Why do your emails end up in spam?

If you use a personalized email address (e.g., contact@mystudio.com) to send emails to your clients, some of these emails might end up in spam. This often happens because email servers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.) don't recognize the sender as legitimate.

To avoid this, it's essential to configure three email authentication protocols:

🔹 SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

🔹 DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

🔹 DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

These protocols help prove that you are indeed the sender of the emails and reduce the risk of them being marked as spam.

What are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?

🔹 SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Defines a list of servers authorized to send emails on your behalf.

🔹 DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a cryptographic signature to your emails to prove they haven't been modified.

🔹 DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Tells email servers how to handle emails that don't pass SPF or DKIM.

With these three protocols configured, your emails are less likely to be considered spam and will be better received by your clients.

How to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC based on your provider?

📌 1. Check your domain and DNS access

Before starting, you need to have access to your domain's DNS management. This is where you'll add or modify TXT records.

🔹 Configuration for Google Workspace (e.g., professional Gmail)

1️⃣ Configure SPF:

Add this TXT record in your DNS manager:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

➡️ This indicates that Google is authorized to send emails for your domain.

2️⃣ Configure DKIM:

Go to Admin Console → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Email authentication.

Enable DKIM and follow the instructions to add the TXT record provided by Google.

3️⃣ Configure DMARC:

Add this TXT record:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:youremail@yourdomain.com

➡️ You can adjust p=none, p=quarantine, or p=reject based on your desired control level.

🔹 Configuration for OVH

1️⃣ Configure SPF:

Add this TXT record in your DNS:

v=spf1 include:mx.ovh.com ~all

➡️ This allows OVH servers to send emails on your behalf.

2️⃣ Configure DKIM:

Go to OVH Webmail → Emails → Advanced configuration → DKIM.

OVH provides you with a DKIM key to add as a TXT record in your DNS.

3️⃣ Configure DMARC:

Add this TXT record:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:youremail@yourdomain.com

➡️ This allows you to monitor and report non-compliant emails.

How to test if SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured?

After adding these records, test your configuration with these tools:

✅ Mail-Tester: https://www.mail-tester.com/

✅ Google Postmaster Tools: https://postmaster.google.com/

✅ MXToolBox: https://mxtoolbox.com/

About DMARC and its reports

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is a protocol that helps protect your domain against identity spoofing and phishing. When you enable DMARC, you can configure receiving reports that give you information about your domain's use in sending emails.

Why receive DMARC reports?

DMARC reports allow you to:

• Verify if your emails are properly authenticated via SPF and DKIM.
• Detect if unauthorized third parties are using your domain to send fraudulent emails.
• Optimize your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to prevent your legitimate emails from being marked as spam.

How to analyze DMARC reports?

DMARC reports are sent as XML files. Several online tools can convert and interpret these reports (e.g., dmarcian, Postmark, etc.). They'll tell you if you've correctly configured SPF and DKIM, and also if there are identity spoofing attempts using your domain.

How to stop receiving DMARC reports?

Every email service receiving at least one email from you will send you a DMARC report. This can be a lot. Once your DMARC configuration is properly set up and everything works correctly, you can stop receiving reports by modifying your DMARC record: remove the rua and ruf tags from your DMARC record.

FAQ - Common problems and solutions

❓ My email still ends up in spam, why?

➡️ Make sure DNS records are properly propagated (this can take 24-48 hours).

➡️ Check your content: avoid typical spam words, too many links, or images without text.

➡️ Encourage your recipients to mark your emails as safe.

❓ I don't have access to my domain's DNS management, what should I do?

➡️ Contact your host or domain administrator to add the records.

❓ How do I know if DMARC is blocking my emails?

➡️ Configure a report email address (rua=mailto:youremail@yourdomain.com) to receive DMARC notifications.

🎯 Conclusion: Ensure your emails are properly received

By configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, you significantly reduce the risk of your emails ending up in spam. These settings are essential to ensure good communication with your clients and maintain a professional image.

💡 If you have questions or need help configuring these records, contact our technical support!

Updated on: 21/05/2026