Stop Looking “Unverified” - Why Your Email Domain Settings Matter More Than You Think
- Audrey Frazier
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever sent a professional email only to see it land in your client’s inbox marked “Unverified” or “Suspicious,” you already know how bad that looks. It’s like showing up to a business meeting in your pajamas — technically functional, but definitely not the impression you want to make.
Most people don’t realize this issue isn’t about your email content or your hosting company — it’s about your domain settings. Specifically, whether your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly configured. These are small but critical DNS entries that tell the internet, “Yes, this person really is who they say they are.”
Here’s What’s Going On Behind the Scenes
When you send an email, your recipient’s mail server checks to confirm that the email really came from your domain. Without those DNS records in place, the server can’t verify that your message is legitimate. So it either flags it as “unverified,” dumps it into spam, or — worst case — refuses to deliver it at all.
Think of these records like security badges for your emails:
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) defines which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to each message so recipients know it hasn’t been tampered with.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) ties it all together, telling mail providers what to do if a message fails verification.
Without them, your messages are missing credentials — and no system likes mystery guests.
Why This Matters for Your Brand
If your emails show “Unverified,” it doesn’t just look sloppy — it screams untrustworthy. Recipients hesitate to open your messages, click links, or respond at all. And for businesses that rely on client communication — real estate, consulting, IT, or anything involving contracts — one missed email can mean lost opportunities.
Beyond reputation, email deliverability directly affects productivity. Your carefully crafted marketing campaigns or invoices could be going straight to spam without you even realizing it.
How to Fix It
Check your domain’s DNS records. You can use tools like MXToolbox or Google Admin Toolbox to test your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings.
Verify your sending service. If you use Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or a CRM like IXACT Contact, make sure your domain is authenticated there too.
Add or correct your records. Your domain host (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) is where you’ll add those records.
Test again. Send yourself a test email to a personal account and make sure it no longer shows as “Unverified.”
If you’re not sure where to start, this is where a business tech consultant (us!) can save you hours of frustration. Setting these records up correctly takes less time than writing a follow-up email explaining why your message went to spam.
The Bottom Line
Email credibility is a small technical detail with a big impact. Taking a few minutes to secure your domain settings instantly makes your business look more professional, protects against spoofing, and ensures your emails reach the people you’re working hard to serve.
If you’d like help reviewing your domain or email configuration, FlaBizCo can make sure everything’s set up correctly so your messages land exactly where they should — front and center in your clients’ inboxes.
Most professional domain setups cost between $75 and $200, depending on complexity. FlaBizCo offers quick, no-jargon domain audits and setup services, giving you confidence your emails are verified, secure, and seen.
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