Why email authentication matters
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are the three records that prove your emails really come from you. Without them, mailbox providers distrust your mail and route it to spam — even if your list is clean.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
Lists which servers are allowed to send email for your domain. Without it, anyone can spoof you and ISPs notice.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
Adds a cryptographic signature to every email proving it wasn't tampered with in transit.
DMARC
Ties SPF and DKIM together and tells mailbox providers what to do with mail that fails (quarantine or reject). This is the one most domains skip.