DMARC Deliverability for Substack Newsletter Creators

As a newsletter creator, ensuring your emails reach your subscribers' inboxes is paramount for engagement and growth. Understand why your custom domain emails might be getting flagged as spam.

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The problem

You pour hours into crafting compelling content for your Substack or Beehiiv newsletter, only for a significant portion of your audience to never see it because it lands in their spam folder. When sending from a custom domain, platforms like Substack rely on your DNS records to authenticate emails, yet many creators struggle to correctly configure SPF and DKIM, leading to DMARC failures and reduced deliverability. This directly impacts subscriber retention and your ability to monetize your audience.

The manual process of checking DMARC aggregate reports, typically sent as complex XML attachments to an obscure mailbox, is a significant time drain for busy creators. Without a clear picture of which email services (Substack, ConvertKit, etc.) are failing authentication for your domain, you're left guessing. This lack of visibility makes it nearly impossible to diagnose and fix deliverability issues, jeopardizing your relationship with your readers and potential revenue from sponsorships or paid subscriptions.

How Aligned solves it

Parses complex DMARC XML reports into a clear, actionable dashboard showing your Substack email authentication status.

Identifies exactly which email services sending on your behalf are failing SPF or DKIM alignment.

Provides insights to optimize your DMARC policy, ensuring your valuable newsletter content consistently reaches your subscribers.

Concrete example

DMARC Report Summary for newsletter.com
Source: Substack Mailer
Authenticated: YES (SPF: Pass, DKIM: Pass)
Source: ConvertKit
Authenticated: PARTIAL (SPF: Fail, DKIM: Pass)
Source: Unknown Sender (spammer.net)
Authenticated: NO (SPF: Fail, DKIM: Fail)

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Frequently asked questions

How does Aligned help my Substack emails reach more subscribers?

Aligned processes your DMARC reports, showing whether emails from your custom domain via Substack are passing SPF and DKIM. This helps you identify and fix authentication issues, improving your deliverability and reducing spam classifications.

Can Aligned identify if my ConvertKit emails are causing DMARC issues?

Yes, Aligned breaks down DMARC reports by sending source. You'll see specific authentication results for ConvertKit, allowing you to quickly troubleshoot any alignment problems with your marketing emails.

Is it complicated to set up DMARC reporting for my newsletter domain?

Setting up DMARC involves adding a simple DNS record. Aligned then ingests the aggregate reports generated by mail servers worldwide, making the complex data easy to understand and act upon without technical expertise.