Domain Authentication

Domain authentication is the process of verifying your sender's identity by adding a set of unique records to your domain's DNS settings. The records allow receiving mail servers to confirm that emails sent from your domain are legitimate and authorized. Using domain authentication allows you to follow best practices and industry policies. By authenticating your domain, you will be sending from your own private domain.

If you can not authenticate your domain or are using a free email address (like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook), your emails will be sent from our shared domain, benchmarksend.com. Please note that there are account limitations when using a Shared Domain.

Private Domain

In Benchmark, authenticating your domain involves adding the unique NS record we provide to your domain’s DNS settings. Your domain's DNS settings can be found in your domain's hosting service. By adding the NS record, our system automatically configures the necessary authentication records (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), ensuring your emails are properly verified and more likely to reach the inbox.

Domain authentication ensures that your emails are sent using your private domain and that you are compliant with inbox providers.

Without email domain authentication, your emails won't meet the requirements set by inbox providers like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and others. If you're unable to authenticate your domain or are using a free domain like Gmail or Yahoo, your emails will be sent from our authenticated Benchmark shared domain.

When you authenticate your domain, your emails are sent directly from your domain.

In the inbox, it appears as:

From: Your Business Name <yourname@yourdomain.com>

There is no shared domain information like "via yourname@001a0.us.benchmarksend.com — just your brand.

Subdomain

At Benchmark, we go further by routing all emails through a subdomain of your domain. The unique NS record added to your domain’s DNS settings is only associated with that subdomain, leaving your primary domain’s DNS completely unaffected.

Using a subdomain keeps your marketing email reputation separate from your primary domain, helping protect it from potential deliverability issues. Inbox providers place significant weight on domain reputation, so authenticating your subdomain still builds a strong, positive sending reputation tied to your brand.

Shared Domain

For users who cannot verify their domain, Benchmark provides an alternative with shared domain sending. This method ensures your emails meet industry standards for authentication and compliance. With shared domain sending, your campaigns are sent from a Benchmark-managed domain (e.g., yourname@001a0.us.benchmarksend.com).

Shared domain sending is a good option if:

• You cannot authenticate your own domain.
• You’re sending from a public email address such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook.

How it Works

The shared domain information is visible at the time of scheduling or sending an email.

In the From section of the Email Details, you can add a Sender's Name and a From email name. We will also auto-select your account email address to be configured with the shared domain.

You'll also have the option to add a domain to authenticate.

When done, it will look something like this:

While recipients will still see your business name in the “From” field of the email, inbox services recognize that the Benchmark domain is the actual sender during authentication checks behind the scenes.

Emails sent from Benchmark's shared domain appear like this:

From: Your Business Name <yourname@001a0.us.benchmarksend.com >

(Sometimes shown with “via Benchmark Email.”)

Benefits of Domain Authentication

Authenticating your domain gives you more control, credibility, and sending power, both in Benchmark Email and with inbox providers. Here are just a few of the benefits of domain authentication.

Improved Deliverability

• Inbox providers (like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo) recognize your authenticated domain as legitimate.
• Authenticated emails are less likely to land in spam or promotions folders.
• Your brand appears front and center in the From address, building trust with recipients.

Separate Reputation for Your Email Subdomain

• By sending from a subdomain linked to your authenticated domain, your marketing email reputation is kept separate from your primary domain.
• This helps protect your brand and ensures email campaigns don’t affect your main domain’s deliverability.

Increased Sending Limits in Benchmark Email

• Private domain sending allows higher send limits than the shared domain.
• Shared domain sending is available for users who can’t authenticate their domain, but limits are lower to maintain deliverability and platform reputation.

Compliance with Industry Best Practices

• Domain authentication ensures your emails follow SPF, DKIM, and DMARC inbox requirements.
• Helps prevent phishing and spoofing attempts that could damage your brand’s credibility.

Authenticating your domain in Benchmark Email not only gives you higher sending limits and better control but also strengthens your brand reputation and improves the chances your emails will reach the inbox.