“Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches—at scale.”
— David Newman
All organisations, regardless of size, understand the importance of email deliverability, and keeping the emails out of spam folders is a core part of this. One of the factors that can affect email deliverability is the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. This blog post will explain what a broken SPF record is, why that’s significant, and how it may hinder the delivery of your emails.
What is SPF?
Email authentication is aided by the DNS (Domain Name System) record known as SPF. Whether IP addresses are permitted to send emails on behalf of a domain can be specified by the domain holder. The recipient’s email server examines the SPF record when an email arrives to make sure it came from a trusted source. If SPF authentication is unsuccessful, the message can be ignored or designated as spam.
What is a Broken SPF record?
Any SPF record with mistakes or improper setup is considered broken. Common mistakes in the SPF record, improper syntax, and obsolete or inaccurate information are just a few causes for this. A faulty SPF record could not accurately indicate certain IP addresses are permitted to send emails on behalf of a domain.
How does a broken SPF record influence email deliverability?
Email deliverability may be significantly impacted by a broken SPF record. If SPF authentication is failed, the recipient’s email server may designate an email as spam or outright refuse it. Due to this, the email’s intended recipient won’t get it, which might lead to missed sales, a downturn in involvement, and harm to your brand’s reputation.
A faulty SPF record might potentially lead to the spoofing of your domain. When a hacker sends email that purports to be from your domain but is actually coming from another IP address, this is known as spoofing. Your domain can be added to a blacklist by email providers as a result, which would further reduce the deliverability of the emails.
How do I fix a broken SPF record?
It’s imperative to restore a faulty SPF record as swiftly as you can to guarantee that your emails reach their intended recipients. By utilising a programme like SPF Record Checker, you may examine your SPF record to discover the problem during the initial step. After the problem has been determined, changing your SPF record entails adding or eliminating approved IP addresses, fixing syntax errors, and ensuring the record is up-to-date.
Checking your SPF record frequently is essential to ensuring that it is correct and current. In this manner, you can make sure that your emails are sent effectively going forward and contribute to averting problems before they arise.
Your email deliverability can be substantially effected by a broken SPF record, and a broken SPF record can lead to missed sales, less engagement, and adverse publicity for your company. You may make sure the emails are sent properly and reach its intended recipients by comprehending what a broken SPF record is, why it’s significant, and how to restore it. Make an effort to verify your SPF record and make sure it is configured properly to prevent any issues from arising in the future.
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