Why email authentication matters in Zoho Campaigns

Why email authentication matters in Zoho Campaigns

​
​
Welcome back to another post in Marketer's Space!

If you've recently started using Zoho Campaigns, you've probably come across terms like SPF and DKIM. You may have also noticed emails that show "via zcsend.net" in Gmail when testing or sending campaigns.
For many new users, this raises a few questions—such as:
  1. Why does this happen?
  2. Is something wrong with my campaign?
  3. Do I really need to configure authentication before sending any campaigns?
    These are natural questions, especially if you're setting up Zoho Campaigns for the first time.

    In this post, we'll walk through what email authentication actually means, why it matters for your campaigns, and how to approach it correctly in Zoho Campaigns.

    What is email authentication?

    Email authentication is essentially a way for mailbox providers like Gmail or Outlook to verify that an email from your domain was actually sent with your permission.
    Without this verification step, anyone could impersonate another domain and send out fraudulent messages. Authentication helps prevent this type of impersonation and protects recipients from misleading emails.

    In Zoho Campaigns, email authentication mainly involves two key technologies:
    Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM).

    When these records are configured properly, they act as verification signals for receiving email servers. Specifically, they tell receiving systems that Zoho Campaigns is authorized to send emails on your domain's behalf and that sent messages have not been altered during transit to the recipient.

    What happens if you skip authentication?

    Many new users start sending campaigns without first completing these authentication steps. While the platform does allow emails to be sent without authentication, skipping this step can affect how your emails are received.
    Some common results include:
    • Emails displaying "via zcsend.net"
    • Lower inbox placement
    • Reduced sender trust
    • Possible delivery to spam
    While this may seem like a minor concern at first, authentication affects much more than just how the sender appears in Gmail; it directly impacts deliverability and your sending domain's overall reputation. Even well-designed campaigns may struggle to reach inboxes consistently if authentication isn't properly configured.

    Why it matters more today than ever 

    Email providers are becoming increasingly strict when evaluating incoming messages. Their primary goal is to protect users from spam, phishing attempts, and impersonation attacks. In fact, Gmail has recently tightened its sender policy requirements, which you can read more about here.

    Modern spam filters don't even check message content anymore. Instead, they're more likely to focus on the following key factors before deciding whether to deliver an email or not:
    • Domain reputation
    • Sender and domain co-relation
    • Past engagement
    • Authentication status
    Because of this, even good content can struggle to reach inboxes if their technical setups are incomplete. That's why authentication isn't something you can afford to postpone any longer.

    How to set up authentication in Zoho Campaigns 

    Setting up authentication in Zoho Campaigns is simple, but does require a few careful steps.

    Step 1:     Add your sending domain.

    The first step is to add your sending domain in Zoho Campaigns and verify it. Follow the instructions detailed in this help article to complete the domain verification process.

    Once your domain is added, Zoho Campaigns will generate the authentication code required for the next step.

    Step 2: Configure SPF and DKIM.

    After adding your domain, you'll need to update in your domain's DNS settings with the records Zoho provides, which include your SPF and DKIM records. Complete this step in your domain hosting provider, as DNS settings are managed there.

    If you need detailed guidance, follow the step-by-step instructions in this help article.

    Step 3: Complete the manual verification.

    Once you've added your SPF and DKIM records to your domain's DNS settings, you'll need to return to Zoho Campaigns and manually verify the authentication from the Domain Authentication section. Only after this step will the system confirm that the authentication setup has been completed successfully.


    Step 4: Test it out before sending campaigns

    After your authentication is verified, it's always a good idea to run a quick check before sending a full campaign.

    First, go to the Settings section and open Domain Authentication. The status should look something like the example shown below: 



    Once everything appears correctly configured, send a small test campaign and review the results; carefully verify that no "via" tag appears in Gmail and your inbox placement looks normal.

    Common misconceptions about authentication 

    There are a few common assumptions that often cause confusion regarding email authentication.
    "My email was sent successfully—so the authentication must have worked."

    Not necessarily. Emails can still be sent even if authentication isn't properly configured. However, sending successfully doesn't guarantee good deliverability.
    "Authentication only affects branding."

    While the "via" tag is the most visible indicator, authentication affects much more than appearance; it influences sender reputation, inbox placement, and how mailbox providers evaluate your domain.
    "I can just configure it later."

    This is another common mistake. Your sender reputation starts forming the moment you send your very first campaign. Delaying authentication can make it harder to build a strong reputation later.

    Authentication + good practices = strong foundation 

    Authentication is important in its own right, but it works best when combined with good sending practices—such as:
    • Maintaining clean contact lists
    • Gradually increasing sending volume
    • Creating engaging and relevant content
    • Sending campaigns at a consistent frequency
    When you combine these practices with proper authentication, you create a much stronger foundation for long-term deliverability.

    Final thoughts 

    If you're just getting started with Zoho Campaigns, it's worth taking a moment before sending your first major campaign to check a few basics first: 
    1. Is your domain authenticated?
    2. Are SPF and DKIM properly verified?
    3. Have you tested everything with a small campaign? 
    Email authentication helps build long-term trust—not just with inbox providers, but with your recipients.

    If you've faced authentication-related challenges or have questions/suggestions about SPF or DKIM setup, feel free to share them below. Your experience might help someone else avoid the same confusion.

    Until next time, happy campaigning!

     


      • Recent Topics

      • Restrict portal signup until registration form and payment are completed

        Hi everyone, I am working on a Zoho Creator portal for a project. In our business flow, users must first fill out a registration form and pay a registration fee before they are allowed to access the portal. However, when I share the portal link, users

      • What’s New in Zoho Inventory — Latest Features, Integrations & Updates | December 2025

        Zoho Inventory has evolved significantly over the past months, bringing you smarter, faster, and more connected tools to streamline your operations. Whether you’re managing multichannel sales, complex fulfillment workflows, or fast-moving stock, our newest

      • Can I view the KB in the same way as a customer logged in as my Agent?

        Sorry if this seems a mad question.  I have some Articles that I want to be seen by my Agents and the status of these is set to Agents only.  We also have some that are set to Public. When I sign in with my private email address (as a customer) I can

      • Push Notification for New Bookings in Zoho Bookings App

        when a someone schedules an appointment through the booking page, is there any option to receive a push notification in the mobile app?

      • Which user's capacity is used for Shared Mailbox storage?

        We use shared mailboxes at our company, and their size is increasing daily. Which user(s)'s total mailbox limit is being used up by this space?

      • Zoho Books (and other Finance Suite Apps) - Clickable Item Name on Invoices and Reports

        Hi Zoho Books team, It would be really helpful if the Item Name on Reports were clicable to take me to the item. The same on Invoices, often I am looking at an invoice and I want to look at the deails of a product. A link here would be helpful to jump

      • Incorrect Functioning of Time Logs API (Version 3)

        We need to fetch the list of time logs for each task for our company internal usage. We are trying to achieve it by using the next endpoint: https://projects.zoho.com/api-docs#bulk-time-logs#get-all-project-time-logs Firstly, in the documentation the

      • Evernote (ENEX) import limitations

        I have been with Evernote since 2010, but the latest price increase is ridiculous. I am currently testing Zoho Notebook as a replacement. I am impressed so far - if it were not for critical need to import legacy Evernote notes, I would 100% migrate to

      • Print a document from Zoho Writer via Zoho Creator

        If i use the code below i can get writer to create a new document or email it to me but i want to be able to print it directly from the browser and not have to send it via email and then print. Below is the code im using. Attached options form zoho writer

      • Can I create a CODE 128 custom field for my items in Zoho Inventory and then use it for generating Sales Orders?

        Can anyone helps me, I don't want to use the SKU code for scanning my products.  ​Because all my products have a CODE-128 label attached.

      • Prevent duplicate with custom fields?

        I was wondering something about custom field/custom modules in Zoho Desk. For some reason you can make a custom field mandatory but not unique? For example, if I create a custom module to manage equipment and renewal and make a field serial number no

      • Multiple Vendor SKUs

        One of the big concerns we have with ZOHO Inventory is lack of Vendor Skus like many other inventory software packages offer. Being able to have multiple vendor skus for the same product would be HUGE! It would populate the appropriate vendor Sku for

      • Create Invoice automated with Package

        Does anyone knows how to create an invoice from a SO when we have created the package? We do these manually. and validate that the product packed is the product invoiced (if the order is partially packed) Regards, JS

      • Unable to integrate Zoho Projects and Zoho Workdrive

        I'm a Zoho One subscriber. When I go to Zoho Projects > Settings > Marketplace > Zoho Apps I do not see an option for Zoho Workdrive but I do see one for Zoho Docs that does nothing. How do I get the option to integrate Zoho WorkDrive and Zoho Proje

      • Disable payment thank-you emails

        Hello, can someone please tell me how to disable sending of the "Payment Thank-You" emails? 

      • Internal Fillable Contract with Zoho Writer (Before Sending to Client)

        Hi everyone, I’m trying to automate the following process in Zoho CRM and would appreciate some guidance. Process: When a Deal moves to a specific stage, CRM triggers an automation. CRM sends a contract template to an internal team member so they can

      • How to backdate record payment for the invoice

        I would like to record a payment which happened 2 days ago, but I am not able to select any date later than today. I backdated the invoice, too, but it doesn't change anything

      • Help with deluge script

        Hi Community, this is my first Deluge script. I've pieced it together from reading various articles I want to use it in a workflow to 1 Convert a lead to a contact 2. Create a record in a custom module Below is what I have got so far but it does not fire

      • Marketer's Space: Why email authentication matters in Zoho Campaigns

        Welcome back to another post in Marketer's Space! If you've recently started using Zoho Campaigns, you've probably come across terms like SPF and DKIM. You may have also noticed emails that show "via zcsend.net" in Gmail when testing or sending campaigns.

      • Feature Request: "Send Invitation" Toggle for Events

        I am writing to request a critical "Quality of Life" update for the Activities module. Currently, adding people to the Participants field in an Event triggers an automatic email invitation/acceptance tracking with no way to opt-out. For general events

      • Edit email address that appears on invoice

        Hi How do I change the email address that appears on invoices, it is showing the email address that i used to sign up to zoho with but I want to change it to another email address that we use for accounts. also is there a way to edit the position of a

      • Anyone worked out how to export or screengrab a full heatmap?

        I'd love to be able to include a copy of a heatmap in a report but can't work out how to grab the whole thing as there doesn't appear to be an export function? Thanks in advance.

      • Introducing Zoho Sprints 3.0

        Zoho Sprints is consistently evolving in steady increments. The introduction of the latest version, with its enterprise level solutions, brings to you advanced capabilities that propel your agile efforts in the right direction. Here's a quick glimpse

      • Google Fonts Integration in Pagesense Popup Editor

        Hello Zoho Pagesense Team, We hope you're doing well. We’d like to submit a feature request to enhance Zoho Pagesense’s popup editor with Google Fonts support. Current Limitation: Currently, Pagesense offers a limited set of default fonts. Google Fonts

      • Clone entire dashboards

        If users want to customize a dashboard that is used by other team members, they can't clone it in order to customize the copy. Instead they have to create the same dashboard again manually from scratch. Suggestion: Let users copy the entire dashboard

      • Clone Entire Zoho Boooks Organization, including all transactions for testing & training

        Can Zoho Books support help with direct cloning of entire Zoho Books & Inventory Organization? including all transactions, just like a copy & paste or disk cloning. Is this possible?

      • Restrict portal signup until registration form and payment are completed

        Hi everyone, I am working on a Zoho Creator portal for a project. In our business flow, users must first fill out a registration form and pay a registration fee before they are allowed to access the portal. However, when I share the portal link, users

      • Zoho Creator In-App Notification

        Hi Team, I have implemented an in-app notification using code, as it required some customization. I followed the example in the link below: https://www.zoho.com/deluge/help/pushnotify-using-deluge.html#Example I have a couple of questions regarding this

      • System Components menu not available for Tablet to select language

        I have attached a screenshot of my desktop, mobile, and tablet menu builder options. I am using 2 languages in my application. Language Selection is an option under the System Components part of the menu, but only for my desktop and phone(mobile). My

      • Tip #64- Exploring Technician Console: Screenshot- 'Insider Insights'

        Hello Zoho Assist Community! Have you ever needed to capture exactly what's happening on a remote machine, whether to document an issue, guide a customer, or keep a record of your session? That's where the Screenshot feature in Zoho Assist comes in! With

      • Integration of CRM and Recruit

        hi team, Is it possible to sync deals <> job openings from only 1 pipeline? My configuration of CRM has pipeline for each business unit, so I will have all data in the CRM system. body leasing and recruitment is one BU (hence 1 pipeline) - can I sync

      • Relating Invoices to Projects

        Hi Zoho team, If I have already created previously an invoice in Books, so I want to know how can I associate it with a relevant project? Thank you

      • Create a quote/estimate that includes a range of prices

        I am interested in using Zoho Books' Quote templates to create estimates for my customers. I do a mix of fixed-bid quotes and quotes based on an hourly rate. For the hourly rate quotes/estimates, I like to include a price range, for example: 2-4 labor

      • Budget

        I have just upgraded to the standard plan in order to be able to utilize the budgeting function and record budget amount

      • Capirec bank Automatic feed update

        Can anyone tell me if Zoho supports Automatic bank feed update from a Capitec bank account in south africa?

      • Restrict Payment Methods

        Allow us to restrict certain payment methods specific for each customer.

      • ZOHO Reports are taking longer time to get refresh

        Hi Team, Since last few days, I'm facing issues in getting updated reports. For eg: right after making an expense entry or even posting a journal, it is taking longer then expected for the updated reports. Refer below: "You are viewing the report that

      • Free webinar! Accelerate deals with Zoho Sign for Zoho CRM and Bigin by Zoho CRM

        Hello, Paperwork shouldn’t slow you down. Whether you’re growing a small business or running a large enterprise, manual approvals and slow document turnaround can cost you time and revenue. With Zoho Sign for Zoho CRM and Bigin by Zoho CRM, you can take

      • Can Zoho Marketing Automation send OTP codes via WhatsApp during user registration?

        The flow I would like to implement is: A user signs up in the mobile app and enters their phone number. The system generates a one-time verification code (OTP). The OTP is sent to the user via WhatsApp message. The user enters the code in the app to confirm

      • Disable Sign Up option in Zoho Creator Portal and show only Sign In page

        Is it possible to disable the Sign Up option in a Zoho Creator portal? The requirement is to show only the Sign In page and completely remove or hide the Sign Up page, so users cannot create accounts directly from the portal login page. Is there any setting

      • Next Page