Adding SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records for your domain is essential to prevent emails sent through your domain email from being marked as spam or rejected by the receiving email server. SPF enables domain owners to configure which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of their domains, reducing the chances of spoofing or spamming. DKIM helps ensure the authenticity of your emails by configuring a digital signature such as public key, which also prevents tampering of emails.
Setting up the SPF and DKIM TXT records in your DNS provides a strong defense against spam and phishing attempts. By doing so, you can also improve your email deliverability.
To authenticate your organization email, you first need to generate the SPF and DKIM records in Bigin. Next, configure these records in your DNS accounts for your domain, following the procedure specified for each domain registrar below. Finally, you need to validate the configured records in your Bigin account.
Click
Email Deliverability to learn more about how to generate and validate the SPF and DKIM records.
GoDaddy
To add a new SPF record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your GoDaddy account and navigate to the Domain Portfolio page.
- Select your domain to access the Domain Settings page.
- Select the DNS tab to view your DNS records.
- To add a new DNS record, click the Add New Record button, then provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name: Enter @ to indicate the root domain.
- Value: Paste the SPF record copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page. The sample SPF record format looks like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com ~all
- TLT: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as 1/2 Hour.
- Click Save.
Note: A domain must have a single SPF record. If your domain already has an existing record, creating a separate one may lead to issues. Instead, we recommend editing and combining the new record with the existing SPF record. To edit, follow these steps:
- Find the existing record from the DNS records list.
- Click to edit.
- Add the include tag (eg: include:spf.zohomail360.com) after the v=spf1 portion of the record as shown below.
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com include:spf.zylker.com ~all
To add a DKIM record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your GoDaddy account and navigate to the Domain Portfolio page.
- Select your domain to access the Domain Settings page.
- Select the DNS tab to view your DNS records.
- To add a new DNS record, click the Add New Record button, then provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name: Enter the DKIM host name displayed in Bigin's Email Authentication page. For example, 203XXXXXX2._domainkey (leaving out the domain)
- Value: Paste the DKIM public key copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page.
- TLT: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as 1/2 Hour.
- Click Save.
Note: Normally, the SPF or DKIM record may take a few hours to become active; occasionally, it'll take up to 48 hours.
CloudFlare
To add a new SPF record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Cloudflare account.
- In the dashboard page, select a domain for which you want to add a SPF record.
- Navigate to the DNS > Records page.
- In the DNS management section, select + Add record.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name (required): Enter @ to indicate the root domain.
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as Auto.
- Content (required): Paste the SPF record copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page. The sample SPF record format looks like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com ~all
- Click Save.
Note: A domain must have a single SPF record. If your domain already has an existing record, creating a separate one may lead to issues. Instead, we recommend editing and combining the new record with the existing SPF record. To edit, follow these steps:
- In the Domain management section, find the existing record from the DNS records list.
- Click Edit under Actions.
- Add the include tag (eg: include:spf.zohomail360.com) after the v=spf1 portion of the record as shown below.
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com include:spf.zylker.com ~all
To add a DKIM record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Cloudflare account.
- In the dashboard page, select a domain for which you want to add a DKIM record.
- Navigate to the DNS > Records page.
- In the DNS management section, select + Add record.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name (required): Enter the DKIM host name displayed in Bigin's Email Authentication page. For example, 203XXXXXX2._domainkey (leaving out the domain)
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as Auto.
- Content (required): Paste the DKIM public key copied from the Bigin's Email Authentication page.
- Click Save.
Note: Normally, the SPF or DKIM record may take a few hours to become active; occasionally, it'll take up to 48 hours. Squarespace
To add a new SPF record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Squarespace account, and then select MANAGE DOMAINS.
- Click your domain name.
- Navigate to the DNS > DNS Settings page.
- In the DNS Settings page, scroll down to the Custom records section.
- Click ADD RECORDS.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Host: Enter @ to indicate the root domain.
- Data: Paste the SPF record copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page. The sample SPF record format looks like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com ~all
- Click Save.
Note: A domain must have a single SPF record. If your domain already has an existing record, creating a separate one may lead to issues. Instead, we recommend editing and combining the new record with the existing SPF record. To edit, follow these steps:
- In the DNS Settings page, find the existing SPF record under the Custom records section.
- Hover over the record and click the pencil icon to edit.
- Add the include tag (eg: include:spf.zohomail360.com) after the v=spf1 portion of the record, as shown below.
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com include:spf.zylker.com ~all
To add a DKIM record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Squarespace account, and then select MANAGE DOMAINS.
- Click your domain name.
- Navigate to the DNS > DNS Settings page.
- In the DNS Settings page, scroll down to the Custom records section.
- Click ADD RECORDS.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Host: Enter the DKIM host name displayed in Bigin's Email Authentication page. For example, 203XXXXXX2._domainkey (leaving out the domain)
- Data: Paste the DKIM public key copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page.
- Click Save.
Note: Normally, the SPF or DKIM record may take a few hours to become active; occasionally, it will take up to 72 hours. Namecheap
To add a new SPF record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Namecheap account, and then navigate to the Domain List page.
- Click the Manage button next to a domain for which you want to add an SPF record.
- Under Advanced DNS, click + ADD NEW RECORD.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Host: Enter @ to indicate the root domain.
- Value: Paste the SPF record copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page. The sample SPF record format looks like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com ~all
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as Automatic.
- Click the check mark icon to save.
Note: A domain must have a single SPF record. If your domain already has an existing record, creating a separate one may lead to issues. Instead, we recommend editing and combining the new record with the existing SPF record. To edit, follow these steps:
- Under Advanced DNS, scroll down to the Host Records section.
- Click the value of the SPF record you want to edit.
- Add the include tag (eg: include:spf.zohomail360.com) after the v=spf1 portion of the record, as shown below.
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com include:spf.zylker.com ~all
To add a DKIM record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Namecheap account, and then navigate to the Domain List page.
- Click the Manage button next to a domain for which you want to add a SPF record.
- Under Advanced DNS, click + ADD NEW RECORD.
- Provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Host: Enter the DKIM host name displayed in the Bigin's Email Authentication page. For example, 203XXXXXX2._domainkey (leaving out the domain)
- Value: Paste the DKIM public key copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page.
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as Automatic.
- Click the check mark icon to save.
Note: Normally, the SPF or DKIM record may take a few hours to become active; occasionally, it will take up to 48 hours. Hostgator
To add a new SPF record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Hostgator account, and navigate to the Domains page.
- Scroll down to your domain and click the Configure domain button.
- Select the Edit DNS Advanced Zone option next to your domain name.
- Click the ADD RECORD button and provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name: Enter @ to indicate the root domain.
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as 14400.
- Text: Paste the SPF record copied from the Bigin's Email Authentication page. The sample SPF record format looks like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com ~all
- Click TO ADD.
Note: A domain must have a single SPF record. If your domain already has an existing record, creating a separate one may lead to issues. Instead, we recommend editing and combining the new record with the existing SPF record. To edit, follow these steps:
- In the Configurer Domain page, scroll down to the existing SPF record.
- Click Edit.
- In the Text field, add the include tag (eg: include:spf.zohomail360.com) after the v=spf1 portion of the record, as shown below.
v=spf1 include:spf.zohomail360.com include:spf.zylker.com ~all
To add a DKIM record for your domain, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Hostgator account, and navigate to the Domains page.
- Scroll down to your domain and click the Configure domain button.
- Select the Edit DNS Advanced Zone option next to your domain name.
- Click the ADD RECORD button and provide the following details:
- Type: Select TXT as record type.
- Name: Enter the DKIM host name displayed in Bigin's Email Authentication page. For example, 203XXXXXX2._domainkey (leaving out the domain)
- TTL: Select the amount of time the server takes to cache information. Leave the default setting as 14400.
- Text: Paste the DKIM public key copied from Bigin's Email Authentication page.
- Click TO ADD.
Note: Normally, the SPF or DKIM record may take a few hours to become active; occasionally, it will take up to 48 hours.