Custom Domains — Use Your Own Domain for Email Aliases

Custom Domains allow you to create email aliases on your own domain (e.g., anything@yourdomain.com) instead of using the shared CloakMetric domain. This feature is available on the Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.

Overview

By default, all aliases use the shared CloakMetric domain. With a custom domain, you can:

• Send and receive emails from your own branded domain
• Improve deliverability and trust with recipients
• Create unlimited aliases on your domain
• Maintain full control over your email identity

Plan Availability

Plan	Custom Domains
Free	Not available
Pro	Available
Business	Available
Enterprise	Available

Free Plan Users

Custom domains are not available on the Free plan. You can use the shared CloakMetric domain to create aliases. Upgrade to Pro to unlock custom domain support.

Adding a Custom Domain

1. Navigate to Settings > Custom Domains in your workspace.
2. Click Add Domain.
3. Enter your domain name (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com or yourdomain.com).
4. Click Add.

Your domain will be created with a Pending verification status. You now need to configure DNS records to verify ownership and enable email routing.

Configuring DNS Records

After adding your domain, CloakMetric will provide you with five DNS records that must be added to your domain’s DNS provider (e.g., Cloudflare, Namecheap, Route53, GoDaddy).

1. Domain Verification (TXT Record)

This record proves you own the domain.

Field	Value
Type	TXT
Host	_cloakmetric-verify.yourdomain.com
Value	cloakmetric-verification=<your-unique-token>

2. Mail Exchange (MX Record) — Required

This record routes incoming emails to CloakMetric’s servers.

Field	Value
Type	MX
Host	yourdomain.com
Priority	10
Value	inbound.cloakmetric.com

Caution

The MX record is required for receiving emails. Without it, emails sent to your custom domain aliases will not be delivered.

3. SPF (TXT Record)

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) authorizes CloakMetric to send emails on behalf of your domain.

Field	Value
Type	TXT
Host	yourdomain.com
Value	v=spf1 include:spf.cloakmetric.com ~all

Tip

If you already have an SPF record, add include:spf.cloakmetric.com before the ~all or -all directive rather than creating a new record. A domain should only have one SPF record.

4. DKIM (CNAME Record)

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a cryptographic signature to your outgoing emails, proving they haven’t been tampered with.

Field	Value
Type	CNAME
Host	cloakmetric._domainkey.yourdomain.com
Value	dkim.cloakmetric.com

5. DMARC (TXT Record)

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) tells receiving mail servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.

Field	Value
Type	TXT
Host	_dmarc.yourdomain.com
Value	v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@cloakmetric.com

Note

If you already have a DMARC record, you may keep your existing policy. The important part is that SPF and DKIM are properly configured so your emails pass DMARC alignment.

Verifying Your Domain

After adding all five DNS records:

1. Return to Settings > Custom Domains.
2. Click on your domain to expand the DNS records panel.
3. Click Verify DNS Records.

CloakMetric will check each record individually. You’ll see a status indicator next to each one:

• Verified — Record detected and correct
• Pending — Record not yet detected
• Failed — Record detected but incorrect

Tip

DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours depending on your DNS provider. If verification fails, wait 15-30 minutes and try again.

Verification Statuses

Domain Status	Meaning
Pending	One or more DNS records have not been verified yet
Verified	All DNS records are confirmed and the domain is active
Failed	Verification failed — check your DNS records for errors

Once all records are verified, your domain status changes to Verified and you can start creating aliases on it.

Creating Aliases on Your Custom Domain

After verification:

1. Go to Aliases and click Create Alias.
2. In the domain dropdown, select your custom domain.
3. Enter the local part (e.g., hello for hello@yourdomain.com).
4. Assign a campaign and configure settings as usual.
5. Click Create.

Your alias is now live on your custom domain.

Managing Custom Domains

Viewing Domain Details

Click on any domain in your list to see:

• Verification status per DNS record
• Number of aliases using this domain
• Last verification check timestamp

Re-verifying a Domain

If you made changes to your DNS records, click Verify DNS Records to re-check all records.

Deleting a Domain

1. Click the Delete button next to the domain.
2. Confirm the deletion.

Caution

Deleting a domain will deactivate all aliases associated with it. Emails sent to those aliases will no longer be forwarded. This action cannot be undone.

Troubleshooting

DNS records not being detected

• Wait for propagation. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours. Most providers propagate within 15-30 minutes.
• Check for typos. Ensure the host and value fields match exactly what CloakMetric provides.
• Use a DNS lookup tool. Tools like MXToolbox or dig can help confirm your records are published.

SPF record conflicts

If you already have an SPF record for another email service (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), merge them into a single record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.cloakmetric.com ~all

Having multiple SPF TXT records on the same domain will cause validation failures.

DKIM verification failing

• Ensure the CNAME record points to dkim.cloakmetric.com (not a TXT record).
• Some DNS providers add the root domain automatically. If your host field shows cloakmetric._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com, remove the trailing domain.

Emails going to spam

If emails from your custom domain land in spam:

1. Verify that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all passing (check email headers).
2. Ensure your domain is not on any blocklists.
3. Build sender reputation gradually — avoid sending large volumes immediately.
4. Check the Deliverability settings in your workspace for health warnings.

FAQ

Can I add multiple custom domains?

Yes. You can add as many custom domains as you need. Each domain requires its own set of DNS records.

Can I use a subdomain?

Yes. You can use a subdomain like mail.yourdomain.com or alias.yourdomain.com. The DNS records should be configured for the subdomain.

What happens to aliases if my domain expires?

If your domain expires or DNS records are removed, emails to aliases on that domain will stop being delivered. The aliases will remain in CloakMetric but will be non-functional until DNS is restored.

Do I need to verify the domain again if I change DNS providers?

If the same DNS records are present at the new provider, re-verification should pass automatically. If records were lost during migration, re-add them and click Verify DNS Records.