Set up Email Domain Authentication (October 2020)
In this video, you'll learn how to set up DKIM authentication for an email domain managed outside of Mailchimp.
Authentication is critical for the delivery of your emails to your recipients’ inboxes. Using Domain Keys Identified Mail (or DKIM) shows your subscribers’ inbox service providers that you're a legitimate sender, and helps protect you and your recipients from spam, forgery, and phishing. Inbox Service Providers (ISPs) like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft use DKIM as a way to scan incoming emails for spam or spoofed addresses. Emails that fail authentication are more likely to arrive in a spam or junk folder.
While domains purchased through Mailchimp have DKIM authentication enabled by default, you can also set up your own. This allows Mailchimp to display your domain's information in your email header, which can help improve your delivery rates and make your emails look more professional.
To add DKIM authentication to your domain, log in to your Mailchimp account, click your profile icon, then choose Account. In the Settings drop-down, click Domains.
Before you can authenticate your domain, you’ll need to verify your email domain in the Verify Your Email Domain section. This process requires you to respond to a confirmation email. For more information on how to verify your email domain, check out our guides and tutorials
Once you’ve verified your email domain, click Authenticate next to the email domain you want to work with. In the Domain Authentication pop-up modal, Mailchimp will show you what information needs to be added or changed with your domain provider. You’ll use this information to edit your Domain Name System, or DNS, records. Specifically, you'll be adding CNAME records for your domain.
Open another browser tab or window, and navigate to your domain provider's site. Domain providers use different names for the page where you'll update the DNS record. For example, your DNS record may be located under cPanel, Zone Editor, Zone File Settings, Manage Domains, Domain Manager, DNS Manager, or something similar. For instructions on how to edit DNS records, check out our list of popular domain providers in our guides and tutorials.
Use the DKIM information from Mailchimp to create two CNAME records. Depending on your domain provider, you may need to format the record for your service. After records are added correctly, return to your Mailchimp browser tab or window, and click Authenticate Domain in the Domain Authentication pop-up modal. Your domain could authenticate within a few minutes, but in some cases, it can take up to 48 hours. When authentication is successful, you'll see the Authenticated label next to the domain on the Domains page in your account.
Great job! You've now learned how to add DKIM records to send authenticated emails for your third party domain through Mailchimp. For more information on email domain authentication, check out our guides and tutorials.
Be the first to see our newest videos! Subscribe to the Mailchimp channel: http://bit.ly/2M26ETn
More Mailchimp:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mailchimp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mailchimp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mailchimp/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mail...
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mailchimp