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      How do I add a dedicated sending domain?

      This article will walk you through adding a sending domain within Patch.

      Before You Begin

      Before you begin, confirm you have access to your DNS/Domain Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) and the ability to add and edit DNS records.

      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. Once you have your subdomain setup you are ready to begin the steps to add it to your Patch account.

      It is recommended that you send from a subdomain such as 'send.widgets.com' versus just widgets.com to help protect your root domain's reputation and not interfere with your current email system. It is in the best interest of your company to keep this domain exclusively associated with sending emails. 

      In this article:


      1. Adding your Dedicated Sending Subdomain to Patch
      2. Adding your Email Alias to Patch
      3. Email Alias Video Walkthrough
      4. Common Domain Provider Instructions

       

      Adding your dedicated sending subdomain to Patch

      To get started collect the subdomain you would like to use for your mailing address.

      Step 1. Access Account Settings by clicking on the dropdown arrow under your business name in the top left corner.

      email settings

      Step 2. Navigate to Email Settings.

      Step 3. Locate the Sending Domains section.

      Step 4. Create your sending domain

      Start creating a new sending domain by clicking the purple (+) button. Complete all the required fields then click Save & Close.

      💡 It is strongly recommended that you use a subdomain. To learn more about how to create a subdomain contact your hosting provider or your web developer.

       

      Step 6: Copy and paste the DNS records (DKIM Key, SPF Record & Ownership Verification) from Patch to your domain DNS service provider.

      • Once you have added the domain to Patch you will need to add the DNS TXT records that were generated to your domain’s DNS records.
      • Log into your DNS provider. Navigate to the DNS settings section. You will see an existing list of DNS records, do not delete or modify these unless specifically requested by your DNS provider or IT department. DNS management areas can be found in various places depending on your service provider. Typically these can be set from within the provider’s platform or within the platform’s cPanel Zone Editor.
      • Within your DNS account, follow the provider's recommendations for updating TXT type records. If you get stuck, reach out to your provider's support team for help.
        1. Type = Select TXT from the dropdown provided.
        2. Copy the 'NAME' value from your Patch account and paste it into the blank 'NAME' input within your DNS account.
        3. Then repeat the same steps with the 'VALUE' field value from Patch to your DNS account. Click Save or Add within your DNS account.

      NOTES:

      1) 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.

      2) Some DNS providers also require you to add quotation marks at the beginning and end of each of the values under 'VALUE' as noted in each section. 

      3) Typically the DKIM Key and SPF Record Records are verified immediately, the Ownership Record takes a little while and is dependent on your DNS provider. In most cases, we have seen that after you click verify, and the first two are immediately good to go, if you leave the page and check back in after 24 hours you will find the Ownership Verification Record will be verified. Then, you will be able to proceed with creating your Send From email address. Some DNS providers can take up to 48hrs. If after this timeframe you are still having issues, please reach out to your DNS provider through their support channel.

      Step 8: Verify your domain in Patch

      The next step is to verify that the DNS records have been added to your domain. 

      Unverified Domain

      You will not be able to send emails from an unverified domain name.

      Verified Domain

      When a domain has been verified, these additional icons will appear. You are ready to start sending emails from your sending domain! 

      Green check marks with 'Verified' indicates successful and operational configuration.

      DMARC Authentication

      Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is a protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM.

      As of February 1st, 2024 anyone who sends emails in bulk is required to include a DMARC record in their DNS records. You will need to set up DMARC authentication for your sending domain in your DNS provider if you have not already. Please follow this step-by-step process below to ensure compliance with Google and Yahoo's email-sending requirements.

      1. Add a new DNS record: Click the button to add a new record. Once you do you will need to enter the following information:

        Type: TXT
        Host: _dmarc
        Value: v=DMARC1; p=none
        rua tag: optional - read this article to determine if you want to include a rua tag for your domain.
      2. Save Your Changes: Confirm and save your DMARC record settings. These changes will be propagated through your DNS provider.
      3. Verifying your email authentication configuration: To verify that the record has been published successfully, you can input your domain into the DMARC checker offered by EasyDMARC . With this tool, a status of Warning or Valid is compliant with Gmail and Yahoo’s sender requirements.

      Adding your Email Elias to Patch

      In order to be able to send from your subdomain you will need to create an Email Alias. For example, if you add and verify the domain “email.widgets.com,” you can create an email alias such as hello@email.widgets.com. Once this is set up you will see this listed in the 'Send From' dropdown in your Send Settings within our Email Editor.

      Step 1. Locate the Email Alias section.

      Step 2. Click the purple (+) Button.

      Create a new email alias by clicking the purple (+) button.

      sending email alias

      Step 3. Configure the options for your alias.

      • Sending Domain: The domain that the alias should send from.
      • Name: The name for the alias that will show in the receiver's inbox.
      • Prefix: The part of the email address that is before the @ symbol.
      • Forwarding Address: The email address ALL responses should send to. This must be different than the sending address configured above.

      sending email alias

      Step 4. Then click Save & Close.

      You are now able to send emails from your sending domain and email alias! 🥳

       

      Adding Email Alias Overview Video

       

      Common Domain Providers:

      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

      BlueHost: https://www.bluehost.com/help/article/subdomains

      Customer Support

      If you need help or need assistance determining next steps, please contact our Customer Support team by phone at 888.605.4429 or email at success@patchretention.com.