To put it simply, Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a way for a domain to list all the servers that are authorized to send email on its behalf. Think of it like a list of authorized retailers for a high-end fashion product—so buyers can be assured they’re not getting a knock-off.
SPF records, managed by your domain host, list all the IP addresses of all the servers that are authorized to send mail on your behalf—just like a list of those authorized retailers. Inbox providers (like Gmail and Yahoo) can check incoming messages against this SPF record to make sure it’s really coming from you (and not a spammer) before passing it on to the recipient.
It’s important to note that SPF verification is only available for custom domain senders. In other words, if you’re sending emails from a free email address (like Gmail or Yahoo), you will not be able to set up SPF.
You’ll need to configure your SPF settings by pasting a set of generated keys from your Flodesk account into the DNS settings of your domain provider (like GoDaddy.com). Once you do so, the process of validation can take up to 48 hours.
For a detailed walkthrough on how to authenticate your domain (via DKIM and SPF) in Flodesk, review this guide.
Summary
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records, managed by your domain host, list all the IP addresses of all the servers that are authorized to send mail on your behalf. Inbox providers (like Gmail and Yahoo) can check incoming messages against this SPF record to make sure it’s really coming from you (and not a spammer) before passing it on to the recipient.
To check your SPF records, log into Flodesk and navigate to Account settings > Domain setup.