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Decoding the Jargon

SPF, DKIM and DMARC

Sender Policy Framework, DomainKeys Identified Mail, Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance · Also called Email authentication

AutomationTerm

Three email authentication records you add to your domain's DNS. SPF lists which servers may send for your domain, DKIM adds a signature that proves the email was not altered, and DMARC tells receivers what to do when a message fails those checks and sends you reports.

Example

Meera sends from offers@ her shop's domain through her email tool. Her web person adds the tool's SPF and DKIM records and a DMARC record, so Gmail can verify the mail really comes from her domain.

How you'll hear it

“Gmail started rejecting our mail; check whether DMARC is set up and aligned.”

Don't confuse it with

  • SSL/TLS: encrypts the connection; it does not prove who the sender is.
  • Sender reputation: built from behaviour over time; authentication only proves identity.

Related terms

DeliverabilitySender reputationSpam complaint rate

Sources

  1. Email sender guidelines, Google (Gmail Help)
  2. What Is DMARC?, Mailchimp (Intuit)

Checked 1 October 2026. Examples use a fictional business; figures are illustrative.

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