SAP - Domain configuration options - What is the best options?

Question

I will configure SAP Domain. Domain configuration options are:

1. You select a new domain to represent your brand, example: mycompany-email.com. -Salesforce will purchase the domain and handle the entire configuration. There are no technical tasks required from your company. This is the easiest and quickest option.

2. You purchase a domain or use an unused domain you own, example: mycompany.net. This option requires the domain administrator at your company to delegate the domain to Salesforce by adding four nameserver (NS) records to the DNS for the domain. Please see the following help page for more details on domain delegation: http://help.marketingcloud.com/en/documentation/exacttarget/content/sender_authentication_package/subdomain_delegation_guide_for_sender_authentication_package/ Please note, our system can only accept delegation via NS records pointing to the server names, neither IP nor CNAME delegation is supported.

3. You delegate a subdomain to our nameservers, example: email.mycompany.com. This option requires the domain administrator at your company to create the subdomain and delegate it to us by adding four nameserver (NS) records to the DNS and point them to our nameservers. This is an advanced option. Please see the following help page for more details on domain delegation: http://help.marketingcloud.com/en/documentation/exacttarget/content/sender_authentication_package/subdomain_delegation_guide_for_sender_authentication_package/ Please note, our system can only accept delegation via NS records pointing to the server names, neither IP nor CNAME delegation is supported.

4. You host all the DNS records of a domain or subdomain of your choice. We recommend a domain that is not already in use elsewhere as there are a number of DNS entries that need to be made in order to fully utilize our platform including MX records which often conflict with existing domains. Typically, going with a subdomain like email.mycompany.com is the best route. We need to know the domain name and will generate a zone file to add to your DNS. This option requires expert technical resources on your end. This method is not recommended and support for adding DNS records is not provided by Salesforce. This is considered an advanced option, the following page offers an example of the DNS work that will need to be handled internally when choosing to self-host: http://help.marketingcloud.com/en/documentation/exacttarget/content/sender_authentication_package/maintaining_your_own_dns_records_for_your_sending_domain/

What are the difference between point 2 and point 3? Based on what should you choose one of these two options in your opinion?

Thank you

Answer 1

Given your company is called: Example, website domain: www.example.com I will suggest going with email.example.com. If “email” is already taken, I will suggest cp (for campaign), em (for email) or similar. Example: em.example.com

I believe what you are asking for is to have a brand new domain, like example-email.com – why is buying a new domain for your SAP an issue? “Cousin domain” problem gives wrong impression to consumers, as described here. Domain MUST reference brand for consumer confidence reasons. You should also not buy a whole different domain, like mycampaigns.com as ISPs tend to get suspicious of domains that send mail without branding in domain name.

You could potentially use your own example.com domain for sends, but this introduces a number of issues. Mainly around not being able to delegate it to Salesforce. Also, you might not be able to use RMM, as the replies will go to your own mail servers, since there are already existing MX records on the top domain.

Hence the best approach, which is what almost every client is doing, is creating a subdomain on their main domain, and delegating that subdomain to Salesforce, for them to manage the DNS settings.