How to Easily Set Up an SPF Record for Google Workspace

Did you know you can boost your email open rates with a simple tweak?

By implementing an SPF record for your domain, you have a better chance of reaching your prospect’s inbox and generating revenue for your business.

If you send cold emails through Google Workspace, we’ll show you how to set up an SPF record to improve deliverability and help avoid the spam folder.

Follow the steps below to set up an SPF record for Google Workspace today.

Steps to Setting Up a Google Workspace SPF Record

To set up an SPF record for your domain, you must first obtain your email service provider’s SPF record and add it to your domain’s DNS records.

This record includes your ESP’s sending server. By implementing the record, you authorize this server to send email on your domain’s behalf.

If setting up an SPF record sounds complicated, don’t worry! We’ll show you how to do it in minutes.

First, we’ll show you how to set up an SPF for any domain provider, and later, we’ll share instructions for specific domain providers like GoDaddy and Namecheap.

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Setting Up a Google Workspace SPF Record on Any Domain Provider

If you can’t find your domain provider below, follow these general steps to set up your SPF record.

• Step 1: Go to your domain provider’s account
• Step 2: Look for a page called DNS, DNS Management, or similar
• Step 3: Check for an existing SPF record. They always start with v=spf1.
  • Found an existing SPF record? Instead of adding Google’s SPF record in its entirety, simply add another sending server to it. How? Copy only the include from the record and add it to your existing record. For Google Workspace, this would be “include:_spf.google.com”. Your SPF may now look something like this: v=spf1 include:somesendingserver.net include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 4: If no existing record exists, click on Add or Add record, or something similar
• Step 5: Set the record’s Type to TXT
• Step 6: Add @ to the Name or Host field (unless you’re setting up the record for a subdomain)
• Step 7: Paste Google’s SPF record into the Value field. Typically, it will look like this: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 8: Add the TTL value (Time to live - the time in seconds a server should cache an SPF record). A recommended TTL for SPF records is between 1800 and 3600 seconds.
• Step 9: Save your record!

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How to add a Google Workspace SPF record to GoDaddy

• Step 1: Go to your GoDaddy account’s dashboard
• Step 2: Open the dropdown next to your username and click on My Products
• Step 3: Select your domain by clicking on the Manage button
• Step 4: Scroll down and click on Manage DNS
• Step 5: Check for an existing SPF record. They always start with v=spf1.
  • Found an existing SPF record? Instead of adding Google’s SPF record in its entirety, simply add another sending server to it. How? Copy only the include from Google’s record and add it to your existing record. For Google Workspace, this would be “include:_spf.google.com”. Your SPF may now look something like this: v=spf1 include:somesendingserver.net include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 6: Select Add new record
• Step 7: Choose TXT as the record’s Type
• Step 8: Add @ to the Name field (unless you’re setting up the SPF for a subdomain)
• Step 9: Add Google’s SPF record to the Value field: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 10: Add the TTL value (Time to live - The time in seconds a server should cache an SPF record). A recommended TTL for SPF records is between 1800 and 3600 seconds.
• Step 11: Save your record

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How do you set up an SPF record on Namecheap?

• Step 1: Log in to Namecheap and click on Domain list
• Step 2: Choose your domain by clicking on the corresponding Manage button
• Step 3: Navigate to Advanced DNS
• Step 4: Click on Add new record
• Step 5: For the record's Type, choose TXT
• Step 6: Put @ in the Host field (unless you're setting up the SPF for a subdomain)
• Step 7: Add the Google Workspace SPF record to the Value field
• Step 8: Click the checkmark to save your record
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Setting up an SPF record on Gandi

• Step 1: Log in to your Gandi account
• Step 2: Go to the Domains section and click on your domain
• Step 3: Navigate to the DNS records tab
• Step 4: Check for an existing SPF record
• Look for a TXT record starting with v=spf1. If found, you cannot create a new record. You must edit the existing one. How? Copy only the include from Google’s record and add it to your existing record. For Google Workspace, this would be “include:_spf.google.com”. Your SPF may now look something like this: v=spf1 include:somesendingserver.net include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 5: Click on Edit the Zone
• Step 6: Add a new record
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  • In Table Mode (recommended):
    • Click the Add button, or click the pencil button to edit the existing record
    • Set the following:
      • Type: TXT
      • Name: @
      • TTL (Time to live - server caching): 10800 (or use default)
      • Value: Add Google’s SPF here: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
      • Save your SPF record
  • In Text Mode:
    • Click on Edit DNS Records
    • Add a new line with your SPF record, including all fields
    • Click Save

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How to set up a Google SPF record on Cloudflare

• Step 1: Log in to Cloudflare
• Step 2: Click on your domain
• Step 3: Go to DNS
• Step 4: Check for an existing SPF record. SPF records always start with v=spf1. If found, you cannot create a new record. You must edit the existing one. How? Copy only the include from Google’s record and add it to your existing record. For Google Workspace, this would be “include:_spf.google.com”. Your SPF may now look something like this: v=spf1 include:somesendingserver.net include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 5: Click Add record
• Step 6: Select TXT as the record’s Type
• Step 7: Add @ to the Name field (unless you’re setting up an SPF record for a subdomain)
• Step 8: Add the Google Workspace record to the Value field: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 9: Leave the TTL to the default
• Step 10: Save your record

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How do you set up a Google Workspace SPF record on OVHcloud?

• Step 1: Log in to OVHcloud
• Step 2: In the Control Panel, click on My Products and Services
• Step 3: Click on See All, and select your domain
• Step 4: Navigate to the DNS Zone tab
• Step 5: Check for an existing SPF record.
• SPF records always start with v=spf1. If found, you cannot create a new record. You must edit the existing one. How? Copy only the include from Google’s record and add it to your existing record. For Google Workspace, this would be “include:_spf.google.com”. Your SPF may now look something like this: v=spf1 include:somesendingserver.net include:_spf.google.com ~all
• Step 6: Add an entry
• Step 7: Select TXT as the record’s Type
• Step 8: Add your SPF record to the Target field. Important: You need to append your domain manually. Most domain providers do this automatically, but not OVHcloud. Under Domain, enter: “yourdomain.com.”
• Step 9: Leave the TTL to the default
• Step 10: Save your record

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How to Validate Your SPF Record

Saving your SPF record does not automatically activate it. It can take up to 72 hours for DNS changes to propagate.

Luckily, it usually only takes a few hours for the changes to go live.

To verify the status of your SPF record, you can use an email deliverability tool like Mailivery.

On the Mailivery dashboard, you can find the DNS Status meter. If you configured the SPF record correctly, the status indicator will turn green.

The Mailivery Starters plan includes a free 7-day trial and lets you boost email deliverability for an unlimited number of inboxes.

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What Is SPF, and Why Do You Need It?

SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework. It allows you to specify which servers are allowed to send email through your domain.

The receiving servers can check your SPF record, and if an email comes from an unauthorized server, authentication will fail.

SPF was developed to combat email spoofing and other cyber crimes.

Since SPF makes emails more secure, email service providers reward domains that have correctly configured SPF records with better inbox placement.

In other words, if you’re doing any type of cold emailing, setting up SPF is no longer optional.

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Next Steps

SPF is part of a trio of email authentication protocols.

The other two are DKIM and DMARC.

To get more eyeballs on your cold emails and thus a superior ROI for your outreach, you need to set up all three.

With these authentication methods working behind the scenes to boost your deliverability, your chances of landing in the inbox increase significantly.

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