As an email marketer, it's essential to ensure that your emails reach your subscribers' inboxes and not end up in their spam folders. Mailchimp provides various tools to help you achieve this goal, including SPF and DKIM authentication. In this article, we'll explore what these terms mean, why they're crucial for email deliverability, and how Mailchimp's default authentication works.

What is SPF?

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a protocol that helps detect forgery by verifying an email's listed return-path address. This process typically occurs behind the scenes, without the end user noticing. When a receiving server determines that an email has a valid DKIM signature, it can confirm that the email and attachments haven't been modified.

What is DKIM?

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) authentication is a sender identification tool that protects email senders and their recipients from spam, forgery, and phishing. It adds an encrypted digital signature to email headers and uses public key cryptography to ensure the integrity of email content.

Mailchimp's Default Authentication

By default, Mailchimp enables DKIM authentication on all your emails, so you don't need to worry about setting up DNS records or advanced settings. This default authentication provides several benefits, including:

* A trackable identifier that shows your recipient's internet service provider (ISP) that you're a legitimate sender.

* Improved email deliverability, which helps ensure that your emails arrive in the inbox rather than the spam folder.

Benefits of Mailchimp's Default Authentication

Mailchimp's default authentication is critical to the delivery of your email. It works like a license plate, identifying your domain and ensuring that your emails are legitimate. Starting February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo will require custom authentication and published DMARC records for anyone sending more than 5,000 emails to their addresses in a 24-hour period.

Why Custom Authentication Matters

If you use a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo for your From email address, we strongly recommend switching to an email address from a private domain, such as the one you use for work or your website. This will help improve deliverability and reduce the risk of your emails being flagged as spam.

In conclusion, SPF and DKIM authentication are essential tools in Mailchimp's arsenal to ensure that your emails reach their intended recipients. By understanding how these protocols work and leveraging Mailchimp's default authentication, you can improve email deliverability, increase engagement, and build trust with your audience. For more information on custom authentication and DMARC, check out our article on 'About Email Domain Authentication'.

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