SPF, DKIM, DMARC: The Exact Order to Set Them Up

SPF, DKIM, DMARC: The Exact Order to Set Them Up
Google and Yahoo now require all three for bulk senders. Do it in this sequence or you'll lock yourself out.

— Step 1: SPF first. Add one TXT record listing your sending source. One SPF record only — multiple breaks it.
— Step 2: DKIM. Generate the key in your provider, publish the TXT record, then enable signing.
— Step 3: Verify both pass via a test send to a Gmail account; check 'show original'.
— Step 4: DMARC last, start at p=none with rua reporting to a monitored mailbox.
— Step 5: After 2 weeks of clean reports, move to p=quarantine.

Pros
— Meets Google/Yahoo 2024 bulk-sender rules
— DMARC reports expose spoofing and misconfig
Cons
— DNS propagation delays testing by hours
— Jumping to p=reject early bounces legit mail

Verdict: Free, mandatory, non-negotiable. EasyDMARC helps if records confuse you. 5/5.

Who it's for: Every cold sender, no exceptions, before the first send.