How to avoid your emails to be marked as spam (SenderID, DKIM, SPF, Branded email)

We have committed to improving the delivery and credibility of your email communications. To achieve this goal, we are implementing a crucial change regarding DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) settings for your domain when you send mass emails using MiniCRM.

This guide is must to read if you want to send mass emails from MiniCRM and want the recipients to receive them not in their Spam, but Inbox.

We have collected some of the techniques you can apply to avoid being marked as spam. When it occurs, there might be many many reasons behind, but if you follow the steps in this article, you have big chance to prevent the problems.

Why is DKIM important?

DKIM is an authentication method that helps verify the authenticity and integrity of your email messages. Activating DKIM not only improves the delivery rate of emails but also strengthens security and trust in your email communications in general.

What happens if SenderID, DKIM and Branded email are not set up

In that case, if these are not set up in your system, the sent email is more likely to end up in the SPAM folder or even bounce back from the recipient.

In your system, we alert you to the importance of these settings in several cases:

  • In case of a unique sender, DKIM – Sender ID is not set up for the email address domain.
  • When sending mass emails, you use the “Data Sheet Manager” setting and there is a user whose email address domain does not have DKIM – Sender Id set up.

Why should I set up Branded Email

By setting up Branded email, you can send your mass emails in the name of your own domain instead of the MiniCRM domain. This is good for you because it helps increase your delivery rates and reduces the likelihood of ending up in spam. With this setting, emails sent by other MiniCRM users from the MiniCRM domain will not affect your delivery statistics.

Another advantage is that the unsubscribe links will lead to your own domain’s unsubscribe page at the end of newsletters (the unsubscribe page itself is provided by the MiniCRM system, but your domain will appear in the URL bar).

What do you need to do to make sure these settings are correct?

It is important that you make these settings not in MiniCRM, but in the settings of your own domain’s service provider, if you have access to your DNS and can modify it. If you don’t have access, ask your system administrator or domain registrar to perform the following settings!

If you have DNS access but have never seen such a setting in your life, it may be better to ask someone who knows about it, as it can be complicated to understand and you can cause damage with a misinterpreted/set value in your mail.

In general, there are 4 things that can be done:

  • SenderID setting: Modify SPF record if it already exists or add it if it doesn’t.
  • DKIM setting
  • Setting up domain verification
  • Setting up Branded email

What do you need to do?

You need to work in two places (or your system administrator needs to work): in MiniCRM and in the settings interface of your domain service provider (DNS).

To do this, you need to be an Administrator in MiniCRM.

The process takes only a few minutes. Follow these steps for all domains used for sending mass emails from MiniCRM:

Step 1. Generate DKIM records from MiniCRM: Generate DKIM records for your domain by accessing the Settings page in your MiniCRM account. Choose „System” from the menu and go to the SenderID and DKIM Settings panel on the right. Enter your domain name and follow the instructions in the newly opened window.

Step 2. Access your domain control panel: Log in to your domain hosting provider’s control panel (CPanel) or contact your IT team/hosting provider if you are unsure how to access domain settings. Send them the instructions generated in step 1 above from MiniCRM with copy paste.

Step 3. Update DNS records: After generating DKIM records, make sure you update DNS (Domain Name System) records with the generated keys or ask your IT team/hosting provider to do it for you.

Step 4. Allow new settings: After updating DNS records in your hosting control panel, return to step 1 page in MiniCRM (Settings→System→SenderID and DKIM Settings Panel) and click on the „Allow” button next to your domain. The process is complete when there is a green checkmark next to your domain.