How does a domain change affect email deliverability and what steps should be taken to prevent issues like Gmail warnings?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from SendGrid shares that changing domains can negatively impact your sender reputation, especially if the new domain is not properly warmed up. They recommend gradually increasing email volume to the new domain and monitoring deliverability metrics closely. Additionally, ensure you have proper authentication in place (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to maintain your sender reputation.
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) is essential for maintaining email deliverability during a domain change. Ensure these records are properly configured for the new domain to verify that your emails are legitimately sent from your domain. They also suggest monitoring DMARC reports to identify and address any authentication issues.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the domain change absolutely did affect email deliverability. If it was not done properly (ensuring authentication is correct) it was also done prematurely.
Email marketer from Validity/Return Path discusses the need for good list hygiene during a domain migration. Remove unengaged subscribers and focus on sending emails to active recipients to improve deliverability. This helps maintain a positive sender reputation for the new domain.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that two factors probably triggered the warning: Same local part in the email address of emails you previously received from a similar domain, and the new domain fails authentication. So Google is correctly warning you that somebody might be impersonating the original sender…
Email marketer from Stack Overflow suggests that even after a domain change, the reputation of the old domain can still impact deliverability. Ensure that the old domain is properly redirected and that all email-related services are updated to reflect the new domain. Monitor deliverability metrics for both domains during the transition period.
Email marketer from Reddit details that when transitioning to a new domain, it's crucial to 'warm up' the IP address and domain reputation slowly. Start by sending emails to your most engaged subscribers, and gradually increase the volume as your reputation improves. Monitor your bounce rates and spam complaints to ensure a smooth transition.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that domain reputation is crucial for deliverability. They suggest gradually warming up your new domain by sending emails to engaged subscribers first and monitoring your sending reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools. This helps establish trust with ISPs and improves deliverability.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that actively monitoring DMARC reports is critical after a domain change. These reports provide insights into who is sending emails on behalf of your domain and whether those emails are passing authentication checks. This allows you to quickly identify and address any unauthorized senders or configuration issues.
Email marketer from MessageBird (formerly SparkPost) mentions that it's important to monitor blocklists after changing your domain. Check if your new domain or IP addresses appear on any reputable blocklists. If you find yourself on a blocklist, take immediate steps to resolve the issue by contacting the blocklist provider.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks responds to a DKIM temperror and neutral SPF result by stating that Lori needs to fix ASAP. They should get the domains aligned with DKIM and SPF as soon as possible.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that during a domain migration, your IP address reputation plays a crucial role in deliverability. A clean IP address is easier to warm up, so it's important to monitor and maintain your IP reputation before, during, and after the domain change. If your IP has a poor reputation, consider using a dedicated IP with a good history or working to improve the existing one before migrating your email sending.
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of maintaining a consistent sender identity during a domain change. This includes ensuring that your 'From' address, reply-to address, and other identifying information remain consistent and accurately reflect your brand. Inconsistencies can lead to confusion and negatively impact your sender reputation, increasing the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that after a domain change, the SPF records must be updated to accurately reflect the sending sources authorized to send email on behalf of the new domain. SPF records that are not updated may cause legitimate emails to be rejected by recipient mail servers.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that when you change your domain, you need to update your MX records, SPF records, and DKIM records to point to the new domain. This ensures that email is delivered correctly. Failure to update these records can cause email deliverability issues, including emails being marked as spam or not being delivered at all.
Documentation from DKIM.org specifies that you need to generate a new DKIM key pair for your new domain and update your DNS records with the public key. Ensure that your sending servers are configured to sign emails with the new DKIM key. Incorrect DKIM configuration can lead to authentication failures and deliverability issues.
Documentation from Microsoft Learn specifies that if you're using Exchange Online, ensure that the new domain is added as an accepted domain in your Microsoft 365 tenant. This allows Exchange Online to receive and send emails using the new domain. Failure to add the domain may result in email delivery failures.