Set up a branded email domain for marketing emails

Last updated: October, 2026

Setting up a branded email domain enables you to send marketing emails from your own domain, enhancing brand recognition and driving engagement. This article covers key information and steps to set up your custom domain.

Before configuring a branded email domain, review the requirements and recommendations below to ensure a smooth setup and reliable email delivery.

A branded email domain is a custom domain used to send marketing emails from Email Hub features, such as broadcasts and workflow email actions. For example, if you want to send emails from “hello@community.abc.com,” your email domain would be “community.abc.com.”

Email Hub subscribers on the Business plan and higher can set up a branded email domain at no additional cost.

While you can use your root domain for marketing emails, we strongly recommend setting up a dedicated subdomain that is not being used for any other purpose. Using a dedicated subdomain helps improve email deliverability and security by isolating marketing email traffic and avoiding conflicts with existing email systems or DMARC policies on your root domain.

DMARC alignment requirement (if using a root domain)

If you choose to send emails from your root domain, we recommend using relaxed alignment for both SPF and DKIM to work with Email Hub.

Any DMARC records set to strict alignment (aspf=s or adkim=s) must be updated to relaxed alignment (aspf=r or adkim=r) when completing domain setup. Strict alignment in this case may cause emails to fail DMARC checks or be delivered to spam.

It’s important to note that the subdomain used for the Email Hub must be different from the one used for branded notifications. You can keep the same root domain (e.g., domain.com), but you must configure separate subdomains for each.

For example, if you set the branded email notifications to be sent from “notifications.domain.com”, you must use a different subdomain for marketing emails, such as “marketing.domain.com”.

You cannot set up a custom email domain using addresses from generic email providers such as Yahoo, AOL, or Gmail.

In these cases, only the provider (for instance, Google for @gmail.com) has the ability to change DNS settings or verify domain ownership, both of which are required to configure a custom domain. Since users cannot modify these settings, custom email domains cannot be set up with these providers.

When setting up a custom email domain, you are responsible for maintaining its reputation, which may require a warm-up strategy. Unlike Circle’s shared email domains, which benefit from an established reputation and consistent email volume, new domains lack this credibility.

If your domain has not been used for sending emails before, inbox providers like Yahoo and Google may temporarily defer some emails as they adjust to receiving messages from your domain.

To build trust and improve email deliverability, gradually increase your email volume by starting with smaller campaigns rather than sending large email blasts immediately.

Here's an overview of the process for adding your custom email domain to send marketing emails:

1. Contact support: Start by reaching out to our Circle support team for help setting up a custom email domain. Here’s how:

   • Send an email to support@circle.so with the subject line: “Email Hub domain branding.”

   • In your message, clearly state the email domain you’d like to use for sending marketing emails.

2. Receive your DNS records: Once we process your request, our team will provide you with the necessary DNS records, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.

3. Add DNS records: Log in to your domain provider’s dashboard (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap) and add the provided SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to your DNS settings. Ensure that the records are entered exactly as provided to avoid errors.

4. Confirm setup: Once you’ve added the DNS records, reply to our support team with a confirmation email. We will then verify that the domain is correctly configured and activated for sending marketing emails.

5. Review sender email: Once your custom domain is active, it will appear under the Sender email in your marketing settings. Your marketing emails will continue to use the same username previously set for sending via our shared Circle domain, but you can update it directly in your settings if needed.

Once you receive the records from our support team, add them to your domain provider’s DNS settings and verify that they are published correctly. Depending on your domain provider, you may be able to import all records via a zone file instead of adding them manually.

To add each record manually, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your DNS provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap).

2. Navigate to your DNS settings.

3. Create a new record.

4. Enter the DNS record values exactly as provided.

   • ❗ Important: If you’re setting up a branded email domain on your root domain and you’ve configured strict alignment for DMARC records, you must update it to relaxed alignment for both SPF and DKIM. See the “Use a dedicated subdomain” section above for more information.

5. Save record.

6. Repeat for each additional record.

Here are some tips for adding records:

• Check your provider’s documentation: If you're unsure how to add DNS records to your domain provider, check their knowledge base for step-by-step instructions. Many popular providers offer detailed guides, such as Cloudflare, GoDaddy, NameCheap, and Wix. You can also Google your domain provider’s name along with keywords like "add TXT record" or "add CNAME record" to find relevant documentation.

• CNAME Host / Name field formatting: When adding Host/Name information for CNAME records, most DNS providers automatically assume the domain. Therefore, you usually only need to enter the prefix in the Host/Name field, unless your domain provider requires the full name. For example, if the subdomain you are setting up is “community.abc.com” and you need to add a CNAME record with the name “pdk1._domainkey.community.abc.com”, enter only “pdk1._domainkey.community” in the Name field.

If your domain provider supports importing DNS records, use the zone file provided by the support team to automatically add all records. Providers like Cloudflare and GoDaddy allow you to import DNS records, eliminating the need to manually enter each one.

To import records:

1. Navigate to your DNS settings.

2. Select the Import records or Import zone file option, then upload the file that the support team has provided.

3. After the records are added, verify them against the records our team has provided in the email to ensure accuracy.

💡 Tip: If you're unsure how to import records, check your provider’s knowledge base for instructions.

Once you’ve added the records, check that they match the information provided by the support team. You can also use third-party tools like MXToolbox to verify DNS records.

If any records are incorrect or missing, update them from your domain provider’s dashboard accordingly.

Once you’ve confirmed that the records are correct, notify the support team so they can complete the verification process.

Once your custom domain is authenticated, it will automatically be used for marketing emails. Your emails will continue to use the same username you previously set for sending via our shared Circle domain.

After your custom domain is active, no further changes are required unless you want to update the sender email username.

To view the domain and username used for marketing emails:

1. Click the community name or logo (or the dropdown icon next to it) in the top-left corner and select Settings.

2. Scroll down to the Marketing section and select Email settings.

3. Under Sender email, you’ll see the domain and username.

If you need to change your username:

1. Click the community name or logo (or the dropdown icon next to it) in the top-left corner and select Settings.

2. Scroll down to the Marketing section and select Email settings.

3. Click More actions (three dots) next to the From address and select Edit.

4. In the Sender email field, enter the new username.

5. Click Save.

💡 Tip: Choose a username that reflects your brand or communication style, such as “news@domain.com,” “updates@domain.com,” or “hello@domain.com.”