What It Is
SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework. An SPF record is a line of text, stored as a TXT record in your domain’s DNS, that names the servers and services allowed to send email using your domain. When a message arrives claiming to be from you, the receiving server checks it against this list. It is like a guest list at the door: if the sender is not on it, they get extra scrutiny.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Without SPF, it is easier for scammers to send fake emails that look like they came from your business, and your real messages are more likely to be marked as spam. Google and Yahoo require senders to authenticate their mail, and a missing SPF record is one of the most common reasons small-business emails go missing.
Good to Know
Your domain should have only one SPF record. If you use several services, such as your email provider, a newsletter tool and your website’s form plugin, they all belong in that single record. Two separate SPF records cause the check to fail. SPF also has a limit on how many lookups it can perform, so a record crammed with services can break without warning.