Managing sending domains

Learn how to manage sending domains.

What we'll cover

1. Concepts
2. How to add a sending domain
3. Each domain has its own sender reputation
4. How to delete a sending domain

1 Concepts

Sending domain requirement
To provide the best deliverability possible, we require that our users only send email from validated sending domains. Due to this, you must add a sending domain before you can send an email.

Domain vs. Subdomain
When choosing a sending domain, we highly suggest using a subdomain instead of a domain. For example, if your domain is breckwerx.com we would suggest using email.breckwerx.com and not breckwerx.com. Using a subdomain for email marketing protects the reputation of your main domain, ensuring that any issues with spam or blacklisting do not affect your primary business communications.

Strict alignment
Strict alignment means your "From" address must exactly match your authenticated sending domain. It helps improve deliverability and shows inbox providers your emails are legitimate. To set up strict alignment, make sure to add the CNAME record that points to mx.shr2023.trvt.io. You will see this record when configuring your domain in the Tarvent platform.

Note: Strict alignment only works with subdomains (like email.yourdomain.com). Root domains can’t support the needed DNS records, so you'll need to send from a subdomain to enable strict alignment.

DMARC policy
To maximize deliverability, set your DMARC policy to quarantine or reject instead of none. This shows email providers you're serious about protecting your domain. For example, instead of v=DMARC1; p=none;, the value would be v=DMARC1; p=quarantine;

Warning: Your DMARC policy can only be set to quarantine or reject, if you have strict alignment set up. If strict alignment is not set up, it will cause your emails to land in spam or not be delivered.

2 How to add a sending domain

Here are the steps:

1. Go to the domains page in your account settings. Account > Domains.
2. Click the '+' button at the top-right
3. Enter the sending domain you would like to use. Be sure to review the concepts above before choosing your sending domain.
4. Enable the domain as a sending domain and click next
5. If you manage your own domain, update your DNS based on the records shown.

   Note: Please review the concepts above to understand the records needed. If you have a custom SPF record, please contact our support team to learn how to add the Tarvent SPF value.

6. If you do not manage your own domain, click the Send to DNS manager link on the bottom right. This will open a pre-built email that you can send to whomever manages your domain so they can update the DNS records.
7. Once the DNS has been updated click Verify to validate that the records were set up correctly. DNS changes may take up to 24 hours to propagate.

   Note: We automatically check the DNS records every hour. If DNS records are updated and the system shows that it's still not valid, you can click Verify later and come back later to check.

   Note: If you use Cloudflare for your DNS, please make sure that the "proxy" setting is disabled.

3 Each domain has its own sender reputation

Every sending domain you add earns its own sender reputation, scored from how mail from that domain actually performs. Mailbox providers judge a sending identity rather than a company, so a problem on one of your domains does not pull down the others.

You can see each domain's score on the domains page, and open Reports > Account > Sender reputation by domain for what moved it and which campaigns were responsible. See Sender reputation by sending domain.

A newly added domain has no history to score, so it starts from your account's overall standing and sends at a reduced daily volume at first, increasing as it establishes itself. This is normal for any new sending identity and is not a restriction placed on your account.

Note: Deleting a domain does not erase its reputation history. If you add the same domain back, it resumes the standing it had rather than starting fresh.

4 How to delete a sending domain

Here are the steps:

1. Go to the domains page in your account settings. Account > Domains.
2. Click the trash can icon to the right of domain's status
3. Enter delete to confirm.

   Note: A valid sending domain is required to send a campaign or any email, if you delete your sending domain you must add another one and validate it to be able to send a campaign again.