Why is my sending domain unverified?

There are various reasons why your domain is not verified. 

Even after attempting to correct any issues at hand the overarching rule of thumb is DNS records may just take time to update, in some instances they can take up to 48hrs although most of the time we see this is not always the case.

Every DNS/domain registrar will have its own guidelines for managing and updating DNS records so it’s always in your best interest to reach out to the DNS provider for additional help.

Now here are the most common occurrences we see when an account is not able to get the DNS records to verify.

Does your subdomain already exist in your DNS/domain account (GoDaddy, NameCheap, Bluehost, etc.)?

If you are choosing to use a subdomain (recommended to protect domain reputation) the subdomain must be created within your domain registrar or hosting site. 

If you do not already have a subdomain set up, please contact your DNS/Domain registrar (ex: GoDaddy, Google Domains, Bluehost, etc.) or follow the instruction they provide on how to do so. Below are some of the more common DNS providers. 

Common domain providers – How to add subdomain articles:

GoDaddy - https://www.godaddy.com/help/add-a-subdomain-4080

Namecheap - https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/9776/2237/how-to-create-a-subdomain-for-my-domain/

Digital Ocean - https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/networking/dns/how-to/add-subdomain/

Host Gator - https://www.hostgator.com/help/article/what-is-a-subdomain-name-how-do-i-create-and-delete-one

Blue Host - https://www.bluehost.com/help/article/subdomains

Example: The company I work for, ‘ThreadVibes Clothing Co.’ whose primary domain is www.threadvibes.com is wanting to use send.threadvibes.com as the subdomain for sending emails via Patch. I first will need to ensure that the subdomain was created in my GoDaddy account. If I am unsure I will reach out to my IT deptartment to verify if this already exists or if we already have an alternate subdomain the business wants to use that I am not aware of. Once we have created/confirmed that the subdomain already exists in the DNS account then you should proceed with updating the DNS records for the subdomain within that account. 

Duplicate Name Records

There are slight variations for all of the NAME values, which one you need is solely dependent on your DNS provider. We recommend starting with what is directly under the NAME value, then if you get an error or are unable to verify at the end then go back without the redundancy of your domain name. Some providers automatically add your domain so therefore pasting the NAME value as provided causes duplication. Some providers will catch this through field validation when pasted into the DNS record, if this occurs select to proceed with the non-duplicate version.

Quotations for the VALUE record

Some DNS providers require the VALUE record to include quotations at the beginning and end. 

Example: "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQC7dZ8YQzyu9uXt6nHuZodMub0TRtF+ZDH9Lh1Ly9yulz8iWHB5FHLuOLTElvzlkTLI0LHc99g9aBT9XjLM6/q7TLeZxtuEEmgBy1KywqqGXJ9pwINiQhhDncoQzxFQbR5GD42OWeF9XWuBgvyIq+yD8uwRtKBFbQRugZc9L+hMWQIDAQAB"

SPF Records

SPF records can contain more than one domain name. You must modify your existing record and add this domain to it if you already have one similar to this. The first part will contain the mailgro.com which is where Patch emails are housed as well as also including the existing record in your account for the second part which would be xxx.com.

A multi-domain SPF record looks something like this:

v=spf1 include:mailgro.com include:my-service-provider.com ~all

This record may or may not also need the quotations before and after the record value as well. 

At no point should you delete the record from the Patch account if you intend to add it back unless the domain/subdomain used was incorrect and the new one that will be added will be different. If you remove and add the same domain back it can cause the ‘unverified’ status to get stuck even if it is in fact verified and not allow the account to reflect the updated status. 

If none of the above allow your records to be verified please allow the allotted timeframe of up to 48hrs and then reach out to your Domain Registrar.