# Your email domain isn't authenticated

> Marketing emails can land in spam when the sending domain lacks SPF, DKIM or DMARC, which Gmail and Yahoo now expect from bulk senders. Ask Claude to look up your sending domain's public DNS records and explain what is missing. No login is needed. Add the missing records with whoever runs your domain, starting DMARC at p=none.

Type: Leak (something broke or wastes money)
Run it: Once, then quarterly
Source: https://gooseworks.ai/playbooks/check-email-domain-dmarc-record

## 1. Connect

Give your AI assistant read-only access to Public DNS lookup.

## 2. Ask

```text
Look up the public DNS records for [your sending domain]. Do I have SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up? Is DMARC set to none, quarantine or reject? Explain in plain words what's missing and what Gmail and Yahoo now require from bulk senders.
```

## 3. Act

Add the missing records with whoever runs your domain. Start DMARC at p=none, then tighten.

## Steps

1. Find the domain your emails actually send from; it may be a subdomain. A public DNS lookup needs no login.
2. Ask Claude to run the prompt with web search or a DNS lookup tool, or paste in DNS records you looked up.
3. Confirm you checked the sending subdomain, not just your main domain.
4. Add missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC records with whoever runs your domain, starting DMARC at p=none.
5. Re-check after the change, then quarterly.

## What it tends to find

The sending domain had no DMARC record at all. (Illustrative example, not a result from a named store.)

## Watch out

Check the domain your emails actually send from. It may be a subdomain, not your main one.

## FAQ

### What is DMARC and do I need it?

DMARC is a DNS record that tells inbox providers how to treat mail that fails SPF or DKIM checks. Gmail and Yahoo expect bulk senders to have one.

### What DMARC policy should I start with?

Start with p=none to watch reports without blocking mail. Move to quarantine, then reject, once you know all your real senders pass. Moving too fast can block your own mail.

### Can ChatGPT check my DMARC record?

Yes, if it can look up DNS or browse the web. Any assistant that can read public DNS records, or that you paste the records into, can follow this prompt.

### Which domain should I check?

The one in your emails' from address and sending setup. Email tools often send from a subdomain, which needs its own records. Check that subdomain too.