DKIM for Squarespace: Email Authentication Setup Guide

This guide is part of our Website and Ecommerce series.

If you run your business on Squarespace, your emails need to look legitimate to inbox providers. Without proper DKIM authentication, marketing campaigns sent through Squarespace Email Campaigns and transactional messages from your domain can end up in spam folders - or get rejected entirely.

This guide walks you through setting up DKIM for both Squarespace Email Campaigns and Google Workspace email, whether your domain is managed through Squarespace or an external registrar.

Why Squarespace Users Need DKIM

Squarespace sites often send email in two ways: marketing campaigns through Squarespace Email Campaigns, and business email through a provider like Google Workspace. Both channels need DKIM to ensure reliable delivery.

Without DKIM, your emails are more likely to:

• Land in spam or junk folders
• Be silently dropped by Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo
• Fail DMARC alignment checks
• Undermine customer trust in your brand

Gmail and Yahoo now require DKIM authentication for bulk senders. If you send newsletters or promotional emails through Squarespace, this directly affects you.

Option 1: DKIM for Squarespace Email Campaigns

Squarespace Email Campaigns is the built-in tool for sending marketing emails like newsletters, promotions, and announcements. When you authenticate your sender domain, Squarespace handles DKIM signing for you automatically.

Once verified, Squarespace manages the DKIM signing process internally. You don't need to generate or manage keys yourself for Email Campaigns.

Option 2: DKIM for Google Workspace via Squarespace

Many Squarespace users pair their site with Google Workspace for professional business email (e.g., [email protected]). If you use Google Workspace, DKIM must be configured through Google's Admin console - Squarespace doesn't handle this part for you.

Adding DNS Records in Squarespace

One advantage of managing your domain through Squarespace is the straightforward DNS panel. Here's what you need to know when adding DKIM-related records.

To add a record in Squarespace DNS:

1. Go to Settings > Domains and click on your domain
2. Select DNS Settings
3. Click Add Record and choose the correct type (TXT or CNAME)
4. Enter the hostname and value exactly as provided - extra spaces or missing characters will cause verification to fail
5. Save and allow time for propagation

When You Might Need DKIM Creator

For most Squarespace users, DKIM is handled by either Squarespace (for Email Campaigns) or Google (for Workspace email). However, there are situations where generating your own DKIM keys with DKIM Creator makes sense:

• Third-party email services: If you use a transactional email provider like SendGrid or Mailgun alongside Squarespace, you may need custom DKIM keys
• Multiple sending services: Running several email tools from the same domain requires careful key management with unique selectors
• Key rotation: Periodically rotating DKIM keys is a security best practice, especially if you suspect a key has been compromised
• Advanced DMARC policies: Strict DMARC alignment may require you to manage DKIM configuration more directly

Verifying Your DKIM Setup

After adding DNS records, verify that everything is working:

1. Check DNS propagation - Use a DNS lookup tool to confirm your DKIM TXT or CNAME records are visible
2. Send a test email - Send a message to a Gmail account and check the email headers for dkim=pass
3. Review Squarespace status - For Email Campaigns, check that the Sender Details panel shows your domain as verified
4. Monitor deliverability - Watch your Email Campaigns analytics for bounce rates and spam complaints after enabling DKIM

Common Issues and Fixes

Domain not verifying in Squarespace Email Campaigns

• Double-check that the CNAME records match exactly what Squarespace provided
• Ensure you haven't added extra characters or spaces
• Wait the full 48 hours before troubleshooting further

Google Workspace DKIM not authenticating

• Confirm the TXT record hostname includes the selector prefix (e.g., google._domainkey)
• Make sure you clicked "Start Authentication" in the Google Admin console after adding the DNS record
• Verify you're editing DNS at the right provider - if your domain uses external nameservers, Squarespace DNS settings won't apply

Emails still going to spam after DKIM setup

• DKIM alone may not be enough. Set up SPF and DMARC records alongside DKIM for full authentication
• Check that your sending reputation is clean and your email content isn't triggering spam filters

References

• RFC 6376 — DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Signatures
• Squarespace official documentation — Email authentication and sender domain setup

---

Running your business on Squarespace? Make sure every email you send is authenticated and trusted.