How do I set up Gmail Postmaster Tools for a domain with subdomains?
Summary
What email marketers say7Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests adding both the parent domain and subdomain to Postmaster.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that when using subdomains, it's useful to separate transactional email traffic from marketing email traffic. This can provide data on where issues are arising.
Email marketer from SendGrid's blog explains that monitoring domain and subdomain reputation in Postmaster Tools can help identify which areas are causing deliverability problems, allowing for targeted troubleshooting.
Email marketer from Mailjet's blog suggests that authenticating subdomains with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for improving deliverability and building trust with Gmail. Make sure each subdomain has its own authentication records.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that it’s beneficial to monitor subdomains separately in Postmaster Tools, as it helps isolate reputation issues specific to certain email streams (e.g., transactional vs. marketing emails).
Email marketer from StackExchange states that when setting up subdomains, be sure to verify ownership of each subdomain in Postmaster Tools using the appropriate DNS records. This ensures accurate data tracking.
Email marketer from SparkPost's blog advises that when setting up new subdomains, gradually warm up the IP address and sending volume to establish a positive reputation with Gmail. Start with low volumes and gradually increase over time.
What the experts say7Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes the importance of adding each subdomain individually to Gmail Postmaster Tools to accurately monitor the reputation of each sending domain and identify specific issues affecting deliverability. This provides a granular view essential for troubleshooting.
Expert from Email Geeks believes it should be the domain you authenticate with via SPF or DKIM, likely the m. domain.
Expert from Email Geeks mentions if they authenticate the registered domain first, then they can just add any subdomain used in the d= without having to go through the DNS verification step.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests getting the authentication set for the registered domain in the d= and then adding the subdomain, this way you can see everything being sent with that parent domain and can separate out the subdomain.
Expert from Word to the Wise highlights that for domains utilizing subdomains for different email streams (e.g., marketing, transactional), it is best practice to verify and monitor each subdomain separately within Gmail Postmaster Tools. This allows for precise tracking of reputation metrics and efficient identification of deliverability problems associated with specific sending practices.
Expert from Email Geeks explains it has to be the domain (either subdomain or parent domain) that you’re using in the d=.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that GPT assumes that anyone authorized to see the parent domain in GPT is also authorized to see any subdomain in GPT
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from EasyDMARC explains that the subdomain should be added to the Postmaster Tools separately to allow for monitoring of subdomain reputation.
Documentation from Google Support explains that to add a domain, go to Gmail Postmaster Tools, click the plus sign, enter your domain name, and then verify domain ownership using DNS TXT record.
Documentation from Google explains that you should follow Gmail's bulk sender guidelines to maintain a good sender reputation and avoid deliverability issues when sending from a domain with subdomains. This includes setting up authentication and monitoring Postmaster Tools.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help states that Gmail Postmaster Tools provides insights into your email sending reputation, spam rate, and other key metrics, helping you identify and fix deliverability issues.