If you are sending emails for your business, making sure they actually land in inboxes - and that they are trusted when they get there - is more important than ever.
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are three behind-the-scenes tools that help protect your emails, your brand, and your deliverability.
In this short series, we will walk through what each one does, why they matter, and how getting them set up properly gives your email marketing a serious edge.
TL;DR
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) tells email providers what to do when an email fails SPF or DKIM checks. It protects your brand from spoofing, improves your email deliverability, and gives you visibility over who is sending emails using your domain. If you want your emails to be trusted and reach inboxes reliably, setting up DMARC is essential.
If you have already read about SPF and DKIM, you will know they are key ingredients for getting your emails delivered properly. But there is a third piece of the puzzle that ties it all together, and it is called DMARC.
It might sound a bit intimidating at first, but DMARC is actually there to make your life easier and your emails more trustworthy.
So, what is DMARC?
DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance.
Yes, it is a mouthful. In simple terms, DMARC tells email providers what to do when an email fails the SPF or DKIM checks. It is your way of saying, "If someone sends a dodgy email pretending to be me, here is how I want you to handle it."
Without DMARC, providers are left guessing. Some might block the email. Some might deliver it anyway. Some might send it to spam. DMARC gives clear instructions, making sure your brand and your customers are better protected.
It also gives you valuable feedback reports so you can see who is sending emails on behalf of your domain — both the good and the bad.
Why is DMARC important for email marketing?
Good question. DMARC plays a crucial role for a few big reasons:
1. It Protects Your Brand From Spoofing
If someone tries to send fake emails pretending to be you, DMARC helps stop them. It is like putting a strong lock on your front door.
When DMARC is properly set up, it makes it much harder for scammers to trick your customers using your name.
2. It Improves Your Deliverability
Email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo trust senders who have DMARC set up. It shows that you take email security seriously. As a result, your real emails are more likely to land in the inbox rather than getting stuck in spam filters.
If you care about getting seen (and you probably do) DMARC is a no-brainer.
3. It Gives You Visibility
DMARC reports tell you who is sending emails using your domain. That way, you can spot any suspicious activity early. It also helps you monitor your legitimate email platforms to make sure everything is behaving properly.
You would be amazed how much goes on behind the scenes that you would otherwise never know about.
Is setting up DMARC complicated?
You will need to:
- Make sure your SPF and DKIM records are already set up properly.
- Publish a DMARC record in your DNS settings.
- Decide what you want the policy to be (monitor only, quarantine suspicious emails, or reject them outright).
- Optionally set up a mailbox to receive DMARC reports.
There are also plenty of tools out there to help you read the reports, because on their own, DMARC reports are not exactly written for humans.
Final Thoughts
If you have already tackled SPF and DKIM, DMARC is the final, essential step.
It gives you control over your domain’s reputation, protects you from spoofing, and shows the world you are serious about sending emails the right way.
Because in email marketing, it is not just about what you say. It is about making sure people actually receive it — and trust it.