The Email Change You Actually Need to Know About

Do you send promotional emails to your database? This applies to you! Over time, email providers like Gmail and Outlook have become stricter about what emails they deliver to users' inboxes. This is because they want to protect users from spam and phishing attempts.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance):

DMARC is a security protocol that helps prevent email spoofing and phishing. Email spoofing is when someone sends an email that looks like it's from a trusted sender but is actually from a malicious source. Phishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving them personal information like passwords or credit card numbers.

The Changes:

Nowadays, email providers are more likely to check if emails are coming from legitimate sources. This is where DMARC comes in. It helps email senders prove that their emails are real and not from scammers. If a business owner wants to make sure their marketing emails get delivered, they need to make sure they're following DMARC guidelines.

In simple terms, if a business owner wants to keep their email marketing effective, they need to pay attention to DMARC and make sure their emails meet the security standards set by email providers. This helps ensure that their emails actually reach their customers' inboxes and aren't mistakenly marked as spam or phishing attempts.

Who does this effect?

• Small business owners who rely on email marketing to reach their customers will need to understand and comply with DMARC guidelines to ensure their marketing emails are delivered successfully. Failure to do so could result in their emails being marked as spam or phishing attempts, which can impact their marketing efforts and customer engagement.

What happens if I don’t do it?

As a small business owner, if you don't implement DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), several potential consequences may arise:

• Decreased Email Deliverability: Email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook increasingly use DMARC to authenticate incoming emails. Without DMARC implementation, your emails may be more likely to end up in recipients' spam or junk folders, or they may be outright rejected by email servers, reducing the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns.

• Risk of Email Spoofing and Phishing: Without DMARC, your domain is more vulnerable to being spoofed by cybercriminals. This means scammers could impersonate your business and send fraudulent emails to your customers, potentially damaging your brand reputation and causing financial harm to your customers.

• Loss of Customer Trust: If customers receive suspicious or fraudulent emails claiming to be from your business, they may lose trust in your brand. This could lead to decreased customer engagement, loss of sales, and even negative word-of-mouth publicity, impacting your overall business success.

• Missed Opportunities for Customer Engagement: Emails are a valuable tool for communicating with customers, promoting products or services, and nurturing relationships. If your emails aren't reaching recipients' inboxes or are being ignored due to suspicions of fraud, you'll miss out on opportunities to engage with your audience and drive sales.

• Potential Legal and Regulatory Issues: Depending on your industry and location, there may be legal and regulatory requirements related to email security and privacy. Failing to implement adequate measures, such as DMARC, to protect sensitive customer data or prevent email fraud could result in legal consequences, fines, or penalties.

Overall, implementing DMARC is essential for small business owners to maintain the effectiveness and security of their email marketing efforts, protect their brand reputation, and build trust with customers. It's an important step in safeguarding against email spoofing, phishing attacks, and other fraudulent activities that can harm both your business and your customers.

What do I need to do for DMARC?

1) Check Your Domain's DNS Records: DMARC settings are configured through DNS (Domain Name System) records. Access your domain's DNS settings through your domain registrar or hosting provider's control panel and check for existing DNS records.

2) Create DMARC DNS Record: If your domain doesn't already have a DMARC DNS record, create one. The DMARC record contains policies that specify how email providers should handle emails that fail authentication checks. You can use online DMARC record generators or consult with an IT professional for assistance in creating the record.

3) Publish DMARC Policy: Publish your DMARC policy by adding the DMARC DNS record to your domain's DNS settings. Ensure that the policy aligns with your organisation's email authentication practices and specify how email providers should handle emails that fail authentication checks (e.g., quarantine or reject).

Can you just do it for me?

Of course we can. We just need your DNS login credentials. This is where you hold your domain - for example, crazy domains or godaddy are common ones. 

Click here to get started. We’ll get it all sorted for you.