Imagine you run a small local bakery called “Sweet Treats.” Suddenly, some of your customers start receiving odd emails from what appears to be your address, offering bogus discounts or requesting personal information. Because these emails look like they’re coming from your domain, customers may trust them. This can lead to confusion or even financial harm.

This is exactly what happens when an email address is “spoofed.” A scammer impersonates your business, damaging your reputation and potentially harming your customers.

With DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), you tell email providers how to handle messages that don’t pass authentication checks (SPF, DKIM). DMARC ensures that only legitimate servers can send emails on behalf of your domain.

For example, if you use services like Mailchimp or Constant Contact for mass email campaigns, we’ll need to modify your SPF record to include those services’ servers, so email providers know they’re allowed to send mail on your behalf. It’s a simple process of adding the relevant domain or include statement to your DNS records.

In plain language: DMARC helps your small business keep spam and phishing scams from pretending to be “you.” With the right setup, your customers see fewer suspicious emails, and your business’s reputation remains strong.