Managing tags#

Tags are pattern-matching rules that identify services in DNS records. When a domain's DNS record matches a tag pattern, the tool displays a colored badge showing the service name. There are three types of tags: TXT record tags, MX record tags, and NS record tags.

How tags work#

A user looks up a domain.
The tool fetches the domain's DNS records.
For each DNS record, the tool checks the tag database for a matching pattern.
If a match is found, the tool displays the associated brand badge and service name.

Without tags, DNS records would appear as raw text with no identification. Tags turn aspmx.l.google.com into a badge that says "Google Workspace."

TXT record tags#

TXT record tags identify services in TXT records. TXT records are used for email authentication (SPF), domain verification, and many other purposes.

How TXT tag matching works#

The tool tries three matching methods in order:

Exact match — The TXT record exactly equals the pattern (case-insensitive).
Prefix match — The TXT record starts with the pattern. This is the most common method.
Regex match — The TXT record matches a regular expression pattern. This is for complex patterns.

The tool stops at the first match.

TXT tag fields#

Field	Required	Description
Pattern	Yes	The text to match against TXT records. For prefix matching, use the beginning of the record (for example, google-site-verification=).
Brand	No	The associated brand. Determines the badge color and name.
Service name	No	A custom name for the service (for example, "Google Search Console"). If not set, the brand name is used.
Color	No	Override the brand's default color for this specific tag.
URL	No	A link to the service. Makes the badge clickable.

Common TXT tag patterns#

Pattern	Service
v=spf1	SPF email authentication
google-site-verification=	Google Search Console
MS=	Microsoft 365
facebook-domain-verification=	Meta (Facebook)
stripe-verification=	Stripe
docusign=	DocuSign
atlassian-domain-verification=	Atlassian
apple-domain-verification=	Apple
_globalsign-domain-verification=	GlobalSign
amazonses:	Amazon SES

Creating a TXT tag#

Go to TXT Tags in the navigation.
Click Add TXT Tag.
Enter the pattern. Use the beginning of the record for prefix matching. Include the = sign if the record format uses one.
Select a brand from the dropdown (or leave blank for an unbranded tag).
Enter a service name (optional — defaults to the brand name).
Enter a color override (optional — defaults to the brand color).
Enter a URL (optional — makes the badge clickable).
Click Save.

Tips for TXT patterns#

Include the delimiter. For verification records, include the = sign: google-site-verification= (not just google-site-verification).
Be specific enough to avoid false positives. v=spf1 is a good pattern because only SPF records start with it.
Use prefix matching when possible. It's simpler and faster than regex.
Test your pattern by looking up a domain that has the record you're trying to match.

MX record tags#

MX record tags identify email providers in MX (mail exchange) records.

How MX tag matching works#

The tool tries two matching methods in order:

Exact match — The MX record hostname exactly equals the pattern (case-insensitive).
Suffix match — The MX record hostname ends with the pattern. This is the most common method.

MX tag fields#

Field	Required	Description
Pattern	Yes	The text to match against MX hostnames. For suffix matching, use the end of the hostname (for example, .google.com).
Brand	No	The associated brand.
Service name	No	A custom name (for example, "Google Workspace", "Microsoft 365").
Color	No	Override the brand's default color.
URL	No	A link to the service.

Common MX tag patterns#

Pattern	Service
.google.com	Google Workspace
.protection.outlook.com	Microsoft 365
.pphosted.com	Proofpoint
.mimecast.com	Mimecast
.mailgun.org	Mailgun
.messagelabs.com	Broadcom Email Security
.zoho.com	Zoho Mail
.qq.com	Tencent QQ Mail

Creating an MX tag#

Go to MX Tags in the navigation.
Click Add MX Tag.
Enter the pattern. Use the end of the hostname (including the leading dot) for suffix matching.
Select a brand, enter a service name, color, and URL as needed.
Click Save.

Tips for MX patterns#

Include the leading dot for suffix matching: .google.com (not google.com). This prevents matching a domain like notgoogle.com.
Use the broadest suffix that's still accurate. .google.com matches all Google MX servers.
Check that the pattern doesn't accidentally match unrelated services.

NS record tags#

NS record tags identify DNS providers in NS (nameserver) records.

How NS tag matching works#

The tool tries several matching methods:

Verified domain inheritance — If the nameserver hostname is under a verified domain, it inherits the verified domain's brand.
Special patterns — Some providers use unique patterns (like .awsdns- for AWS Route 53).
Exact match — The NS record hostname exactly equals the pattern.
Suffix match — The NS record hostname ends with the pattern.

NS tag fields#

Field	Required	Description
Pattern	Yes	The text to match against nameserver hostnames.
Brand	No	The associated brand.
Service name	No	A custom name (for example, "Cloudflare DNS", "AWS Route 53").
Color	No	Override the brand's default color.
URL	No	A link to the service.

Common NS tag patterns#

Pattern	Service
.ns.cloudflare.com	Cloudflare DNS
.awsdns-	AWS Route 53
.googledomains.com	Google Cloud DNS
.azure-dns.com	Azure DNS
.nsone.net	NS1
.dynect.net	Oracle Dyn
.ultradns.com	Neustar UltraDNS
.domaincontrol.com	GoDaddy DNS

Creating an NS tag#

Go to NS Tags in the navigation.
Click Add NS Tag.
Enter the pattern. For most providers, use the domain suffix.
Select a brand, enter a service name, color, and URL as needed.
Click Save.

Tips for NS patterns#

AWS Route 53 uses a special pattern — .awsdns- — because Route 53 nameservers use dynamic naming like ns-1234.awsdns-56.org.
Some providers use multiple domains for their nameservers. You may need multiple tags for the same brand.
Verified domain inheritance means you don't always need NS tags. If the nameserver domain is a verified domain, the brand is inherited automatically.

Searching and filtering tags#

All tag pages support:

Search — Filter by pattern text (partial matches work).
Brand filter — Show only tags for a specific brand.
Sort — Sort by pattern, brand, creation date, or usage count.

Bulk operations#

You can import multiple tags at once:

Go to the appropriate tag page (TXT, MX, or NS).
Click Bulk Import.
Provide tag data in JSON or CSV format.
Review the preview to check for errors.
Click Import.

Tag performance caching#

When looking up a domain with many similar DNS records, the tool uses per-request caching to avoid redundant database queries:

NS and MX records: Cached by domain suffix. If ns1.google.com and ns2.google.com both match the same tag, the database is only queried once.
TXT records: Cached by record prefix. If multiple google-site-verification= records exist, the database is only queried once.

This caching is automatic and invisible to admin users. It improves performance without affecting accuracy.

Revision history#

Every tag change is recorded. Each revision shows what changed, when, and who made the change. You can view the revision history from the tag's detail page.