Email deliverability checker: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and MX
Mail providers check three DNS records before they trust an email: SPF, DKIM and DMARC. If one is missing, your prospecting emails are more likely to land in spam. Type your domain to see what is set up and what to fix.
What each record does
- MX: tells the world which servers receive mail for your domain. Without it, replies to you can bounce.
- SPF: a TXT record listing the services allowed to send as your domain. Only one SPF record is allowed, and it should end with ~all or -all.
- DKIM: a signature added to each email, checked against a public key in your DNS. Your email provider gives you the record to add.
- DMARC: tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fail, and where to send reports. Start with p=none to monitor, then move to quarantine.
Before your first prospecting campaign
- Send from a domain you control, with SPF, DKIM and DMARC all in place.
- Start with a few emails a day per mailbox and increase gradually.
- Write short, personal emails with one link at most and a clear way to opt out.
- Remove addresses that bounce and stop emailing anyone who asks.
About DKIM selectors
A DKIM key sits at <selector>._domainkey.<your domain>, and each provider picks its own selector name. This checker tries the most common selectors. If it finds none, your key may simply use another name: check the DKIM settings of your email provider.
Then send to the right businesses
A clean domain only helps if the list is right. LeadsIt finds the businesses of a given type in your city or region, with the emails and phone numbers they publish themselves. Packs from $6.90, credits never expire.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my cold emails go to spam?
The usual causes are a missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC record, a new domain sending too much too fast, links or wording that look like marketing, and sending to addresses that bounce. Fix the records first, then the volume and the message.
Can I have two SPF records?
No. A domain must have a single SPF record. If you use several sending services, merge them into one record with several include: entries.
Which DMARC policy should I use?
Start with p=none and a reporting address, check the reports, then move to p=quarantine once your legitimate senders pass. p=reject is the strictest setting.
Is my domain stored?
No. The lookups run in your browser against public DNS. LeadsIt does not receive the domain you type.