In the traditional market, everything was done through manual advertisements to grab the client’s attention. It may have needed more effort to get recognition, but it was less exposed to scams.
Various advancements are introduced in every other field in today’s digital era. This may have reduced efforts to make the brand visible, but it has caused the brands to worry more about cyber attacks.
These attacks can potentially threaten the reputation of even a well-recognized brand. Hence, the authenticity of the brand’s email communication must be properly addressed. This not only helps the brands gain the customers’ trust but also reduces the need for advertisements.
Brands need to update their email authentication with the DMARC provider and the security protocols. Here is a detailed guide on how to focus on email authentication and its impact on brand reputation.
Understanding Email Authentication
Email is currently the largest platform for communication among businesses. This is why customers demand precision and accuracy in Email communication through a brand. Email authentication is an essential way to protect email communication from scams. This legitimizes the sources of emails and prevents them from scams and phishing attacks.
Properly implemented email authentication verifies the sender’s identity and flags suspicious emails. For online brands, proper email authentication has a significant impact on their image. As a result, it grabs the user’s attention by winning their trust through authentic email communication.
The Basics of Email Authentication
Email authentication includes the proper collective implementation of the right protocols. The main protocols working to improve email authentication include SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Here is how they work:
Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
SPF is an authentication protocol that is used to verify if the email is coming from the permitted source. It lets you add a list of approved IP addresses to your domain’s DNS settings and help prevent emails from spoofing attacks.
Domain-Keys Identified Mail (DKIM)
It is a cryptographic email authentication method. It adds a unique digital signature to the emails sent through your brand. This signature works as a private key and can only be read by the server using a public key.
Hence, it validates the email sources and differentiates them from similar-looking spam emails. The validation of the email signature is done by the recipient mail server using DKIM. This is done when the emails pass through the ESP network.
Domain-Based Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC)
DMARC is the most advanced and well-established authentication protocol. It works with SPF and DKIM to provide a proper framework for email authentication. DMARC reporting lets you know how the domain emails must be handled by the recipient’s email servers.
DMARC controls the inbound and outbound email traffic by using SPF and DKIM. It integrates with both protocols to properly control the deliverability of the emails. Domain owners can specify the domain policies to handle emails that fail the authentication checks.
The Link Between Email Authentication and Brand Reputation
Email authentication plays an important role in enhancing a brand’s reputation. It makes sure the emails are delivered to the intended recipients. This is how your brand can earn the trust of Email Service Providers. It also significantly increases the inbox placement rates.
The Email authentication acts as a shield against the phishing and spoofing attacks. The prevention of email spoofing can reduce the harm to your brand’s reputation. With DKIM, you can add a unique identity to your brand’s email in the form of a signature.
Benefits of Email Authentication for Brands
Email authentication plays an essential role in the growth of businesses. It protects the brands from cyber threats and increases the customers’ trust in the brand. Here are a few benefits of email authentication for the brands.
Improved Deliverability
Deliverability of the emails refers to the emails reaching the destination addresses. This is essential for any brand to improve communication with its clients. This can be enhanced with Email authentication protocols. This is how you can establish your brand’s reputation and earn customer’s trust.
With the right email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, one can protect a company’s emails from being marked as spam. This is also essential for brands working on a B2B basis.
Enhanced Security
Customers nowadays prefer more secure brands. Therefore, all the brands need to work on email security. The implementation of email authentication protocols improves the brand’s security. This is essential to improve the brand’s image.
The higher security lets the companies secure their dealings and services. Their data is protected and secured. This reduces the chances of data breaches and financial losses.
Reduced Phishing and Fraud
Brands need to stay alert from phishing and other cyber attacks to protect their image. These attacks, if done on a large scale, not only reduce the brand’s reputation but also cause financial losses.
Therefore, the proper implementation of email authentication protocols reduces the chances of these phishing attacks. Email authentication will identify the sender’s address and prevent cyber criminals from impersonating your brand.
Implementing Email Authentication
Here are a few basic steps to implement Email authentication on your domain.
Consistent Sender Addresses
Prepare a unique sender address and use this every time you send emails from your domain. This will increase the trust in your brand’s emails. If you change your email address frequently, it will confuse the recipients and increase the chances of phishing attacks.
SPF Authentication
SPF ensures that emails are sent from the authorized senders. The proper implementation of the SPF is managed through DNS records. You need to get your hands on a detailed guide on SPF setup before implementing it.
DKIM Signatures
As mentioned above, DKIM virtually signs the message to verify the emails. This ensures that the email received has not been altered and is in its original form. You can read our detailed guide on DKIM to know how it works.
DMARC Protection
DMARC uses SPF and DKIM to prevent email communication from spoofing attacks. It specifies the handling of the policies and implementation of these policies to prevent cyber attacks. To publish DMARC records, you can also get help from PowerDMARC’s comprehensive guide.
Measuring the Impact
Brands must continuously monitor the performance of email authentication protocols to ensure effectiveness. You can also use PowerDMARC’s Report Analyzer which provides detailed information about the domain’s email traffic.
These reports are generated by DMARC standards like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. The Google and Yahoo requirements for DMARC specify the location where the reports should be sent. Hence, using a powerful analyzer can help you visualize these reports.
Conclusion
Many online brands need to pay more attention to the importance of email authentication. It has turned out to be the most effective way for the brands to skyrocket their reputation.
However, most of the brands are unaware of the email authentication protocols. This makes them vulnerable to cyber threats. If you are also one of them and don’t know where to start, PowerDMARC can give you a kickstart. Its DMARC-Managed services can support our domain by easily managing DMARC and other authentication protocols. Start a 15-day free trial and secure your brand.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
