domain set up properly at some point. SPF is on, DKIM is configured. But DMARC? That is often missing and with it the grip on who is allowed to mail on behalf of your domain and whether your mail arrives at all.

In addition, major parties such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are changing their requirements. Without properly set up e-mail authentication, you will increasingly end up in spam, or your mail will simply be refused.

The big three: SPF, DKIM and DMARC

We made it clear during the session how these three standards work together:

• SPF says: this mail comes from an approved IP address.
• DKIM says: this mail has not been modified in transit.
• DMARC says: apply policy if SPF or DKIM fails and report back.

Without DMARC you don't know what goes wrong. With DMARC you can see who is abusing your domain and you can work towards a safe and reliable e-mail policy in phases.

Common mistakes

• Setting only SPF or DKIM, but no DMARC
• No alignment between the ‘From’ address and the technical sender
• Not setting up reporting, so you don't learn anything from what goes wrong
• Setting strict policies too quickly, without understanding the impact

The solution: phased to grip

We recommended a three-stage build-up:

1. Start with reporting (p=none): see what happens, without consequences.
2. Analyse the reports: who is mailing on your behalf - and is it allowed?
3. Work towards enforcement (quarantine or reject): step by step, substantiated.

And remember: tools help, but insight starts with the right foundation.

Getting started yourself? This will help you on your way

Are you curious to know how your email domain looks technically? In the workshop, we shared practical tips and tools to check it yourself.

Watch the recording of the session below

Go through the slides for an overview of key insights, examples and useful links.

Want instant insight into who is mailing on behalf of your domain and what is going right or wrong? Then start a free trial with DMARC Advisor through us. This way, you will work step by step towards grip and confidence in your e-mail traffic.

Make sure your emails do arrive.

And would you prefer us to take a look with you? Let us know via the contact form. We'll be happy to help.