An enhanced email configuration gives ThinkReservations special permission to send your guests emails from your own domain. This changes the "from" email address from reservations@thinkreservations.com to be your own email, and is required for our email marketing module. This is done by configuring some settings on your domain: DKIM and SPF.
Prerequisites
Before the request to enable DKIM can be submitted, you will need to make sure you have the following:
The email address to be used must contain a valid domain that you own, hence free email services are not supported.
You must have access to the domain settings yourself, or have access to someone that does. We will not be able to make these changes to your domain on your behalf.
The email service you are using must be compatible with DKIM (Most, but NOT all services, allow this)
Getting Started
To start the request, ensure you have met the requirements.
Chat or Email support@thinkreservations.com and ask to have DKIM enabled for your account. Include the following information in your request:
The email address you would like to use for your from email address.
The contact email for the technical person who will be making the changes to your domain on your behalf.
Our team will craft an email with the CNAME records and information needed for your domain changes. This includes instruction for setting up DKIM and SPF.
Work with your domain to get the DNS records updated. See below for more on this step.
Once we get confirmation those changes have been made, it can take up to 72 hours for the information to populate on servers across the web.
We will send a test to confirm everything is working as expected.
We will contact you to let you know the work is complete.
Updating your Domain
Step 4 above is to update your DNS Records. This step happens outside of ThinkReservations with your domain provider. This is a technical change to your domain, so you may need to work with the individual or company that manages your domain to make these changes for you.
ThinkReservations will send the DNS record changes to update the CNAME and SPF records to you via email.
If you would like to attempt to make these changes on your own, here are some instructions for editing DNS records with some of the more popular domain providers:
Amazon Web Services: Configuring DNS, Resource Record Types
Bluehost Bluerock: Manage DNS Records
Bluehost Legacy: DNS Management
Dreamhost: DNS Overview
GoDaddy: Add a CNAME Record
Google Domains: DNS Basics
Hostgator: Manage DNS records
Squarespace: Advanced DNS Settings
Stablehost: How do I get to cpanel?
WordPress: Adding Custom DNS Records
Siteground: Create CNAME Records
⚠️ Need more help? If you don't have access to a technical firm or individual to help you manage changes to your domain, we might be able to help. ThinkReservations can try to assist with making these changes for you. Generally, these changes can be completed very quickly. However, please note that we may asses an additional fee.
Further Reading...
What is DKIM?
DKIM stands for Domain Keys Identified Mail. In plain language, it’s a security method that helps verify that the emails sent from your business are really coming from you, not from someone pretending to be you. When DKIM is set up, your email messages get a digital signature. This tells email providers (like Gmail or Outlook) that your emails are trustworthy, which can improve delivery and reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam.
What is DMARC?
Although Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) isn't required for DKIM and SPF to function, Gmail and Yahoo require DMARC if you send more than 5,000 emails to their addresses within a 24-hour period. Implementing DMARC improves email deliverability, protects your domain from spoofing, and instructs receiving servers how to handle emails that fail DKIM and SPF checks. If you anticipate sending high volumes of emails to Gmail or Yahoo users, we strongly recommend configuring DMARC proactively. Please note that DMARC configuration involves technical updates to your domain settings, so we suggest reaching out to your domain administrator or IT professional for assistance, as ThinkReservations does not manage these settings.
What is SPF?
In simple terms, SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication standard that helps prevent email spoofing and phishing by verifying the legitimate source of emails, ensuring they are actually sent from the domain they claim to be from.
Understanding Email Addresses: From vs. Reply-To
From Email:
This is the address that your email recipients see as the sender. For example, if your default setting is reservations@thinkreservations.com, that’s the “from email.” If you want your emails to look like they’re coming from your own business email (like innkeeper@myexamplehotel.com), you will need to change the “from email” by working with us to set up DKIM on your account.Reply-To Email:
This is the address where responses go when a recipient hits “reply.” This is how we make sure that when a guest replies to one of your emails, you are able to see their response. Changing the reply-to address doesn’t require any special technical setup. It’s simply a setting you can adjust on your own in your ThinkReservations account under Business Settings. Free email services like Gmail and Yahoo are supported for the reply-to email.
Changing the Email Settings
To Change the From Email:
You must work with us to set up DKIM. This involves adding specific records (CNAME) to your domain’s DNS settings. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, you will need help from your domain manager, web designer, or technical advisor.To Change the Reply-To Email:
You can update this setting directly in your account under Settings > Business Settings without needing to set up DKIM. Update the setting labeled:
REPLY-TO EMAIL ADDRESS, and click Save at the bottom of the page.Even after DKIM is setup, you can still set a unique email address to use as your reply-to address.
Common uses for DMIK + SPF setup:
To make it appear that reservation emails are being sent from the property instead of from the ThinkRervations system.
Email validation to help reduce the chances of it being falsely flagged as spam.
Sending marketing emails from within ThinkReservations