Validating External Domains for Squarespace Email Campaigns

From February Google and Yahoo have updated bulk sender requirements in order to try and keep more spam out of our inboxes as much as possible. A bulk sender includes those who send more than 5,000 messages to Gmail addresses in one day (including all your personal emails) - however for even smaller senders, emails will inevitably be caught up as spam (which affects your deliverability) and should be managed according to best practices for your best shot at avoiding the dreaded spam folder.

Additionally most of the email platforms we are using ie:squarespace, mailchimp will be recommending everyone follows the guidelines, including verifying your domains which is something they can control, so they can maintain as clean a practice as possible.

I’ve summarised the information for the new best practice, from the Google resources (and have attached the link to the full article at the end of you want to go into more detail) followed by instructions for verifying your domain in some of the more common domain hosts.

If you would like me to organise the email domain verification for your account, the cost is $95 and you will need to have all of your domain log in details ready to go.

New requirements for bulk senders (and recommended best practice for all senders)

1. Authenticate your email: You shouldn’t need to worry about the intricacies of email security standards, but you should be able to confidently rely on an email’s source. So we're requiring those who send significant volumes to strongly authenticate their emails following well-established best practices. Ultimately, this will close loopholes exploited by attackers that threaten everyone who uses email.

2. Enable easy unsubscription: You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to stop receiving unwanted messages from a particular email sender. It should take one click. So we’re requiring that large senders give Gmail recipients the ability to unsubscribe from commercial email in one click, and that they process unsubscription requests within two days. We’ve built these requirements on open standards so that once senders implement them, everyone who uses email benefits.

3. Ensure you’re sending wanted email: Nobody likes spam, and Gmail already includes many tools that keep unwanted messages out of your inbox. To add yet another protection, moving forward, we’ll enforce a clear spam rate threshold that senders must stay under to ensure Gmail recipients aren’t bombarded with unwanted messages. This is an industry first, and as a result, you should see even less spam in your inbox.

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HOW TO DIY

A custom email refers to an email address with your domain address, such as contact@sampledomain.com if your domain is www.sampledomain.com. (If you've registered your domain through Squarespace, the verification process is automatic.)

For those who purchased their domain from an external provider (Godaddy, Bluehost etc) you will need to manually insert verification records into your third-party domain's DNS settings.

This guide walks you through the steps of manually adding verification records to a third-party domain's DNS settings. It's important to note that if your domain has a DMARC policy set to p=reject, the use of your sender details is restricted until after the domain verification. If uncertainty persists regarding your domain's DMARC policies, reach out to your domain provider for clarification.

Getting Started

The method of accessing your third-party domain's DNS settings depends on how it's linked to your Squarespace site. If your third-party domain is connected through nameservers, you can modify its DNS records via the DNS Settings panel. Alternatively, for a third-party domain connected through DNS records, adjustments must be made within your provider's account.

To identify the connection setup for your third-party domain, leading to its connection with your Squarespace site, refer to the DNS records access for third-party domains.

Step 1 - Locate Your Verification Records:

Initiate the process by opening the Email Campaign settings panel, then navigating to Sender Details. Identify the details requiring an update and click on Verify Domain. 

The ensuing window will present two records that need to be incorporated into your DNS settings.

The following details the process of accessing your DNS settings, contingent on whether your third-party domain is linked through Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect.

Nameserver Connect

To access your third-party domain's DNS settings:

1. Open the Domains panel. 

2. Under Domains managed by third-party, click the domain name. 

3. Click Edit next to DNS Settings.

4. Under Custom Records, click Add Record. 

DNS Connect

To access your third-party domain's DNS settings:

1. Open a new browser tab or window.

2. Log into your domain account, and find where you manage your DNS settings.

Depending on your provider, this may be called Zone File Settings, Manage Domains, Domain Manager, DNS Manager, or something similar.

Here, generate two fresh records that align with the details present in Squarespace. In Squarespace, every record comprises a Type, Host, and Data value. It's worth noting that your provider's DNS settings might employ alternative labels, for instance, using "Record" instead of "Type." Remember to save your changes after incorporating the new records.

The resolution of your records may take up to 72 hours, depending on your provider. To monitor the progress, access your sender details, and look for the "Domain Settings Verified" message indicating successful domain verification.

The following sections provide instructions on adding these records to DNS settings for commonly used providers. If your provider is not included, reach out to their support team for further assistance.

Verifying a GoDaddy domain

1. Log into your Domain Manager at dashboard.godaddy.com.

2. Select your domain to access the Domain Settings page.

3. Scroll down to Quick Links and click Manage Domain.

4. On the Domain Settings page, click Manage DNS.

5. Scroll down to DNS Records, and select Add to add the CNAME record, copying and pasting the Host and Data values you see in Squarespace, then click Add Record to Save. 

6. Continue the same process for the TXT record.

For more questions, contact GoDaddy support.

Verifying a Namecheap domain

1. Log into your account at namecheap.com.

2. Click Account, then Domain List.

3. Next to the domain, click Manage.

4. Click Advanced DNS.

5. Click Add New Record.

6. Add the CNAME record, copying and pasting the Host and Data values you see in Squarespace, then click Save All Changes.

7. Continue the same process for the TXT record.

For more questions, contact Namecheap support.

Verifying an IONOS domain

1. Go to www.my.ionos.com/domains and log into your IONOS Domains and SSL page.

2. Select your domain to access the Domain Details page.

3. Click DNS from the header displaying below your domain to view the DNS Settings.

4. Click Add Record.

5. Add the CNAME record, copying and pasting the Host and Data values you see in Squarespace, then click Save. 

For more questions, contact IONOS support.

REFERENCE LINK:

Read the full Squarespace article at https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001280748-Verifying-third-party-domains-for-Email-Campaigns#toc-before-you-begin

Read the full Google Document https://blog.google/products/gmail/gmail-security-authentication-spam-protection/