How to Add Audienceful's Email DNS Records in Cloudflare
This guide shows how to add the DNS records Audienceful gives you in Cloudflare. First, add your domain in Audienceful (Settings → Domains → New) so you have your exact records — the DKIM values are unique to your domain. For what each record does, see the main custom domain guide.
Find your DNS settings in Cloudflare
- Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard and select your domain.
- In the left sidebar, open DNS → Records.
- Click Add record for each record below.
The one Cloudflare rule that matters most
- Set mail records to "DNS only" (grey cloud). For every CNAME you add (DKIM and tracking), the Proxy status toggle must show a grey cloud (DNS only), not an orange cloud (Proxied). A proxied mail record will not authenticate and your domain won't verify. Click the cloud icon to toggle it to grey.
Other Cloudflare notes:
- The Name field. Cloudflare accepts just the subdomain part (e.g.
pdk1._domainkey) and shows you the full name as you type. For the root domain, enter@and Cloudflare fills in your domain. - No trailing dot needed on CNAME targets — enter
mailgun.org. - Cloudflare Email Routing. If you've enabled Cloudflare Email Routing, it manages its own MX/TXT records; don't add Audienceful's optional MX records on top of it.
Add each record
For each, click Add record, choose the Type, and copy the value exactly from your Audienceful Domains screen.
DKIM — two CNAME records (DNS only)
| Field | Record 1 | Record 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | CNAME | CNAME |
| Name | pdk1._domainkey |
pdk2._domainkey |
| Target | (the target shown in Audienceful) | (the target shown in Audienceful) |
| Proxy status | DNS only (grey) | DNS only (grey) |
(On a subdomain like mail.yourdomain.com, the Name becomes pdk1._domainkey.mail.)
SPF — one TXT record
- Type: TXT
- Name:
@(or your subdomain label) - Content:
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all
If you already have a v=spf1 TXT record, edit it and add include:mailgun.org — you can only have one SPF record.
Tracking — one CNAME record (DNS only)
- Type: CNAME
- Name:
email - Target:
mailgun.org - Proxy status: DNS only (grey)
DMARC — one TXT record (recommended)
- Type: TXT
- Name:
_dmarc - Content:
v=DMARC1; p=none;
MX — optional, only if this domain doesn't already receive email
Add the mxa.mailgun.org / mxb.mailgun.org records shown in Audienceful with Name @. Skip them if you already receive mail at this domain.
A note on HTTPS link tracking
Audienceful automatically provisions an SSL certificate for your tracking subdomain. Because Cloudflare also manages SSL, if your click links ever show a security warning, check that Cloudflare's SSL mode covers the tracking subdomain before enabling HTTPS tracking — or reach out and we'll help dial it in.
Common mistakes in Cloudflare
- Leaving a mail CNAME Proxied (orange cloud). This is the number-one Cloudflare issue — switch it to DNS only (grey).
- Two SPF records. Merge into one.
- Adding MX records while Cloudflare Email Routing is on.
Verify
Back in Audienceful, click Verify domain. Cloudflare propagates fast, so records usually verify within minutes. Full troubleshooting is in the main guide.