Skip to main content
Review notes:
  • So far, this page is really focused on the “what to do” and provides little information on how exactly DKIM/DMARC/Return Paths work. we’ll likely create more content around this in the future but for now, I hope this works as is
Before you can send emails with Helo, you’ll need to authenticate the domain(s) you plan to send from. This is how we (and the rest of the email ecosystem) know that you actually own the domain.

​
Verify your domain(s) for sending

To verify your domain, you’ll need to add a few DNS records we give you. Here’s how that works.
1

Create your domain in Helo

Navigate to the Domains section in your Helo account to create a new domain. By default, a domain is available for sending on all your Channels, but you can also restrict its use to only specific Channels if you desire.Once you add your domain, we’ll generate a set of DNS records for you to add at your DNS provider.
2

Add the required DNS records to your DNS provider

There are two different types of DNS records you’ll need to add to your domain’s DNS provider:

​
DKIM record (TXT)

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an important email authentication standard that uses a digital signature to verify that an email was sent and authorized by the owner of the domain.When you add a domain in Helo, we’ll generate a DKIM key to be used for signing mail sent with us. You’ll have to add this key to your DNS as a TXT record before you can use the domain for sending.To do that, head to your domain host or DNS provider and open the section where you manage DNS records (if you’re not sure where this lives, your provider’s help docs usually point you in the right direction).Create a new TXT record, and copy the host + value entries exactly as Helo provides them.

​
Return-Path records (CNAME)

The Return-Path is the address that receives bounces and other delivery feedback for an email. Using a custom Return-Path ties your sending reputation more closely to your own domain, not just the provider’s infrastructure.
There are two main benefits for adding a Return-Path record:
1. Stronger DMARC domain alignment
DMARC looks for alignment between the domain in your From address and the domains used for authentication (SPF and/or DKIM). If you send from example.com but your Return-Path lives on a provider-owned domain, SPF may pass—but it won’t be aligned with your From domain. This can weaken DMARC results and hurt your sending reputation. When you use a custom Return-Path like bounces.example.com, SPF can align properly with your From address, strengthening authentication and improving deliverability.
2. Cleaner reputation signals
Bounces, complaints, and feedback are part of how mailbox providers evaluate a sender. A custom Return-Path helps ensure those signals are associated with your domain, not pooled with unrelated senders.Over time, this leads to more predictable sending behavior, improved deliverability and fewer surprises.
To set up your Return-Path, create a new CNAME entry in your DNS records, again being careful to copy the host + value fields exactly as provided. Some providers require you to enter the fully qualified CNAME (including your root domain, ie: helo-bounces.example.com), so be sure to follow the necessary format specific to your provider.
Please note: Helo requires two Return-Path recordsYou’ll see that Helo asks you to add two Return-Path CNAME records - please make sure you add both. This allows us to send mail through multiple underlying delivery systems while still keeping your Return-Path aligned with your domain.
3

Ensure your domain is verified

Once you have added the DNS records, hit “Verify DNS records” (or wait for our automated verification to complete). We’ll check to make sure the records are correctly configured, and if everything looks good the domain status will change to “verified” — and you’re ready for sending.We also periodically check to make sure your domain records are still properly configured — and we’ll notify you in case anything is missing.

​
Manage domains via the Domains API

In addition to verifying domains in the UI, all functionality for creating, verifying, and managing domains is available via the API as well. Specifically, the Domains API allows you to:
  • List all domains or retrieve a domain’s details
  • Create, update, and delete domains
  • Verify a domain
  • Rotate a domain’s keys
Check out the Domains API reference ->