Multiple SPF Records - Email Marketing

What is an SPF Record?

A Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record that identifies which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. Implementing SPF records is a key practice in email authentication and helps to prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks.

Why is SPF Important in Email Marketing?

SPF records are crucial for maintaining the deliverability of your email campaigns. By specifying which servers can send emails on behalf of your domain, SPF helps ensure that your marketing emails reach the intended recipients' inboxes rather than getting flagged as spam.

Can You Have Multiple SPF Records?

Technically, a domain should not have multiple SPF records. Having more than one SPF record can result in a permanent error and cause email authentication to fail. Instead, you should combine all authorized servers into a single SPF record.

How to Combine Multiple SPF Records?

If you need to authorize multiple mail servers, you should combine them into one SPF record using the include mechanism. For example, if you have two SPF records like:

v=spf1 include:spf.server1.com -all
v=spf1 include:spf.server2.com -all

You should combine them into a single SPF record:

v=spf1 include:spf.server1.com include:spf.server2.com -all

What are the Risks of Multiple SPF Records?

Having multiple SPF records can lead to authentication failures, which can negatively impact your email deliverability. Emails sent from domains with multiple SPF records may be flagged as spam by email servers, affecting the success of your email marketing campaigns.

How to Check Your SPF Record?

You can use various online tools to check your SPF record. These tools will verify whether your SPF record is correctly configured and whether there are any issues, such as multiple SPF records or syntax errors.

Best Practices for SPF Records in Email Marketing

To ensure optimal performance of your email marketing campaigns, follow these best practices:

Always use a single SPF record for your domain.
Combine multiple mail servers using the include mechanism.
Regularly audit and update your SPF record to include all authorized mail servers.
Monitor your email deliverability to identify any issues related to SPF.