If you are using Google Workspace for your email accounts and GoDaddy as your domain host, you will need to set up some DNS records prior to starting using your email accounts for sending.
Here is an overview of what we are going to cover in this article:
Adding a domain from GoDaddy to Google Workspace
If you are adding a domain from GoDaddy to Google Workspace, you should follow these steps:
Log into your Google Workspace Admin console https://admin.google.com/
Click on the "Account" tab and scroll down to the "Domains" tab. Here you will click on "Manage domains" or use this link https://admin.google.com/u/2/ac/domains/manage
Click on "Add a domain" link:
Enter a domain name that you purchased from GoDaddy, select the Secondary domain type and click on "ADD DOMAIN & START VERIFICATION".
This will be finished automatically.
Next step is activating Gmail and this will automatically create MX records for your domain.
Go to your domains in Google Workspace and select the domain that you want to activate Gmail for, click on the "Activate Gmail" link.
It will open the following dialog:
Choose "Set up MX record" and click on "NEXT". Give it a few minutes while it finishes automatic activation
Set up SPF
After you've connected your domain with Google Workspace and verified it (Google will automatically do this by creating MX and SPF records in your Domain DNS), you need to add the rest of the DNS records.
Check your SPF records, you should only have 1 record in DNS. If you only send emails from Google Workspace, you should set up SPF like this:
TXT record
Host:@
Value: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
Set up DKIM
Check these steps on how to set up DKIM properly for your Google domain:
Login to Google Workspace and locate your Gmail settings: Apps/Google Workspace/Gmail or use this link for the authentication page: https://admin.google.com/u/2/ac/apps/gmail/authenticateemail
You can also locate it by typing in the search bar "DKIM"
Click on "Authenticate email". This will direct you to generate your DKIM record. Make sure you have the correct domain selected. Click on "GENERATE NEW RECORD" and keep the default settings. Now you can copy the data from Google Workspace to your GoDaddy record. Once you do it, you can start authentication (described in the next step).
Do not close this tab because you will need DNS Host name (TXT record name) and TXT record value for creating DKIM in your GoDaddy settings.
Sign in to your GoDaddy account and locate the domain where you want to set up the records, use this link https://dcc.godaddy.com/domains.
Next to the domain name, there are three dots. Click on them and select "Manage DNS":
On DNS page, you should already see the MX and SPF records saved there by Google.
Create another DNS record (DKIM) in GoDaddy by clicking on "Add" button under "DNS Records":
Now, copy and paste the DNS Host name (TXT record name) and TXT record value from Google Workspace and paste them into your new DNS record.
TTL field you can leave as default value. It should look something like this:
Save it and wait for the confirmation, DKIM has been set up.
Go back to Google Workspace authentication page and click on "Start Authentication" Give it some time to finish.
If you get the error message as on the image, make sure you saved your record in the GoDaddy DNS and try to authenticate again in a few minutes.
Set up DMARC
DMARC record is a TXT record that you'll need to input into GoDaddy DNS.
Use https://easydmarc.com/tools/dmarc-record-generator? to easily generate your DMARC record.
These steps will show you how to add DMARC in your GoDaddy account:
Sign in to your GoDaddy account and locate the domain where you want to set up the records, use this link https://dcc.godaddy.com/domains. Locate the domain, click on the three dots next to it, and select "Manage DNS".
Under DNS Records, click on Add:
Copy the following:
Type:
TXT
Name:
_dmarc
Value:
v=DMARC1;p=none;sp=none;pct=100;rua=mailto:[email protected];ri=86400;aspf=s;adkim=s;fo=1
OR
v=DMARC1;p=quarantine;rua=mailto:[email protected];pct=90;sp=none
OR
v=DMARC1;p=none;rua=mailto:[email protected]
TTL for this record is set to the lowest possible or default (1h is perfectly fine).
Rua and Ruf tags are optional for any domain/email provider, so if you don't want to receive DMARC reports, you can leave these out.
If you are using rua tag in the Value field, replace [email protected] with your email address.
Save the record in your GoDaddy DNS, wait for the confirmation and you are done!
It should look like this:
