Zoho Mail Deliverability

Best Practices

Zoho offers both business email (Zoho Mail) and email marketing (Zoho Campaigns). Both need proper authentication to achieve good deliverability. Here's how to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Zoho, and how to troubleshoot common issues.

Authentication Setup for Zoho Mail

SPF Record

Zoho Mail's SPF include value:

include:zoho.com

If you use Zoho Mail for business email along with another service for marketing:

v=spf1 include:zoho.com include:sendgrid.net ~all

Zoho has region-specific includes. If you're on Zoho's EU datacenter, you may need include:zoho.eu. Check your Zoho admin panel for the correct value for your region.

DKIM Setup

Generate DKIM key in Zoho

Go to Zoho Mail Admin → Email Authentication → DKIM. Click "Add" to generate a DKIM key pair for your domain.

Choose a selector

Zoho uses a default selector (often zoho or zmail). You can customize this if you prefer.

Add the TXT record to DNS

Copy the TXT record value Zoho provides and add it to your DNS at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com.

Verify in Zoho

Return to Zoho and click Verify. Once verified, Zoho signs all outgoing email with DKIM automatically.

DMARC Record

Add a DMARC record if you don't have one:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]

Check your complete setup with our free deliverability checker.

Verify your Zoho authentication

Run a free check on your domain. Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are passing for Zoho Mail.

Zoho Campaigns Authentication

If you use Zoho Campaigns for email marketing, it requires separate authentication from Zoho Mail.

Domain Authentication in Campaigns

Go to Zoho Campaigns → Settings → Domain Authentication
Add your sending domain
Zoho Campaigns generates DNS records (CNAME for DKIM, SPF include)
Add the records to your DNS
Verify in Zoho Campaigns

Zoho Campaigns may use a different SPF include than Zoho Mail. Check the exact values in your Campaigns dashboard and ensure both are in your SPF record.

Using Both Zoho Mail and Campaigns

If you use both services, your SPF record needs to include both:

v=spf1 include:zoho.com include:zcsend.net ~all

The exact include values may vary by region and account type — always verify against your Zoho dashboard.

Common Zoho Deliverability Issues

Zoho Mail Emails Going to Spam

If business emails from Zoho Mail land in recipients' spam:

Verify authentication — Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all passing
Check domain reputation — Use Google Postmaster Tools to see how Gmail views your domain
Review your sending patterns — New Zoho accounts need to build reputation gradually
Check for blacklists — Run a blacklist check on your domain

Zoho Campaigns Low Deliverability

Issue	Likely Cause	Fix
High bounce rate	List quality — old or invalid addresses	Clean list before sending, use Zoho's verification
High spam complaints	Recipients didn't opt in or content doesn't match expectations	Only email opt-in subscribers, set expectations
Low open rates	Going to spam or disengaged audience	Check authentication, segment by engagement
Emails not arriving	Authentication failure or blacklist	Verify DNS records, check blacklists

SPF Alignment Issues

Zoho sometimes uses its own envelope sender domain, which can cause SPF alignment issues with DMARC. If SPF passes but DMARC alignment fails:

Ensure DKIM is properly configured (DKIM alignment is usually more reliable)
Check Zoho's admin settings for envelope sender configuration
Contact Zoho support if alignment issues persist

Zoho-Specific Best Practices

Zoho Mail for Business

Use a custom domain — Don't send business email from @zoho.com. Authenticate your own domain.
Set up email aliases carefully — Each alias should be from an authenticated domain
Enable DKIM for all domains — If you have multiple domains in Zoho, configure DKIM for each one
Monitor sent mail headers — Periodically send test emails to Gmail and check authentication results

Zoho Campaigns for Marketing

Authenticate before sending — Complete domain authentication before your first campaign
Start with engaged contacts — Send your first campaigns to your most engaged subscribers
Use Zoho's list management — Leverage bounce handling and unsubscribe management
Monitor per-campaign metrics — Track opens, clicks, bounces, and complaints for every send
Segment your audience — Use Zoho's segmentation features to send relevant content

Zoho with Third-Party Services

If you use Zoho Mail alongside third-party marketing platforms:

Each service needs its own SPF include
DKIM should be configured for each service independently
Monitor your SPF record's lookup count — multiple services can push you past the 10-lookup limit
Consider using subdomains to separate sending streams

Zoho Mail Deliverability: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Setup Guide