What the Heck Are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC? (And Why Should Your Business Care)

Before your next email marketing campaign or guest confirmation email goes out, check this:

If your domain isn’t authenticated, you could be throwing bookings into the spam folder—and opening the door to scammers.

Think of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Like This:

• SPF is your passport
• DKIM is your signature
• DMARC is your bodyguard

Together, they prove you are who you say you are—and protect your emails from being impersonated, blocked, or flagged as spam.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

What it does: Tells inboxes who’s allowed to send emails on your behalf

Why it matters:
If you’re using Mailchimp, HubSpot, or a PMS to send emails, SPF says:

“Hey Gmail, this sender is legit—I gave them permission to send this.”

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

What it does: Adds a digital signature to every email

Why it matters:
It’s like sealing a physical letter with wax—proof the message hasn’t been tampered with in transit.
Without DKIM? Your email might look sketchy to inbox providers, even if it’s fully legit.

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

What it does: Tells inboxes what to do if SPF or DKIM fail

Why it matters:
This is the enforcement layer. You’re saying:

“If someone spoofs my domain, reject it—and send me the report.”

DMARC also helps you monitor deliverability and stay ahead of potential spoofing or phishing attacks.

Why This Matters for Hospitality

Your transactional and marketing emails—like booking confirmations, upsells, event reminders, and promo offers—only work if they reach the inbox.

Without SPF, DKIM, and DMARC:

• Your emails may go straight to spam
• Your domain could be impersonated by scammers
• Your sender reputation could tank, even if you're doing everything else right

And as of 2024, Gmail and Yahoo now require these for high-volume senders.
Even smaller vacation rental owners or destination marketers can be impacted—especially if you send booking or payment emails from your own domain.

Bottom Line:

If your emails aren’t authenticated, they’re not trusted.
And untrusted emails don’t get opened—or booked.

Need help figuring this out?
Ask your PMS, email provider, or web host about your domain’s SPF, DKIM, and DMARC status—or reach out and we’ll help you get it sorted.

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