Authenticating Your Voice: A Step-by-Step Email Security Guide for Heart-Centered Brands

As we step into February 2024, the digital landscape for online heart-centered businesses is shifting, especially in the realm of email security. The responsibility now lies with you, the business owners, to authenticate all emails emanating from your domain. This change isn't just a technical update; it's a foundational shift in how you'll communicate and maintain trust with your audience.

In this Series, we are journeying through the necessary steps to ensure your email systems align with these new standards. Today, no stone will be left unturned as we explore every application and service that interacts with your email system. Remember, in the heart-centered business space, your authenticity and connection with your audience are paramount. Ensuring your emails are properly authenticated isn't just about compliance; it's about maintaining the trust and integrity you've worked so hard to build.

Understanding the Basics: DNS and Your Responsibility

Before we dive into the specifics, let's ground ourselves in the basics. Your Domain Name System (DNS) is like the address book of the internet, translating human-friendly domain names into IP addresses that computers use. Within your DNS settings, records like CNAME, TXT, and A are crucial for directing traffic and verifying your domain's authenticity. We previously looked at SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records so we could understand the changes that are happening, if you missed those you can read those here. 

With the upcoming changes, you must authenticate each email sent from your domain. This means taking a meticulous look at the apps and platforms you utilize, determining which ones send emails on your behalf, and ensuring they are properly authenticated.

Identifying Your Email Sending Platforms

Start by listing out every application and service that sends emails for your business. Your Email Service Provider (ESP) is the primary candidate here. Platforms like Keap, Active Campaign, Wix, ConvertKit, Mailer Lite, MailChimp, or Kajabi might be familiar to you. But don't stop there. Consider other systems that might send emails on your behalf:

1. Membership Sites: Platforms where your community members interact and receive updates.
2. Shopping Carts: Services that handle your product sales and send transactional emails.
3. Appointment Schedulers: Tools that send confirmations or reminders for appointments or events.

For each of these platforms, you need to determine if the emails are sent from your domain or from the platform's domain. Don't rely on what someone else has checked, you need to check for yourself because some platforms allow custom domain set up and you need to see if they are using your domain to send.

Check Email Origin and Authentication

To check each platform you will want to see what check incoming email to see who it is coming from. Send yourself an email from the platform you are checking or check in your inbox. This is also a good time to check that there is an unsubscribe button on your emails at the top. If not contact your platform to ensure it will be there by February 1, 2024.

1. From Your Domain: If the email appears to be from your domain (like [email protected]), you're responsible for its authentication.  Add a note beside it on your list that you are responsible for the authentication. Don't worry we've got you.

2. From the Platform's Domain: If the email is from the platform's domain, check if it's already authenticated. You can do this by:

   • Opening the email and clicking on the three dots (...) in the top right corner.
   • Selecting "Show Original" to view the email's code.
   • Looking for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to confirm if the email passes authentication checks.

 Click here for a .pdf showing steps

If the platform's emails are properly authenticated, you can check them off your list. If not, you'll need to reach out to the platform's support team for further guidance.

Next Steps: Preparing for Authentication

Having sorted your platforms into those that require your action for authentication and those that don't, it's time to prepare for the next steps. In our upcoming blog post, we'll cover the nitty-gritty of authenticating emails from your domain. We'll explore setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, ensuring your emails not only reach your audience's inboxes but also maintain the trust and professional image your heart-centered business stands for.

In the realm of heart-centered businesses, every interaction with your audience counts. The upcoming email security changes are more than a technical update; they're an opportunity to reinforce the trust and connection you've cultivated with your community. By taking proactive steps to authenticate your emails, you're not just complying with new regulations; you're reaffirming your commitment to transparency, security, and genuine communication.

Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll guide you through the process of email authentication, ensuring your messages continue to resonate with authenticity and heart.

Remember, change is an invitation to grow and innovate. Embrace these email security updates as a step forward in your business's journey, keeping your heart at the center of all you do.

For more insights and guidance on navigating the email security changes, continue exploring our blog series at Creative U Business Blog.

Navigating these changes might seem daunting, but with a step-by-step approach and a clear understanding of your tools and platforms, you can transition smoothly and maintain the high standard of communication your audience expects. Here's to moving forward with confidence and clarity in your heart-centered journey!