Improve email deliverability from your custom domain

Once you've set up your custom email domain in Hivepass, you can take an optional second step to improve your email deliverability, making it more likely that your emails land in members' inboxes instead of spam or junk folders.

✅ How to measure deliverability

Deliverability means how reliably your emails are reaching your members.

Select the relevant campaign and under Statistics right at the top of the page, check the numbers:

Open rates – Low open rates may suggest your emails are being filtered or ignored
Bounce rates – High bounce rates mean some members' email providers are rejecting your emails
Spam reports – These are rare, but if they occur, they impact your sender reputation.

💡 See this article for more in depth detail around statistics

🔧 How to improve deliverability

Hivepass takes care of the essential setup automatically when you add a custom domain. But there are a few simple steps you can take to further improve your results:

✅ Use a clear sender name

Choose something familiar that reinforces trust. Examples:

"Anna from Rotorua MTB Club"
"Wellington Trails Team"

✅ Use a recognisable sender email address

Stick to professional-looking formats like:

info@myorg.com or info@mail.myorg.com
membership@mail.myorg.com or membership@myorg.com

Avoid using no-reply@ addresses. They’re more likely to be flagged as spam.

✅ Know what's already set up for you

When you add a custom domain in Hivepass, we automatically configure:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) – Verifies that Hivepass is allowed to send on your behalf
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) ✅ – Digitally signs your messages for authenticity
A clean subdomain (e.g. mail.myorg.com ) – Separates campaigns from your main email systems

This is enough to give you solid deliverability for most use cases — no further steps required for most clubs.

🔐 Adding a DMARC record - Optional

⭐️ DMARC isn't required, but it's a smart optional step.

It strengthens your domain's authentication signals, which can improve inbox placement and trust with mailbox providers — especially for bulk sends. It also protects against spoofing and gives you visibility into suspicious activity on your domain.

➡️ If you send campaigns to a large contact list, we strongly recommend setting up DMARC. Some email providers are more likely to block or filter bulk email if DMARC is missing.

Hivepass does not provide technical support in setting up DMARC.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) adds another layer of trust for your domain. It helps prevent spoofing and can improve how mailbox providers treat your emails.

DMARC should usually be added to the domain in your visible From email address. For example, if your sender address is info@myorg.com, the DMARC record should usually be added to myorg.com.

This step is optional for many smaller senders, but recommended for larger newsletters:

Go to your domain provider (e.g. GoDaddy, Google Domains)

Add a DNS record:
- Type: TXT
- Host/Name: _dmarc
  - Some DNS providers want just _dmarc, while others want the full name _dmarc.myorg.com. If you are unsure, check your domain provider’s help docs.
- Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; adkim=r; aspf=r; pct=100
  
  This publishes a DMARC policy for your domain. Using p=none means mailbox providers can monitor your domain without blocking mail.

Example

Hivepass may send email using a subdomain like hpmail.myorg.com, while your members see a sender address like info@myorg.com.

In that case:

SPF and DKIM are part of the Hivepass sending setup
DMARC should usually be added to the visible sender domain (myorg.com)
The DMARC host/name is usually _dmarc

Reports are optional

If you add a reporting address such as rua=mailto:dmarc@myorg.com, some mailbox providers may send regular XML DMARC reports to that address. These reports are technical and usually not useful for most club admins. If you don’t want DMARC report emails, do not include rua=mailto:... in your DMARC record.

How to verify DMARC is working with a quick test

Send a test email to Gmail
Click the triple dots
Open “Show original”
Confirm SPF = PASS, DKIM = PASS, DMARC = PASS.

Hivepass does not provide technical support in setting up DMARC.

📊 How to track improvements

Once changes are made:

Monitor your open rates in Hivepass
Watch for fewer bounces or spam complaints
See if members are replying or engaging more with your emails

Allow at least 1–2 days after sending a campaign to see results.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Do I need to do anything after setting up my custom domain in Hivepass?

Usually no. The most important sending settings, including SPF, DKIM, and your sending subdomain, are handled for you.

You can optionally add DMARC on your visible sender domain for extra trust and protection, especially if you send large newsletters.

What is SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in simple terms?

SPF: Tells email providers that Hivepass is allowed to send emails for you
DKIM: Signs your emails so no one else can fake them
DMARC: Adds visibility and control over who sends from your domain

Is the base setup enough for good deliverability?

Yes. The Hivepass custom domain setup includes SPF, DKIM, and a clean sending domain, which gives you strong deliverability for most clubs.

DMARC is an optional extra step, but it is recommended for larger newsletters and bulk sending because some mailbox providers expect it.

Will this stop my emails going to spam?

Setting up a custom domain helps a lot, but inbox placement also depends on your content, subject lines, and member engagement. Avoid using all caps, too many links, or trigger words like "free" or "urgent."

Can I use a Gmail or free address instead?

We recommend using your custom domain (mail.myorg.com ). Free email addresses like Gmail are more likely to be blocked or end up in spam when used for bulk email.

How long does it take for deliverability improvements to show?

Most changes (like DMARC or sender name updates) take effect within 24–48 hours. Monitor a few campaigns to spot any trends.

How much does DMARC improve deliverability?

Adding a DMARC record can improve trust with mailbox providers, strengthen your domain authentication, and help protect your domain from spoofing.

Even using a relaxed policy like p=none shows that your domain is properly configured and helps email services trust your messages.

🧪 Optional: Test your domain with MXToolbox

If you want to check your domain setup for any hidden issues:

Go to mxtoolbox.com
Check the domain that matches what you are testing:
1. For SPF/DKIM and sending-domain setup, you may need to check your sending subdomain (for example mail.myorg.com)
2. For DMARC, you should usually check the domain in your visible From email address (for example myorg.com if your sender is info@myorg.com)
Run a "Domain Health" or "SPF/DKIM/DMARC Lookup" test
Look for any warnings or missing records