SMTP Setup Checklist

Pick an SMTP provider

Brevo, Postmark, Resend or AWS SES depending on volume and budget.

Verify your sending domain

Add the domain inside your provider dashboard and trigger verification.

Configure SPF record

Add a TXT record to your DNS listing your provider as authorized to send.

Configure DKIM record

Add the provider's DKIM public key as a TXT record. Enables signature verification.

Configure DMARC record

Start with p=none for monitoring, move to p=quarantine then p=reject as you gain confidence.

Set up a dedicated subdomain

Use mail.yourdomain.com for sending - keeps marketing and transactional reputations separate.

Implement webhooks

Listen for delivered, opened, bounced and complained events to keep your list clean.

Add an unsubscribe link

Required for marketing email. One-click unsubscribe is now mandatory per Gmail / Yahoo rules.

Configure bounce handling

Auto-suppress hard bounces. Retry soft bounces 1-3 times then suppress.

Plan IP warm-up

If on a dedicated IP, ramp volume gradually over 2-4 weeks to build reputation.

Test deliverability

Use Mail Tester or Postmark Spam Check before each major campaign.

Monitor reputation

Watch Google Postmaster Tools and your provider's reputation dashboard weekly.