Why You Should Run A DMARC Check Before

Your Next Email Campaign

In the realm of digital marketing today, email stands out as one of the most effective means of connecting with your target audience. Whether you are introducing a new product, advertising a webinar, or cultivating leads, a strategically timed email campaign can produce remarkable outcomes. However, if your domain is susceptible to spoofing or phishing, all your hard work could be wasted — or worse, it could have negative repercussions. This is where DMARC plays a crucial role.

Conducting a DMARC assessment before your upcoming email campaign isn’t merely advisable; it’s an essential measure for ensuring that your emails reach their destination, safeguarding your brand’s image, and protecting your audience.

What Is DMARC and Why Does It Matter?

DMARC is a protocol for email authentication that enables domain owners to manage who has the authority to send emails using their domain. It operates in conjunction with SPF and DKIM to confirm the authenticity of emails originating from your domain.

In the absence of DMARC, cybercriminals can impersonate your domain, sending out phishing messages that appear to come from your business. This not only endangers your clients and partners but can also severely damage your sender reputation — a crucial metric that email service providers rely on to decide whether your emails land in the inbox or get filtered into the spam folder.

DMARC in Action: Stopping Email Impersonation

By setting up DMARC, you can provide guidance to incoming mail servers regarding their actions when an email does not pass authentication tests — options include placing it in quarantine or outright rejection. Additionally, you gain access to comprehensive reports detailing who is sending emails on behalf of your domain, which aids in identifying any unauthorized usage. Conducting a DMARC check allows you to confirm whether your domain is properly secured against impersonation attempts or if it remains vulnerable to misuse.

3 Reasons to Run a DMARC Check Before Launching Your Campaign

1. Protect Your Brand Reputation

The domain associated with your email is essential to your brand's identity. If someone poses as your business to distribute deceptive emails, the consequences can be severe. You risk losing customer trust, facing mass unsubscribes, or even being reported, all of which can harm your reputation and hinder your marketing efforts.

Conducting a DMARC check is crucial to confirm that your domain is adequately protected against these threats. Think of it as verifying that your doors are securely locked before you head out — an easy step that can avert a significant disaster.

2. Improve Email Deliverability

Even authorized marketing emails might end up in the spam folder if email service providers doubt the security of your domain. Platforms like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo are progressively incorporating DMARC policies into their filtering processes. 

If your DMARC policy is either improperly set up or absent, it signals to email providers that you’re not prioritizing authentication, which may decrease your likelihood of reaching the inbox. Conducting a DMARC assessment allows you to proactively spot and resolve configuration problems, enhancing your sender reputation and improving your campaign's open rates.

3. Gain Visibility into Email Usage

Conducting a DMARC analysis, particularly when combined with DMARC reporting, offers essential information about the usage of your domain. It allows you to identify the sources of legitimate communications, like your marketing software or customer relationship management system, while also highlighting areas where there might be fraudulent actions occurring. 

This level of insight is crucial for those utilizing various external services to dispatch emails. In the absence of this visibility, even trustworthy senders could be incorrectly marked as dubious, which could negatively impact the effectiveness of your campaigns.

How to Run a DMARC Check

Step 1: Use a Trusted DMARC Checker Tool

You can find a variety of both free and paid online tools to evaluate your DMARC record. Some of these include:

• DMARCian


• MXToolbox


• EasyDMARC


• Valimail

Step 2: Analyze the Results

A policy that allows for “none” is certainly preferable to having no policy at all; however, it merely observes unauthorized usage rather than preventing it. To actively safeguard your system, think about switching to a “quarantine” or “reject” approach after confirming that legitimate senders are verified through SPF and DKIM.

Step 3: Monitor and Adjust

After establishing your DMARC policy, continue to review reports to identify any irregularities. As your organization expands, you may need to add new email tools to your whitelist. Conducting frequent DMARC assessments will help maintain proper alignment. Explore details with one click.