Namecheap DKIM: Add the Records Migma Actually Needs

A Migma draft can look ready while its sending domain still needs attention. If your domain is registered with Namecheap, the first question is where its DNS is actually managed. The registrar account and the active DNS provider are sometimes different places.

This guide covers the handoff between a marketer preparing a campaign in Migma and the person who manages Namecheap DNS. It explains how to translate record names, preserve existing mail services, and separate a saved DNS change from a verified sending domain. Product instructions were checked on October 24, 2026.

Start with the domain shown in Migma

Open Migma’s Sending Domains page and select the exact custom domain intended for the campaign. Keep its DNS table open. Use the values in that table rather than copying records from a blog, another workspace, or a previous sending service.

Migma’s DNS documentation describes ownership verification, DKIM, SPF, DMARC, and custom MAIL FROM records. These records do different jobs. A successful ownership check alone does not mean every other requirement has passed.

Before asking a colleague to add records, write down the sending domain, DNS zone, responsible owner, and intended From address. For example, a team might use updates.example.com for campaigns while ordinary staff mail uses example.com. Those names need separate attention even though they belong to the same business.

Keep account-specific verification tokens in your approved private handoff. A public article or shared screenshot is not the place to document your live configuration values.

Confirm that Namecheap hosts the active zone

Namecheap’s official record guide applies to domains using its BasicDNS, PremiumDNS, or FreeDNS services. It directs domains using Namecheap Web Hosting DNS to cPanel instead.

Check the active nameservers before editing. If another provider hosts DNS, send the record request to that provider’s owner. Adding a record in an inactive zone can produce a convincing saved screen without changing what the receiving mail server can find.

Ask the owner to confirm the domain at the top of the DNS screen, too. A business with several brands or regional domains can easily have the right account open on the wrong zone. Record the selected zone in the handoff so the reviewer can spot that mistake before a campaign deadline.

Translate each Host field carefully

Namecheap’s guide says its Host field should omit the domain name itself. The provider appends that portion. This is particularly important when Migma displays a complete hostname.

For an illustrative zone of example.com, a record shown as _dmarc.updates.example.com becomes _dmarc.updates in the Host field. A DKIM selector under updates.example.com must retain the selector, _domainkey, and updates portions while omitting the final zone suffix.

Do not remove every occurrence of a domain-looking word by guesswork. Compare the complete required hostname with the exact zone being edited. If the zone is a delegated subdomain, the relative name can be shorter than it would be in the parent zone.

Copy record targets and TXT values exactly from Migma. The relative-name rule applies to the record name; it does not mean you should shorten a CNAME target or rewrite a verification value. Keep type, name, target, and any MX priority together as one reviewed row.

Preserve existing mail while adding the records

Inventory the current records before changing them. Identify which service owns each entry and whether it still supports staff mail, forwarding, another application, or an active campaign platform.

Migma documents three DKIM CNAME records for its normal custom-domain setup. Namecheap’s general guide also explains TXT-based DKIM, but that does not mean you should convert Migma’s CNAME rows to TXT. Follow the type supplied by the sending service for that specific row.

For SPF, Migma’s guidance says to keep one SPF TXT record at the relevant hostname and incorporate authorized sending services into it. Do not add a second SPF record simply because a new service supplies an example. Have the DNS owner review the combined configuration.

The MAIL FROM MX record belongs at the hostname specified by Migma. Avoid replacing the root-domain mailbox MX records when the requested record is for a sending subdomain. If an existing record conflicts, establish its owner before making a change.

Treat verification as a separate checkpoint

After the owner saves the records, return to the domain’s action menu in Migma and choose Check DNS. Review the result for each required record. Migma’s documentation notes that most updates publish within 5–60 minutes, with some taking longer; a saved DNS form is not proof of immediate verification.

If a check remains pending, compare the required hostname, active zone, saved type, and full value. A doubled domain suffix or wrong zone deserves correction. Repeatedly deleting and recreating apparently correct records adds confusion without establishing the cause.

Keep a brief receipt of what was changed and what Migma verified. This helps the next owner distinguish a propagation wait from a missing record.

Finish the campaign review separately

Once the sending domain is ready, review the actual email in Migma. Email Preflight checks previews, responsive layouts, links, writing, and spam or delivery risks. Fix relevant findings and rerun the checks after changes.

A passing creative check and a verified domain answer different questions. Neither promises inbox placement. Review audience permission, sender identity, reply handling, and the final campaign settings before sending. Use Migma to prepare and inspect the message while keeping the DNS owner’s verification receipt alongside the campaign checklist.

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