SPF, or Sender Policy Framework, is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record that helps protect your email reputation by preventing spammers and scammers from sending emails that appear to come from your domain.

In simple terms, SPF tells the world which mail servers are allowed to send emails on your behalf. If someone tries to send an email from your domain—but it’s not on the allowed list—it can be flagged or rejected as suspicious.

Why SPF matters to your business

If you’re sending email newsletters, transactional emails (like order confirmations), or even just replying to clients using a branded email address (like hello@yourdomain.com), SPF is a critical piece of your email setup.

Without SPF:

• Your emails may land in spam folders
• Cybercriminals can spoof your domain, sending fake messages that look like they’re from you
• Your brand’s trust (and deliverability rates) may suffer

And if you ever wondered why your perfectly legitimate emails aren’t reaching inboxes—SPF (or the lack of it) is often the culprit.

How SPF works

SPF works by adding a special TXT record to your domain’s DNS settings. This record lists the IP addresses or services that are authorized to send mail for your domain.

For example:

• If you send emails through Gmail + Mailchimp + your website host, you need to authorize all three in your SPF record.
• If an email is sent from an unauthorized server, the receiving email system can choose to block, quarantine, or mark it as spam based on your SPF policy.

Common email services that require SPF setup

If you’re using tools like:

• Google Workspace (Gmail)
• Zoho Mail
• Mailchimp or ConvertKit
• Sendinblue or MailerLite
• Website hosting email servers (like Plesk, SiteGround, or RunCloud)

…then you’ll likely need to adjust your SPF record to include them. Otherwise, even legitimate messages could get flagged.

What an SPF record looks like

Here’s an example of an SPF record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:mailchimp.com ~all

This tells mail servers:

“Only Google’s servers and Mailchimp are allowed to send emails from this domain. If anything else tries, treat it with suspicion.”

That final ~all or -all defines how strictly email servers should enforce the rule.

Best practices for SPF

• Only list trusted services that actually send emails for your domain.
• Avoid duplicate SPF records—you should only have one per domain.
• Use “include:” statements for third-party services (they’ll give you the exact syntax).
• Test your setup using tools like MXToolbox or Google’s CheckMX.

Bottom line

SPF is like giving email providers a VIP list of trusted senders for your domain. It’s essential for protecting your brand, reducing spam complaints, and keeping your emails where they belong—in the inbox. If you’re managing email from multiple services, make sure your SPF record is set up correctly. It’s a small step with a big impact on deliverability and trust.