Using Third-Party Email Platforms¶
If you use a platform like GoHighLevel, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or similar tools to send marketing emails from your domain, you can absolutely do that alongside your existing email hosting with us. This guide explains what's needed and how it all works together.
How It Works¶
Your domain's email has two sides:
- Receiving — handled by your mail server (MX records). This is where incoming emails land.
- Sending — handled by whichever server sends the email. Your regular mailbox sends through our mail server, but platforms like GoHighLevel send through their own servers.
For a third-party platform to send email as you@yourdomain.com, your domain's DNS needs to authorize their servers as a legitimate sender. Without this, emails sent by the platform will likely end up in spam or be rejected entirely.
Your regular email continues to work exactly as it does today. Nothing changes on that side.
What DNS Changes Are Needed¶
Most platforms require three types of DNS records. They'll provide the exact values during their setup process — you just need to send them to us and we'll add them for you.
SPF Record (Required)¶
SPF tells receiving mail servers which servers are allowed to send email for your domain. Your domain already has an SPF record for your regular email. We add the platform's servers to it.
Before:
After (example with GoHighLevel):
SPF has a 10-lookup limit
The SPF standard allows a maximum of 10 DNS lookups per record. Each include: counts toward this limit. If you use multiple third-party senders, we may need to consolidate or flatten your SPF record. We'll handle this for you.
DKIM Records (Required)¶
DKIM adds a digital signature to outgoing emails so recipients can verify they actually came from your domain. Each platform uses its own unique selector, so there's no conflict with your existing DKIM setup.
The platform will give you one or more CNAME records to add, typically looking something like:
These sit alongside your existing DKIM records without any issues.
DMARC Record (Usually Already in Place)¶
DMARC tells receiving servers what to do if an email fails SPF or DKIM checks. If your domain already has a DMARC policy, no changes are usually needed — as long as the SPF and DKIM records above are set up correctly, emails from the platform will pass DMARC automatically.
If your DMARC policy is set to reject
A strict DMARC policy (p=reject) will block any email that fails authentication. Make sure the platform's SPF and DKIM records are in place and verified before the platform starts sending on your behalf.
Other Records Platforms May Request¶
Depending on the platform and features you use, you may also need:
| Record | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Domain verification TXT | Proves you own the domain | One-time setup, no ongoing impact |
| Tracking subdomain CNAME | Click tracking in marketing emails | link.yourdomain.com |
| Landing page subdomain CNAME | Funnels or landing pages hosted by the platform | pages.yourdomain.com |
None of these affect your regular email or website.
What Does NOT Change¶
| Component | Status |
|---|---|
| MX records | Stay the same — your incoming email continues to be delivered to your mailbox with us |
| Website | Stays the same — your domain's A record still points to your site |
| Existing email | Keeps working — your regular mailbox sends and receives as normal |
| Webmail access | No change |
Platform-Specific Notes¶
GoHighLevel¶
GoHighLevel provides CRM, marketing automation, and bulk email services. To send email from your domain through GoHighLevel:
- In GoHighLevel, go to Settings > Email Services and start the domain authentication process
- GoHighLevel will display the DNS records you need — typically SPF, DKIM (two or three CNAME records), and a domain verification TXT record
- Send those records to us and we'll add them to your domain's DNS
- Once the records are live (usually within a few minutes), go back to GoHighLevel and click Verify to confirm the setup
If you're using GoHighLevel's funnel or landing page features with a custom subdomain, they'll provide an additional CNAME record for that as well.
Mailchimp¶
Mailchimp requires DKIM (CNAME) and SPF verification. During domain authentication in Mailchimp:
- Go to Settings > Domains > Authenticate
- Mailchimp will display the required CNAME records
- Send them to us and we'll add them
Other Platforms¶
The process is the same for most email platforms — ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, HubSpot, Brevo, and others. They all follow the SPF + DKIM pattern. Just send us the records they provide and we'll take care of the DNS side.
Things to Keep in Mind¶
Domain Reputation¶
When a third-party platform sends email from your domain, their sending practices affect your domain's reputation. A few things to watch:
- Use clean, opt-in lists — Sending to purchased or scraped lists will damage your domain's reputation and can affect deliverability for all your email, including regular business correspondence.
- Monitor bounce rates — High bounce rates signal to inbox providers that your sending practices are poor.
- Respect unsubscribes — Most platforms handle this automatically, but make sure it's working.
Delivery Timing¶
DNS changes typically propagate within minutes when managed through Cloudflare, but some receiving servers cache DNS records for up to 24-48 hours. If verification doesn't work immediately, wait a bit and try again.
How to Get Started¶
- Sign up for your chosen platform and begin their domain setup / authentication process
- The platform will give you a list of DNS records to add
- Send those records to support@thenerdycloudguy.com
- We'll add them and let you know when they're live
- Go back to the platform and verify
That's it. Your regular email and website keep running as normal, and the platform can start sending on your behalf.
Need help?
If you're not sure what records to send us or something isn't verifying correctly, get in touch and we'll walk you through it.