To get your email marketing up and running as soon as possible, we need to initiate the DNS configuration process immediately, which is dependent upon your domain preferences and schedule.

DNS stands for Domain Name System or Domain Name Server. They’re responsible for connecting domain names to web servers. Anytime you connect to the internet and go anywhere, you’re using them. The DNS records translate the domain into the IP address of the server that hosts it.  (Source: GoDaddy)

Setting up important DNS records sends a positive signal to inbox providers. The presence of these essential DNS records tells inbox providers that you take your marketing and target audience seriously. And as a result, fewer of your emails will get blocked and you'll see a positive increment in your email deliverability. (Source: Mailmodo)

Our Email Deliverability team needs some information prior to determining the optimal client configuration for you. Please review the two options below:

1. Create subdomains off your current domain
2. Purchase new domains for Cendyn to host

Create Subdomains

If you would like to use your root domain, we require that your marketing and transactional domains be setup as a subdomain to the root domain. For example, if your main domain is “hotelA.com,” then your marketing domain may be “news.HotelA.com.”

Please follow these steps.

1. Choose your subdomains and share them with us. We recommend the use of non-descript and non-lengthy (0-5 characters) subdomains such as:
   • cme.clientdomain.com for marketing
   • cte.clientdomain.com for transactional

However, you may choose another subdomain. Other recommended marketing subdomains are info., news., and comm.; and transactional subdomains are res. or stay.

1. You’ll need to delegate the two new subdomains to point to the three Cendyn DNS servers:
   • ns1.cdcservices.com
   • ns2.cdcservices.com
   • ns3.cdcservices.com

Purchase New Domains

If you are unable to choose subdomains for us to setup and/or point the subdomains to Cendyn’s DNS servers listed above, you may opt to purchase new domains.

The recommended approach to determining a new domain name is to ensure it comes as close as possible to your current domain and it is as short as possible. 

For example:

Choose your new domains and share them with us. We will purchase them on your behalf, then configure and warm them to create fully hosted domains.

Some helpful tips:

• For marketing subdomains avoid using spam words such as marketing, sales, email, promo, eCommerce, and eBlast. Also avoid lengthy words such as communications, reservations, and newsletter.
• Words such as “Stays” and “Reservations” are strong words to use for transactional emails subdomains.
• The “Postmaster” section of the domain (the wording to the left of the @ symbol in your domain) does not matter in setup. However, your property name MUST be used in the string to the right of the @ symbol.
• Please note that the “Reply To” and “Forwarding/Alias” emails MUST be an existing mailbox and should not come from a new subdomain.