How to Set Up Hover DNS Records for Email Marketing

You manage DNS records in Hover through the DNS tab on your domain management screen. Hover provides an uncluttered interface and defaults to a TTL of 15 minutes (900 seconds), allowing updates to propagate quickly. Before adding email marketing records, check for existing SPF or MX entries so you do not disrupt active business email.

Hover DNS navigation and nameserver check

To access your DNS records in Hover:

1. Log in to your Hover account.
2. Click Domains in the top navigation bar.
3. Click your domain name from the list.
4. Click the DNS tab.

Before adding records, check the Nameservers section on the domain overview tab. Your domain must point to Hover nameservers (ns1.hover.com and ns2.hover.com). If your domain uses custom nameservers pointing to another provider, records created in Hover will not resolve. Configure your email records in that external DNS dashboard instead.

Adding a record in Hover

1. On the DNS tab, click Add A Record (or the plus icon).
2. Select the record type from the Type dropdown (TXT, CNAME, or MX).
3. Fill in the Hostname field:
   • For root domain records (such as SPF), enter @.
   • For subdomains (such as _dmarc or DKIM selectors), enter only the prefix. Hover appends your root domain automatically.
4. Enter the destination value:
   • For TXT records, enter your plain text string into the Content (or Value) field. Do not wrap the value in quotation marks.
   • For CNAME records, enter the destination hostname into the Target Host field.
   • For MX records, enter the mail server hostname in Mail Server, and enter your priority integer into the Priority field.
5. Leave the TTL field at its default setting (typically 15 minutes).
6. Click Add Record.

Hover documents its DNS interface in its managing DNS records support guide.

Required authentication records

Receiving mail servers use these three records to verify that messages sent from your domain are authentic.

1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

• Type: TXT
• Hostname: @
• Content: The SPF string provided by your email platform, such as:

  v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net ~all

• TTL: 15 minutes

Merging multiple SPF records

A domain must only have one root SPF record. If you use Hover Mail or Google Workspace, an SPF record will already exist in your DNS table.

Do not add a second TXT record starting with v=spf1. Multiple SPF records cause receiving mail servers to fail evaluation with a PermError, sending your messages to spam or rejecting them outright.

To update an existing SPF record:

1. Look through the DNS table for an existing TXT record starting with v=spf1.
2. Click the record or click the edit icon to open it.
3. Add your email marketing provider’s include: mechanism before the closing qualifier (~all or -all). For example:

   v=spf1 include:_spf.hover.com.cust.hostedemail.com include:sendgrid.net ~all

4. Click Save.

Do not place quotation marks around the string in the Content field. Hover stores the string literally.

2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

Email providers supply DKIM records in either CNAME or TXT format:

CNAME-based DKIM

Most modern email platforms (such as Klaviyo, Postmark, SendGrid, and Amazon SES) use CNAME records:

• Type: CNAME
• Hostname: The selector prefix without your domain, such as s1._domainkey
• Target Host: The target hostname provided by your email platform, such as s1.domainkey.example-esp.com
• TTL: 15 minutes

If your email provider provides a full hostname like s1._domainkey.yourdomain.com, enter only s1._domainkey in the Hostname field. Entering the full domain causes Hover to publish s1._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com, which prevents DKIM verification.

TXT-based DKIM

Some platforms provide a raw public key string:

• Type: TXT
• Hostname: The selector prefix, such as google._domainkey
• Content: The raw public key string starting with v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=...
• TTL: 15 minutes

Paste the full public key into the Content field without quotation marks.

3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

• Type: TXT
• Hostname: _dmarc (Hover appends your root domain automatically)
• Content:

  v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; pct=100;

• TTL: 15 minutes

Start with p=none to collect delivery reports without affecting message flow. Once SPF and DKIM authenticate consistently across all your sending services, update the policy tag to p=quarantine or p=reject.

Optional deliverability and branding records

These records configure custom subdomains for bounce handling and link tracking.

4. Custom return path (bounce domain) (optional)

• Type: CNAME
• Hostname: bounces (or the subdomain prefix specified in your platform settings)
• Target Host: The mail server hostname assigned by your email platform (such as pm.mtasv.net)
• TTL: 15 minutes

5. Branded tracking domain (optional)

• Type: CNAME
• Hostname: links (or track, click, or email as specified by your platform)
• Target Host: The tracking hostname assigned by your email platform
• TTL: 15 minutes

Setting up custom MX records (if required)

If your email marketing service requires dedicated MX records for inbound message processing, reply handling, or sending subdomains:

1. On the DNS tab, click Add A Record and choose MX.
2. Enter the details:
   • Hostname: @ for the root domain, or mail for a dedicated sending subdomain.
   • Mail Server: The mail server address provided by your platform (such as feedback-smtp.us-east-1.amazonses.com).
   • Priority: The integer specified by your provider (such as 10).
   • TTL: 15 minutes
3. Click Add Record.

If you use Hover Mail or Google Workspace for your business mailboxes, do not overwrite your root MX records. Overwriting root MX records disrupts incoming email for your organization. Only add MX records for dedicated subdomains unless you are switching your primary email service.

Verifying your DNS records

Hover’s 15-minute default TTL allows quick verification. You can check your DNS records in Windows PowerShell using Resolve-DnsName:

Check SPF

Resolve-DnsName -Name yourdomain.com -Type TXT

Review the Strings column. Verify that only one SPF record exists and that your sending service mechanism is listed.

Check DMARC

Resolve-DnsName -Name _dmarc.yourdomain.com -Type TXT

Confirm that the output contains your v=DMARC1; p=... record.

Check DKIM

Replace s1 with your provider’s specific selector:

Resolve-DnsName -Name s1._domainkey.yourdomain.com -Type CNAME

If your platform uses TXT-based DKIM, change -Type CNAME to -Type TXT. The output will display your provider’s target hostname or public key.

Check tracking and bounce records (if configured)

Resolve-DnsName -Name bounces.yourdomain.com -Type CNAME

The NameHost column should point to your email platform’s destination address.

Check MX records (if configured)

Resolve-DnsName -Name yourdomain.com -Type MX

The NameExchange column should list your designated mail servers with their numerical priorities under Preference.

Common troubleshooting issues

Issue	Root cause	Solution
Subdomain hostname is duplicated (_dmarc.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com)	The full domain was typed into the Hostname field.	Enter only the subdomain prefix (such as _dmarc). Hover appends your domain automatically.
SPF status shows PermError	Multiple TXT records start with v=spf1.	Edit the existing SPF record, merge all include: mechanisms into that single record, and delete any duplicate entries.
Verification fails with syntax error	Quotation marks were manually pasted into the Content field.	Remove surrounding quotes from the Content field. Hover stores the string literally.
CNAME on root domain fails	Hover does not permit CNAME records at the root (@).	CNAME records can only be set on subdomains. For root domains, use A records or email marketing subdomain setups.
Primary business email stops working	Root MX records were replaced with email marketing MX records.	Restore your original primary mail exchanger records, and configure email marketing MX records on a dedicated subdomain.
Records do not resolve externally	The domain points to external nameservers.	Check the Nameservers section on the domain overview tab. If custom nameservers are active, configure DNS records at that external provider.