SPF, DKIM and DMARC for Mailchimp

The DNS records Mailchimp needs so your mail is authenticated and stays out of spam.

SPF	—	Not needed on your root domain: Mailchimp sends with its own return-path domain, so your DMARC passes through DKIM.
DKIM	CNAME / TXT	Two CNAME records: `k2._domainkey` → `dkim2.mcsv.net` and `k3._domainkey` → `dkim3.mcsv.net`.
DMARC	TXT at `_dmarc`	v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com Start with `p=none` and a mailbox you read; build your own.

Step by step

In Mailchimp open Website → Domains, add your domain and verify the email address on it.
Click Start authentication and copy the two CNAME records it shows into your DNS.
Add the DMARC TXT record at _dmarc if you do not have one. Gmail and Yahoo require DMARC from bulk senders.
Back in Mailchimp click Authenticate domain; the check can take up to 48 hours.

You cannot authenticate a free mailbox domain (gmail.com, yahoo.com). Send campaigns from an address on your own domain.
Keep the CNAMEs DNS-only. A proxied (orange-cloud) CNAME breaks verification.
Mailchimp Transactional (Mandrill) is set up separately and does use include:spf.mandrillapp.com.

Rather not touch DNS? I set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC without breaking your other senders, with a before/after report.

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