Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook expect marketing email to come from an authenticated domain. Without it, your emails are much more likely to land in spam or be rejected. Do this before your first real send.
What the records do
Record | What it proves |
DKIM | Adds a digital signature showing the email really came from your domain and wasn't changed on the way |
Mailserver (SPF / return path) | Shows Liven Engage is allowed to send email for your domain |
DMARC | Tells inbox providers what to do with email that fails the checks above, and is required by Gmail and Yahoo |
What you need
The domain your emails will come from, for example
yourvenue.com.auif you send fromhello@yourvenue.com.auA login for that domain's DNS provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Crazy Domains, VentraIP and so on), or the person who manages it, such as your web developer
An inbox at that domain you can open, for the verification email
1. Add your domain
In Liven Engage, click Settings (the gear icon) > Advanced.
In Sending Domain, choose one of the two options: - Configure Domain (easiest). Liven Engage detects your DNS provider, you sign in to it, and the records are added and checked for you. Not every DNS provider is supported. If your domain was bought in the last 24 hours, wait a day before trying. - Set up manually. Use this if your provider isn't supported, you don't have the DNS login yourself, or your IT team prefers to add records by hand.
Type your domain without
https://orwww.
2a. If you chose Configure Domain
Sign in to your DNS provider when asked (you may need a code from your phone or email). After a few minutes the domain appears in the Sending Domain list. If you already have a DMARC record, it won't add a second one.
2b. If you chose Set up manually
Verify the domain. Enter an email address at that domain and click the link in the verification email.
Liven Engage shows a table of records. Add each one at your DNS provider:
Record | Type | Example name |
DKIM 1 and DKIM 2 | CNAME | the names shown, ending in |
Mailserver (SPF / return path) | CNAME | the name shown in the table |
DMARC | TXT |
|
Copy the Name and Value exactly. Watch for extra spaces at the start or end.
Many DNS providers add your domain to the name automatically, so enter only the part before your domain. Otherwise you end up with names like
…_domainkey.yourvenue.com.au.yourvenue.com.au.If your DNS is on Cloudflare, set CNAME records to DNS only (grey cloud), not proxied.
Leave TTL on the default.
If you already have a DMARC record, don't add a second one. Two DMARC records cancel each other out. Keep your existing one.
Send the record table to your web developer if they manage your DNS. They don't need a Liven Engage login.
3. Check it worked
DNS changes can take from a few minutes to 24 hours to spread. Then go to Settings > Advanced > Sending Domain, open the menu next to your domain and click Recheck Authentication. You're done when it shows Authenticated.
About DMARC policies
The DMARC record suggested during setup is a basic "monitor only" policy (p=none). It meets Gmail and Yahoo's requirement without blocking anything. If your IT team wants a stricter policy (quarantine or reject), make sure DKIM shows as authenticated first, or your own emails could go to spam or be blocked.
Warm up before big sends
A newly authenticated domain has no sending reputation yet. For the first two to four weeks: - Start with customers who visited, bought or opened an email recently. - Grow the audience a bit more each week. - Keep bounces and complaints low by sending only to people who opted in.
Still not authenticated?
Check the records are public with a free DNS lookup tool such as MXToolbox or Google Admin Toolbox Dig.
Check for a doubled domain in the record names (see above).
Check that the CNAME values were pasted in full and not cut off.
Check you haven't got two DMARC records.
Still stuck? Message us in the chat, email support@nomni.ai or call 1300 445 483 with a screenshot of your DNS records and we'll check them with you.
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