Even the most beautiful email can fail to reach your audience. It’s not because your content is bad. It’s often because of email authentication problems. For email marketers, small business owners, and campaign managers, this is a real headache. You spend hours crafting the perfect message, but spam filters or phishing warnings might block it.
This is where DMARC comes into play. DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. This is an email service that says, "This email is really from me. Trust it." It will help your emails get to the inbox, rather than the spam folder.
Without DMARC, legitimate emails are more likely to be spam. Worse, fraudsters could use your domain to send fake emails. This can damage your reputation and slow down your advertising efforts.
In this article, you will learn how to secure your email with DMARC. We’ll show you how to do it and get it right. You’ll learn how to increase engagement, build trust with your audience, and build customer relationships.
Finally, you’ll learn how to integrate DMARC into your email solutions and make them more secure.
Understanding DMARC — The Key to Trusted Email Marketing
If you want your emails to reach your audience and build trust, DMARC is essential. Marketers who use Email Marketing Services need to understand DMARC to make sure their campaigns land in inboxes, not spam folders.
What is DMARC and How It Works
DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. It is a tool that protects your domain from scammers. Simply put, it tells email providers, “This email really comes from me.”
DMARC works with two other email checks:
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SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF is like a guest list for your domain. It lists which servers are allowed to send emails for you. Authorized servers can send emails that bypass SPF.
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DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Email): DKIM adds a unique code to your email. This code indicates that the email was not responded to and is coming from your server.
How to Configure DMARC
DMARC works over SPF and DKIM. SPF and DKIM verify the authenticator. DMARC tells email providers what to do if an email doesn’t pass this check. It can be visited, blocked, or ignored. This prevents scammers from using your domain and protects your registrants.
Think of DMARC as your asset identifier. It said, “Yes, this email is from us.”
Simple Email Authentication Flow
Here’s how DMARC works with SPF and DKIM:
Sender Domain ---> SPF Check ---> Pass / Fail
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---> DKIM Check ---> Pass / Fail
\
---> DMARC Policy ---> Deliver / Quarantine / Reject
This system makes sure only real emails reach your audience. It helps your campaigns get delivered and protects your brand from fraud.
The Core Parts of DMARC Policy Setup
A DMARC record helps protect your domain and makes sure your emails reach inboxes. A typical record looks like this:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com; sp=none; aspf=r; adkim=r
Here’s what it means:
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v=DMARC1 → DMARC version
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p=none → What to do if an email fails: none, quarantine, or reject
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rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com → Where reports are sent
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sp=none → Policy for subdomains
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aspf=r → SPF alignment mode (r = relaxed, s = strict)
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adkim=r → DKIM alignment mode
Understanding Alignment
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SPF Alignment: The sending server must match the “From” domain.
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DKIM Alignment: The DKIM signature must match the “From” domain.
If alignment is wrong, even real emails can fail DMARC. This can hurt email deliverability.
DMARC Policies
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None: Just monitor emails (good for testing).
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Quarantine: Send suspicious emails to spam or junk.
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Reject: Block fake emails completely.
A correct DMARC setup and alignment keep your emails safe, protect your brand, and earn your subscribers’ trust.
Why DMARC is Important in Your Email Security
Protect your brand and customers from scams
How Cybercriminals Change Identities
Cybercriminals often pretend to be trustworthy. They do this by:
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Making the “From:” address visible on your server
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Using a single domain (e.g., you-brand.co) or complex subdomains
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Sending spam, malware, or fraudulent solicitations to steal data
These attacks can steal data, money, or other sensitive information. They also hurt your brand’s reputation and reduce email deliverability.
How DMARC Protects Subscribers
DMARC adds an extra layer of protection on top of SPF and DKIM. It makes sure:
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Mail servers check the sender and match it with your domain
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Emails that fail checks can be monitored, sent to spam, or blocked
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Reports show misconfigurations and stop unauthorized senders
Stat: Over 90% of major email domains can be spoofed. Without DMARC, impersonation is easy.
With DMARC in place, fake emails using your brand are blocked.
Improve deliverability and open rates
How DMARC helps your emails reach the inbox
If you use DMARC correctly, email providers like Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo will recognize your email as authentic. This means you take email security seriously.
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DMARC uses SPF and DKIM to ensure that emails from your domain can be securely encrypted.
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Emails that fail these checks can be quarantined, rejected, or flagged, depending on your setup. This stops fraud and protects your brand.
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Over time, your domain builds a clean sending history. The fewer spam emails and complaints, the more ISPs will approve you.
As a result, your real email will end up in an inbox full of spam and irrelevant messages, and ads.
Why DMARC is Now Required for Bulk Senders
Since February 2024, Google and Yahoo require bulk senders (those sending many emails daily) to have DMARC. Microsoft added similar rules in May 2025.
These rules aim to:
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Make sure large-volume senders authenticate their domains, reducing spam, phishing, and spoofing.
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Improve the email ecosystem by stopping bad actors and helping legitimate emails reach inboxes.
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Give ISPs confidence that senders follow proper email authentication standards.
How DMARC Gains Trust
By creating a simple DMARC policy effectively with p = quarantine or p = deny, you show that you care about your email and your subscribers.
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To ISPs: They assume your server is secure and can send your email to the mailbox, not spam.
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Subscribers: When your emails land in their inbox, subscribers trust your brand more. This leads to better efficiency and fewer complaints or write-ups.
It’s important to note: “DMARC is not an email marketing metric, it’s an indicator of trust.”
With DMARC, you can prove to your ISPs and the people in charge of email security that your email is secure, encrypted, and reliable. This increases the chances of saving money, protecting your reputation, and increasing the effectiveness of advertising.
How to Implement DMARC — A Marketer-Friendly Setup Guide
Step 1 — Check All Your Email Sources
Before setting up DMARC, make a list of every service that sends emails using your domain. This can include:
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CRM tools like HubSpot or Salesforce
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Email platforms like Mailchimp, SendGrid, or Klaviyo
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Billing or invoicing tools sending receipts
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Transactional emails like password resets, order confirmations, and notifications
Step 2 — Create Your DMARC Record
A DMARC record is a text entry in your domain’s DNS. It tells email servers how to handle messages that fail authentication. Example DMARC record for marketers:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:forensic@yourdomain.com; pct=100; sp=none
Where to add it:
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Go to your DNS provider or domain registrar
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Add the DMARC TXT record
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Or give it to your IT team to set up
Step 3 — Check Your DMARC Reports
Reports are where you find real insights. There are two types:
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RUA (Aggregate Reports): Shows a summary of all emails sent from your domain
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RUF (Forensic Reports): Shows details about emails that failed authentication
What to look for:
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Emails failing SPF or DKIM
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Unexpected senders or new tools
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Suspicious IP addresses are trying to send an email
Tools to help:
Free or paid: DMARCian, EasyDMARC, Valimail Monitor
Step 4 — Slowly Enforce Your Policy
Once you know all your legitimate senders are set up correctly, move toward enforcement:
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p=none → monitor only
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p=quarantine → suspicious emails go to spam
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p=reject → block unauthorized emails
Timeline idea: Stay at each stage for about 30 days to make sure everything works.
Marketer tip:
Run test campaigns after each change to see if emails reach inboxes. Gradually enforcing DMARC keeps your brand safe and ensures your emails get delivered.
Common Pitfalls in DMARC for Email Marketing
Misaligned SPF or DKIM Records
Even small mistakes in your DNS can break email authentication. This can send your emails to spam. Make sure your SPF includes all the IPs that send emails for you. Check that your DKIM matches your email platform settings.
Ignoring Subdomain Policies
The sp tag controls DMARC for your subdomains. Without it, subdomains can still be spoofed. Protect subdomains just like your main domain.
Failing to Monitor Reports
Not checking DMARC reports regularly can hide problems. You might miss unaligned sources or fake senders. Use automated dashboards to track issues all the time.
Overlooking Third-Party Senders
Many marketing tools and email platforms send from their own IPs. If these aren’t authorized, emails will fail DMARC. Enroll senders in SPF or enable DKIM signing.
Role of DMARC in Email Campaign Management System
The DMARC is not just a security tool. It can also help you optimize your emails.
What the DMARC can show you:
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Which email platforms (ESPs) always pass authentication
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Poorly configured ports or SPF/DKIM failure.
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How to send false or misleading information
Here’s how DMARC helps manage email:
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More emails hit your inbox → higher click-through rates
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Less risk → quality shipping from reliable customers
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Spam reduction → your content quality
Marketing and IT integration:
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Marketing ensures that all businesses use reliable ESPs and tools.
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IT configuration for DNS, DKIM, SPF, and monitoring reports.
Together, they enable DMARC to operate smoothly without disrupting your network.
By using DMARC data this way, your brand stays safe and your email campaigns perform better.
Advanced Add-ons: BIMI, ARC, and Brand Visibility
Once DMARC is set up and enforced, you can use BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). BIMI lets your logo appear next to your emails in subscribers’ inboxes. This makes your brand more recognizable and trustworthy.
Quick look at ARC (Authenticated Received Chain):
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ARC helps forwarded emails keep their authentication results.
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Without ARC, forwarded messages can fail SPF or DKIM checks. They may be suspicious of you, even if the email is fine.
Consider this:
Your Gmail account will have an icon next to your email address. Your subscribers will know it’s you. This will be done by DMARC + BIMI.
Case Study - DMARC Business Dashboard
To check your DMARC settings, follow these steps:
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DMRC delegation statistics – Number of emails passing verification
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Inbox placement rate -- the percentage of emails landing in the main inbox
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Spam complaints: Some emails are marked as spam
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Phishing --- Reduce email spam with your domain
Best Practice: Configure the DMARC dashboard. This makes it easier for managers to report and track trends over time.
Use DMARC as part of your overall email campaign strategy. It helps you measure both security and engagement improvements.
By combining DMARC enforcement with BIMI and ARC, you not only protect your brand but also boost visibility, trust, and email performance.
Conclusion
Implementing DMARC is more than just following rules. It helps build trust in every email you send. When your DMARC is set up correctly, more of your emails reach the inbox. Subscribers recognize your domain as safe, and the risk of phishing drops.
You can start today by checking your DMARC setup or reviewing your current policy. This will make sure your emails are secure and perform at their best.
With Accord Tach Solutions, you don’t have to worry about the hard parts. We help you set up DMARC, check reports, and make sure your emails perform well. Everything is in one simple platform.
Start today and keep your emails safe from scammers. Try Accord Tach Solutions now, send emails that are secure, trusted, and always reach the inbox.