Getting Started with Email Authentication and Using eosends.com for Improved Deliverability

To enhance email deliverability and ensure that your emails reach their intended recipients, Evolved Office offers the option to use personalized aliases under the eosends.com domain when you have not yet set up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records for your own domain. For new users, unique aliases like yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com will be the default "From" email address unless you have your own domain authorized with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. This allows you to start using our platform quickly while you work on setting up domain authentication.

What is the `eosends.com` Alias?

The eosends.com domain allows for personalized email aliases that act as verified senders on your behalf through our platform. This means that emails sent through your account will display a custom alias like yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com as the sender, even though the messages will still carry your branding and content.

How Does It Work?

Default for New Users: For new users, unique aliases like yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com are set as the default "From" email address to ensure smooth initial use of the platform. This can be updated to your domain email once you complete the necessary domain authentication.
Using Our Trusted Domain: By sending emails through the eosends.com domain with a personalized alias, your emails benefit from the established reputation of Evolved Office’s domain. This can reduce the likelihood of your emails being flagged as spam or facing deliverability issues.
Quick Setup: This option is ideal if you want to start sending emails immediately while working on setting up domain authentication like DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
Bridge to a Better Solution: The alias is designed as a temporary solution. For long-term success, we recommend setting up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC to ensure your domain builds a positive reputation with Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Benefits of Using the Alias

Improved Deliverability: Leverage our trusted domain reputation with personalized aliases like yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com to ensure your emails are delivered reliably.
Seamless Start: Ideal for businesses that want to begin their email campaigns without waiting for the technical setup of domain authentication.
Encouragement for Long-Term Authentication: Using the alias is a helpful stop-gap, but setting up your domain's DKIM, SPF, and DMARC is critical for maintaining a strong sender reputation over time.

What Happens When Recipients Reply?

When using a personalized alias under eosends.com, replies from recipients are handled seamlessly:

Reply-to Address Configuration: Although yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com is used as the sending address, the "Reply-to" address is typically set to your business email address. This means that when a recipient replies to the email, their response will be directed to your specified email address rather than the eosends.com alias.
Recipient's Experience: The recipient will see yourname@yourwebsite.mail.eosends.com as the sender in their inbox, but when they hit "Reply," their email client will automatically address the response to the "Reply-to" email address. This way, any reply they send will go directly to your inbox.
Maintaining Communication Flow: This setup ensures that you can still manage and maintain communication with your recipients directly, even when using a eosends.com alias for the initial email sent.

Setting Up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC for Your Domain

For improved control over your email sending reputation and deliverability, it’s strongly recommended to set up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC with your business domain provider. These records verify your domain as a legitimate sender, reducing the chances of being marked as spam. Below are the detailed instructions to set up each:

1. DKIM (Domain Key Identified Mail)

What is DKIM?

DKIM is a way to digitally sign an email, ensuring that the email is authentic and has been sent on your behalf via our services. This helps to establish trust with the recipients and verifies that the email is genuinely from you.

Request Your Unique DKIM Key: Reach out to support@evolvedoffice.com for your unique DKIM key, which is specific to your domain. Make sure to include your domain name in the request for faster processing.

Create a TXT record: _domainkey

Set the value to: "o=~; r=postmaster@[domain_name]"
Note:
- Quotes may be necessary depending on domain host provider
- The postmaster mailbox may need to be created if it does not already exist.

Create a Selector Record for the Public Key:

Create a TXT record: nacusdkim._domainkey.[domain_name]
Set the value to: "k=rsa;p=[provided_public_key]"
Note: Quotes may be necessary depending on domain host provider

For more information on DKIM, visit: DKIM Overview.

2. SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

What is SPF?

SPF specifies which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. It acts as a filter, adding protection against spam senders who might try to misuse your domain to send unwanted emails, which could include misinformation or malware.

Create a TXT record: [domain_name]
- Set the value to: v=spf1 include:smna.eosendmail.com -all
- If your domain already has an SPF record, simply add: include:smna.eosendmail.com

For more information on SPF, visit: SPF Overview.

3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)

What is DMARC?

DMARC is a layer of protection that works alongside SPF and DKIM. It tells receiving organizations what to do with emails sent from your domain that fail authentication checks. The domain owner can receive DMARC reports, which indicate how well their emails are being authenticated and can help identify misuse by outside attackers.

DMARC settings can include:

Do nothing – Allow emails that fail to be delivered.
Send to their quarantine – Direct suspicious emails to spam.
Reject / delete email – Block unauthenticated emails entirely.

For a complete explanation, visit: DMARC Overview.

How to Configure Your DMARC Record

Here is a link to a tool that will help you configure your DMARC record and add it to your domain: MXToolbox DMARC Record Generator.

Note: Ensure DKIM and SPF are set up for at least 48 hours before adding DMARC, as DMARC relies on these records for validation.

Important Information About Using Public Email Services

Authentication can only be added to domains you or your business own and control. Public email services like Gmail and Yahoo can't be authenticated through our platform.

Changes since February 2024:

Beginning February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo will require custom authentication and a published DMARC record for anyone sending more than 5,000 emails to Gmail or Yahoo addresses in a 24-hour period. To prevent your emails from bouncing, we strongly recommend authenticating your email domain and configuring DMARC.

If you currently use a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo as your "From" email address, we strongly recommend switching to an email address from a private domain, such as one associated with your work or website.

Verifying Your Setup

Once the records are added, please inform support@evolvedoffice.com so our team can verify and register them. This step ensures that everything is properly configured, allowing you to confidently proceed with your email campaigns. Proper verification helps maintain your domain’s sending reputation and improves the deliverability of your messages.

Setting up these records ensures maximum control over your email-sending reputation, maintaining your brand’s integrity and deliverability. However, until you're ready to complete this setup, the eosends.com alias provides a reliable solution to keep your campaigns running smoothly.