What is DKIM?
DKIM stands for DomainKeys Identified Mail, and essentially it 'signs' an email with a key that is verified to a domain for additional authenticity.
Do my emails sent through MC Trade Mass Communicator have DKIM?
Yes, with our delivery system update, every communication sent through the Mass Communicator now includes DKIM as an additional way to authenticate the message.
Do I need to make any changes?
You have the option to request that your domain (e.g. me@mydomain.com) be authenticated, but it is not a requirement. Any email sent through the MC Trade Mass Communicator are validated to our application's domain by default. If you don't authenticate your domain, next to your 'Send From' name, on the email, a small line of text with 'via SendGrid' (our email service) is displayed.
Will my emails still get through to the recipient if I don't request my domain be authenticated?
Yes, the receiving mail server will confirm the message was sent from our server and match the DKIM key included in the message. Authenticating your domain just changes the DKIM authentication to your domain, removing the 'via SendGrid' text. However, if your domain is set up with a DMARC record to require stricter authentication, you may also need to validate your specific domain (see below, :How can I authenticate my domain?"). DMARC requirements are becoming more common and are encouraged by many email providers, so having your domain authenticated is a best practice.
Does this replace the need for an SPF record?
No, DKIM just confirms with a key that the server sending the message, sent the message. The SPF record is still necessary to authenticate that emails with your email address as the 'Send From', sent from our server, are allowed/approved.
How can I authenticate my domain?
This is a three step process:
1. Contact our Support team and provide the domain you want to authenticate (e.g. me@mydomain.com).
2. We will generate 3 CNAME records you will need to add to your DNS Host, and send the details for those 3 records back to you in an email.
3. Once you have added the DNS records, please let us know and we will verify and your domain will be authenticated.