What is DKIM?
DKIM management is a service that NewZapp offers but what does it actually mean?
Simply put, having the correct DKIM installed on your from email address can double your open rates. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) acts as an authentication process that protects organisations against spam and phishing.
Why is DKIM useful?
As an organisation that send emails, DKIM gives you an extra layer of confidence that your emails will reach their destination. By having a DKIM on your DNS (Domain Name System) you are telling those servers that the email you are sending through NewZapp, or another third-party email provider, is valid. The DKIM key basically unlocks the door to inboxes!
What does that mean in my inbox?
Let’s take a look at these to examples, the first is an email with a DKIM installed:
Everything as you would expect, no “via” in the from box. A perfectly safe arrival in the inbox with no warnings.
So, let’s take a look at a fail…
We have a DKIM set up on our domain newzapp.com, so we can send out emails safely.
This failed email was sent by our marketing team, even the best in the business can have a bad day! Because the from email address was spelt wrong. (newapp.com instead of newzapp.com) it failed verification, causing it to:
- Fail DKIM authentication setup on our newzapp.com domain
- Add a “via” message to the from email address
- Issue a verification warning
- Arrive in my junk folder.
What did that mean to the campaign?
In short, an epic fail! The open rate was just 5%
The lack of authentication resulted in most of the emails going into junk and the problem was correctly identified by an eagle eyed NewZapp customer the day after (gold star for them!)
To solve this problem we:
- corrected the from email address so the DKIM worked
- created a segment of non-openers
- Made the Marketing Exec who sent the original email make the tea all day
- Resent the email to the new segment
The result was a 140% increase in opens!
How does DKIM work?
It all operates with the matching of two digital keys. One on our sending server and one on your domain name settings. Every time you send an email, the server generates a DKIM signature and attaches this to the email code.
When the inbound server receives your email, it analyses the DKIM key to ensure the DKIM signature is authentic and the keys match.
With this seal of approval your email will be arrive into the inbox.
How do I get one of these magic keys?
If you would like this crucial layer of delivery authentication, we will set everything up for you. Follow this link to get in touch or contact your account manager today on 01392 44700.
We will supply your public DKIM key which will need to be added to your DNS (Domain Name Service). This is usually done by someone in your IT department but we can provide guidance and speak to them directly.
Once the DKIM is in place, you will have the peace of mind that your email deliverability is well and truly covered.
“My IT team said No”
Some organisations have very strict policies in place and your IT department may not allow any changes to the domain name settings, the good news is we can still help you.
We will create a domain for you to send with, something like “@email-yourcompany.com” and setup all the necessary DKIM, SPF and DMARC settings on this new domain. Nothing for you to action, just sit back and enjoy the increase in open rates!
