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Verifying Domain in Swipe One
Verifying Domain in Swipe One

This document summarizes essential details for Swipe One’s domain verification process, focusing on DNS record requirements (SPF, DKIM) and the reasons behind them.

Swami avatar
Written by Swami
Updated over 3 weeks ago

1. Overview

Before you can begin sending marketing emails from Swipe One—whether through Workflows or Email Campaigns—you need to verify your domain. Verifying your domain improves email deliverability, prevents your messages from being flagged as spam, and ensures compliance with industry standards like SPF and DKIM. This document outlines:

  • Why domain verification is required

  • What SPF and DKIM mean (in plain English)

  • How to add the mandatory (and optional) DNS records

  • How to handle different DNS providers

  • What to expect with DNS propagation

2. Why You Need to Verify Your Domain

2.1 Protecting Your Sender Reputation

Modern email hosts (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) rely heavily on SPF/DKIM checks to decide whether an email is trustworthy. If your domain is not verified, these providers may flag or block your messages, hurting your sender reputation and deliverability.
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2.2 What Are SPF and DKIM?

  • SPF (Sender Policy Framework): An SPF record tells other mail servers which IP addresses or mail servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain.

  • DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): A DKIM record attaches a digital signature to each email. Email providers (like Gmail or Yahoo) will check that signature to confirm the email is truly from you, rather than a spammer pretending to be you.

In simpler terms:

  • SPF is like an “approved senders list” for your domain.

  • DKIM is like a “tamper-proof seal” that ensures email contents haven’t been altered.

3. Adding and Verifying Your Domain in Swipe One

Step 1: Add Your Domain in Swipe One

  1. In your Swipe One workspace, navigate to Settings → Domains.

  2. Click Add Domain and enter the domain you wish to verify (e.g., example.com).

  3. Swipe One will display a list of DNS records to be added (CNAME and TXT). Important: The specific “Values” or “Points to” fields are unique to your domain and workspace—what you see is tailored to your domain.

Step 2: Add the Required DNS Records

Swipe One will show you two categories of records:

  1. Mandatory Records

    • Usually includes at least three CNAME records and possibly a TXT record.

    • These ensure SPF and DKIM are properly configured.

  2. Additional Records (Optional but Recommended)

    • Provide extra redundancy and high availability.

    • Useful for peak loads or partial outages to maintain timely delivery.

Your DNS Manager might look different depending on the registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, Cloudflare, etc.), but the process is generally the same:

  1. CNAME Records

    • Hostname examples: swipeone._domainkey, so-mail1, so-mail2.

    • Value examples: swipeonecom1.swipeone.email, swipeonecom2.swipeone.email, or _domainkey.swipeone.email.

    • Note: The exact text depends on your account—your domain might show something like mydomaincom1.swipeone.email or workspace1234.swipeone.email.

  2. TXT Records (SPF)

    • Hostname (Name) could be @ or your root domain (e.g., example.com), depending on the DNS provider’s requirements.

    • Value: something like v=spf1 a mx include:swipeone.email ~all. If you already have another SPF record for something like G Suite (Google Workspace), you must combine them (e.g., v=spf1 a mx include:_spf.google.com include:swipeone.email ~all).

  3. _dmarc Record (Optional but Highly Recommended)

    • Hostname (Name): _dmarc

    • Value: something like _dmarc.swipeone.email or a DMARC policy (depending on your instructions from Swipe One).

  4. High Availability CNAMEs

    • May appear as additional DKIM entries (so1._domainkey, so12._domainkey, api._domainkey, etc.) or fallback routing records.

    • Ensures if one route or server goes down, your emails continue to send reliably.

Step 3: Wait for DNS Propagation

After adding or updating the DNS records, it can take up to 24–48 hours for the changes to propagate globally. Some providers (like Cloudflare) can be much faster, but it’s wise to allow up to two days.
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Step 4: Confirm Verification in Swipe One

Once the DNS records fully propagate, Swipe One will detect the valid entries and mark your domain as Verified. You can check the status under Settings → Domains in your Swipe One workspace.
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4. Sending Marketing Emails

Once your domain is verified:

  • You can send emails confidently from your domain using Swipe One’s Email Campaigns or Workflow automations.

  • Your messages will carry the domain’s DKIM signature and pass SPF checks, increasing trust among email providers.

Important: If your domain verification is still pending, your marketing emails will not be delivered through Swipe One. We recommend verifying your domain as an initial setup step to avoid any delays.

5. DNS Provider–Specific Tips

Though each provider’s interface is different, the overall steps are:

  1. Find your DNS or Domain settings page (often called DNS Manager, DNS Records, or Manage Zone).

  2. Add or edit the required CNAME/TXT records.

  3. Some providers:

    • GoDaddy: Typically uses @ to denote the root domain.

    • Namecheap: Might split “Host” and “Value” fields differently; check their help docs.

    • Cloudflare: If using a proxy (the orange cloud icon), you may need to disable it for certain CNAME records or use specific settings for mail.

For more detailed, step-by-step guidance, refer to your chosen provider’s documentation or tutorials (coming soon to Swipe One’s help center).

6. Common Questions & Troubleshooting

  1. I already have a TXT/SPF record for Google Workspace—do I remove it?

    • No. You need to merge the existing SPF record with the Swipe One SPF record. Example:

      v=spf1 a mx include:_spf.google.com include:swipeone.email ~all

  2. My domain shows “unverified” after I added the records.

    • DNS propagation might not be complete yet, or there might be typos in your records. Double-check them and wait a bit longer.

  3. What if I have multiple domains?

    • You can add and verify each domain separately following the same steps.

7. Summary & Next Steps

  • Domain Verification is essential for reliable email deliverability, brand protection, and compliance with major email service providers.

  • SPF and DKIM are the core records that prove your domain’s authenticity.

  • Additional Records improve redundancy and help ensure stability even during high email volume or server maintenance.

  • DNS Propagation may take 24–48 hours, so plan accordingly.

  • After Verification, you can start sending marketing emails immediately.

If you have any further questions or run into issues, please reach out to Swipe One Support or consult your domain registrar’s support articles for adding and editing DNS records.

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