Ensuring Successful Email Delivery through DKIM in Anthology Encompass
Sending bulk emails through third-party email marketing platforms is an integral part of your communication strategy. With major email providers like Google and Yahoo implementing new email authentication and spam-prevention policies starting in February 2024, institutions must ensure their emails meet domain authentication requirements. Bulk emails sent from your domain must adhere to the new policies set by major email providers. To achieve this, domain authentication through DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is necessary.
Understanding DKIM and SPF
If your sending address is in a subdomain (e.g., yourdept.university.edu), additional records may be required. Anthology® Encompass employs Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DKIM to enhance deliverability.
SPF is an email authentication standard that compares the email sender’s actual IP address to authorized IP addresses in the domain's DNS record.
Encompass signs all emails with DKIM to improve deliverability. DKIM ensures that the email is properly authenticated, even if the "from" address is not @anthology.com. The bulk email changes being put in place by email platforms are driving a need to update DKIM.
Impact on Mail Delivery
While omitting these standards does not usually cause a major negative impact, the use of SPF and DKIM standards improves deliverability and helps bypass email filters. Changes being made by major email providers will require some configuration adjustments, and Encompass support can assist. Properly configuring your DKIM enables you to meet these new bulk email sending requirements and enhance your deliverability.
By following these steps and collaborating with your IT team and Encompass support, you can ensure your emails meet the necessary authentication standards for successful delivery and engagement with recipients.
Steps to Ensure Continued Strong Email Deliverability: Requesting DKIM Configuration in Encompass
Customer Request: DKIM and SPF Setup
Anthology Encompass customers looking to set up DKIM for their emails need to follow four simple steps
1. Your Team: Submit Your Request to Encompass Support
- Request to set up DKIM for Encompass emails by contacting Encompass support. The domain that you select should match what is being used by the email sender (e.g., the domain that displays in the “from” field in an email, such as yourinstitution.edu).
2. Encompass Support Generates DNS Values
- Once the domain is collected, Encompass support generates the DNS values that your domain manager can configure.
3. Institution’s Domain Manager: Sets DNS Credentials
- Your IT department sets the DNS credentials provided for the requested domain.
4. Your Team: Follow up with Encompass Support
- After the DNS credentials have been configured, a follow-up with Encompass support is necessary to enable verification of the domain and complete the setup with Encompass.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your emails meet the necessary authentication standards, enhancing sender reputation and ensuring successful email delivery.