Sending SimpleConnect Emails from Your Own Domain

By default, your SimpleConnect marketing emails are sent from a SimpleConnect address. If your business has its own website domain, you can send them from your own address instead, for example info@yourstore.com. This is called a custom email domain. Seeing your store's own address in their inbox helps customers recognize you, and it can help your emails reach the inbox instead of spam.

You set this up yourself in SimpleConnect, then add a few records to your domain. This article walks you through both parts.

Not comfortable with DNS settings? Contact SimpleConsign Support and we'll walk you through each step. The records themselves are added in your domain account, by you or the person who manages your website.

In this article

• Default address vs. your own domain
• Set up the default address
• Before you start: what you'll need
• Set up your own domain
• Send yourself a test
• Finding where your domain is managed
• Adding your DNS records
• Help from common domain providers
• Changing your mind later
• Troubleshooting
• Related articles
• Quick recap

Default address vs. your own domain

Every SimpleConnect account can send email using a default address. Using your own domain is optional.

Not sure if you need this? Many stores start with the default address and switch later. Switching doesn't affect your contacts, campaigns, or reports. See Changing your mind later below.

Set up the default address

1. On the Dashboard of the Back Office, click the SimpleConnect button.
2. Select Email Marketing in the sidebar, then select Email Domain.
3. In the Secondary From Email section, select Default.
4. Enter your store's name in the Email Name field. Your emails send from that name followed by @mysimpleconnect.com. For example, entering MyStore makes your from address MyStore@mysimpleconnect.com.
5. Under Reply-to Email, enter the email address your store checks, such as yourstore@gmail.com. When customers reply to your emails, the replies go straight there.
6. Click Save Email Settings.

Before you start: what you'll need

To send from your own domain, have these ready:

• The email address you want to send from. It must use a domain your business owns, like info@yourstore.com. Free addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, AOL, or iCloud can't be used, because only the owner of a domain can add the settings that prove email really comes from it.
• A mailbox someone checks. Customers may reply to your marketing emails, so choose an address your team reads regularly.
• Where your domain is managed. This is the company that controls your domain's settings. See Finding where your domain is managed below if you're not sure.
• Who will add the DNS records. This might be you, or a web developer, IT contact, or the company that built your website. If it's someone else, plan to send them the records once SimpleConnect creates them.
• Which location this is for. Setup is done one location at a time. If you have more than one location, repeat these steps in each one.

Set up your own domain

1. On the Dashboard of the Back Office, click the SimpleConnect button.
2. Select Email Marketing in the sidebar, then select Email Domain.
3. In the Secondary From Email section, select Custom. You can leave the Email Name field blank. It's only used for the default address.
4. Scroll down to Email Domain Setup and enter the full address you want to send from, such as info@yourstore.com. Check that the Sending domain preview shows the right domain (the part after the @).
5. Enter the address where you want customer replies to go in the Reply-to Email field.
6. Click Create Domain Authentication. Your DNS records appear in a panel on the right side of the page, each marked Pending. If it looks like half the page is missing, this button hasn't been clicked yet.
7. Click Copy all records and add them where your domain is managed. If someone else manages your website, paste the records into an email to them. See Adding your DNS records below for step-by-step help.
8. Once the records are added, return to this screen and refresh the page. Check I've added these DNS records, then select Verify Domain.
9. Review the Verification Results. When every record shows a green check mark and the status reads Verified, you're all set. If any fail, wait a little longer and verify again. Still not working? See My records won't verify below.
10. Send yourself a test email before you email customers. See Send yourself a test below.

Your records can't be added ahead of time. They're created specifically for your domain in step 6, so wait until you see them before making any changes.

Send yourself a test

1. In Email Marketing, build a list that contains only your own email address.
2. Create a campaign, choose that list, and set it to run immediately.
3. Check your inbox and your spam folder. Make sure the email arrives, shows your new from address, and the images load.

The first email from a new domain sometimes lands in spam. If yours does, mark it Not spam and send another test. It should go to your inbox and display correctly.

Finding where your domain is managed

Your domain's DNS is usually managed by the company you bought it from, or the company that hosts your website. Common examples are GoDaddy, Squarespace, Wix, Cloudflare, Namecheap, and Network Solutions.

Where you bought your domain isn't always where your DNS is managed. For example, a domain bought through GoDaddy might have its DNS managed by Wix if your website is on Wix. The records have to be added where the DNS is managed, or they won't work.

Check with a WHOIS lookup

1. Go to a free WHOIS lookup, such as GoDaddy's WHOIS lookup, and search for your domain (for example, yourstore.com).
2. Find Name Servers. This shows who manages your DNS, and it's where your records go. For example, a name server like ns6.wixdns.net means your DNS is managed by Wix.
3. Registrar shows where the domain was purchased. If the registrar and the name servers are different companies, add your records at the company shown in Name Servers.

Other ways to find out:

• Search your email for a domain renewal notice or invoice. The company that sent it usually manages your domain.
• Ask whoever built your website. They often manage the domain too, or know who does.
• Check your website platform's settings. If your site is on Squarespace, Wix, or a similar service, look for a Domains section in your account.

Adding your DNS records

DNS records are small settings on your domain that tell other email systems your marketing emails really come from you. Adding them doesn't change your website or your everyday email. The new records are added alongside the settings already there.

What's in each record

Each record shown in SimpleConnect has three parts:

• Type: the kind of record, such as CNAME or TXT. You'll pick this from a menu.
• Host: where the record goes. Your provider may call this Name.
• Value: what the record says. Your provider may call this Points to, Target, or Data.

The records come in two groups:

• Domain authentication (DKIM 1, DKIM 2, and Mail CNAME): proves you own the domain and allows SimpleConnect to send email on your behalf.
• Link branding (several CNAME records and a TXT record): makes the links in your emails use your own domain, with a secure connection.

Add every record in both groups. They're added as new records alongside what's already on your domain, so you shouldn't need to delete or replace anything.

Steps

1. Sign in to your account with the company where your domain is managed.
2. Find the DNS settings for your domain. Look for a button or menu named DNS, DNS Records, Manage DNS, or Advanced DNS.
3. Select Add Record (or Add New Record).
4. Choose the Type shown in SimpleConnect, then copy the Host and Value into the matching boxes.
5. Save the record.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 until every record is added.
7. Return to Email Marketing > Email Domain in SimpleConnect to verify your domain.

Every provider's screens look a little different. If you get stuck, the links in the next section go to each provider's own instructions, or you can contact your provider's support team.

Tips for getting it right the first time

• Copy and paste, don't type. One wrong character stops a record from working.
• Watch for a doubled domain name. Many providers add your domain to the end of the Host automatically. If you see your domain already shown next to the Host box, enter only the first part. For example, if the Host is s1._domainkey.yourstore.com, enter only s1._domainkey. Otherwise it becomes s1._domainkey.yourstore.com.yourstore.com and won't work.
• Using Cloudflare? Select the orange cloud next to each CNAME record so it turns gray and reads DNS only. Records left on "Proxied" won't verify.
• Leave TTL as is. TTL (Time to Live) controls how often the record refreshes. If the box is required and empty, choose the default or 1 hour.
• Don't delete anything. Leave your existing records in place. If a record with the same Host already exists, contact SimpleConsign Support before changing it.

After you add the records

Verification may not work right away. New DNS records often take effect within a few minutes, but they can take several hours, especially on a brand-new domain. That's normal and doesn't mean anything went wrong. If Verify Domain doesn't pass the first time, refresh the page, wait a bit, and try again.

Help from common domain providers

These links go to each provider's own instructions for adding records.

Use the same steps for a TXT record. Just choose TXT as the type instead of CNAME.

Changing your mind later

• Switching from the default address to your own domain doesn't affect your contacts, campaigns, or reports.
• Going back to the default address is also an option, for example if you're not happy with how your emails are being delivered. Under Email Marketing > Email Domain, select Default in the Secondary From Email section and click Save Email Settings. Your data and reports stay as they are.
• Switching to a different domain means removing the current one first. Once a domain is set up, the email field under Email Domain Setup is grayed out. Scroll to Remove domain and click Remove sending domain. The status changes to Not configured, and you can set up the new address from the start, including a new set of DNS records.

Troubleshooting

My records won't verify

New records can take several hours to take effect, so give it time first. Then check for a doubled domain name in the Host field, make sure any Cloudflare records are set to DNS only rather than Proxied, and compare each record to the one shown in SimpleConnect, character for character. If they still won't verify, contact SimpleConsign Support and we'll help you figure out what's wrong.

The DNS records panel isn't showing

The records only appear after you click Create Domain Authentication. If the right side of the Email Domain page looks empty, enter your sending address and click that button.

I added the records at the company I bought my domain from, but they won't verify

Your DNS may be managed somewhere else. Run a WHOIS lookup and check Name Servers (see Finding where your domain is managed above). Add the records at the company shown there.

My test email went to spam

This can happen with the first emails from a new domain. Mark the test Not spam and send another. If your emails keep landing in spam, check your subject line's spam score and see the troubleshooting tips in SimpleConnect Email Marketing.

Can I send from a Gmail or Yahoo address?

Not as your from address. Free addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, AOL, or iCloud can't be used for a custom domain, because only the owner of a domain can add the records. Use the default @mysimpleconnect.com address instead, and enter your Gmail or Yahoo address as your Reply-to Email so replies still reach you.

Can SimpleConsign Support add the records for me?

We can walk you through every step, but the records have to be added in your own domain account, by you or the person who manages your website. We don't have access to your domain provider.

Related articles

• SimpleConnect Overview
• SimpleConnect Email Marketing
• Reach the Right Customers and Consignors with SimpleConnect

Quick recap

Your SimpleConnect emails can come from a default @mysimpleconnect.com address or from your own domain. Set either one up under Email Marketing > Email Domain. For the default, enter your Email Name and Reply-to Email and save. For your own domain, select Custom, enter your address, click Create Domain Authentication, add the records where your DNS is managed (a WHOIS lookup tells you where), verify, and send yourself a test. If you'd like help, contact SimpleConsign Support and we'll walk you through it.