How does changing the From Name impact email deliverability when sending on behalf of clients?

Summary

Changing the 'From' name when sending on behalf of clients significantly impacts email deliverability through various factors. Consistent and recognizable 'From' names build trust and familiarity, improving engagement and deliverability, while frequent changes confuse recipients, increase spam complaints, and can trigger filters. Brand recognition is key, as unfamiliar senders are more likely to be marked as spam. Proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for recipients to identify and trust messages, particularly when sending on behalf of others. Sender reputation is affected by recipient actions (marking as junk), bounces, complaints, and blocks. Good list hygiene, proper SPF record setup, and monitoring deliverability metrics help mitigate negative impacts. Aligning the 'From' information with user expectations and ensuring consistency between the 'From' name and address are also important.

Key findings

  • Sender Reputation Impact: Changing the 'From' name can impact sender reputation, potentially leading to increased spam filtering and decreased inbox placement.
  • Trust and Engagement: Consistent and recognizable 'From' names build trust, which drives better engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates.
  • Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical for recipients to trust messages, especially when sending on behalf of clients with different 'From' names.
  • User Recognition and Spam Complaints: If recipients do not recognize the 'From' name, they are more likely to mark the email as spam, negatively impacting deliverability.
  • The From Name address Combination: Some mailbox providers use both the 'From' name and address in combination for filtering.

Key considerations

  • Maintain Consistency: Strive for consistency in the 'From' name and sender identity to build trust and avoid confusing recipients.
  • Implement Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured for sending domains, especially when sending on behalf of multiple clients.
  • Monitor Deliverability Metrics: Track bounces, complaints, and blocks to identify and address any deliverability issues resulting from changes to the 'From' name or sender practices.
  • Practice List Hygiene: Regularly remove unengaged subscribers from your email list to improve engagement rates and sender reputation.
  • Testing and Validation: Before making significant changes to the 'From' name, conduct thorough testing with seed lists and inbox placement services to assess the potential impact on deliverability.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Changing the 'From' name when sending emails on behalf of clients can significantly impact deliverability. While theoretically, it shouldn't affect delivery with an established good reputation, inconsistency can lead to confusion, reduced engagement, and increased spam complaints. A recognizable 'From' name builds trust, improves open rates, and avoids spam triggers. Brand recognition is crucial, and unfamiliar senders are more likely to be marked as spam. Maintaining a consistent sender identity and proper email authentication is essential. Monitor engagement metrics, test changes, and practice good list hygiene to mitigate negative effects. Some email providers may filter based on the From name/address combination, so consistency is key.

Key opinions

  • Brand Recognition: Unfamiliar 'From' names can lead to recipients marking emails as spam, harming deliverability.
  • Consistency: Consistent 'From' names build trust and improve engagement.
  • Sender Reputation: Frequent changes to the 'From' name can disrupt established sender reputation, leading to filtering issues.
  • Engagement: Recognizable 'From' names directly influence open rates and engagement.
  • Filtering: Some email providers filter based on the 'From' name/address combination.

Key considerations

  • Testing: Test changes with seeds/inbox placement services before fully implementing.
  • Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is in place.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain good list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers.
  • Monitoring: Monitor engagement metrics (bounces, complaints) to quickly address potential issues.
  • Reputation: Establish and maintain a positive sender reputation through consistent sending practices.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that consistent 'From' names build trust and familiarity, improving engagement and deliverability. Changing it too often can confuse recipients and increase spam complaints.

August 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that brand recognition is key; if the 'From' name is unfamiliar, recipients may mark the email as spam, negatively impacting deliverability. Consistency is essential for building trust.

August 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that good list hygiene, including removing unengaged subscribers, improves deliverability because engaged recipients are more likely to open emails from familiar senders (consistent 'From' name).

November 2024 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that putting the client's email address in the comment field can cause deliverability issues.

March 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that using a recognizable 'From' name directly influences open rates and engagement. If recipients don't recognize the sender, they are less likely to open the email.

October 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that a sender's reputation is built over time and impacts deliverability. Changing the 'From' name frequently can disrupt this reputation, leading to filtering issues.

February 2023 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that using a recognizable 'From' name avoids spam triggers, as recipients are more likely to engage with emails from familiar senders. Inconsistent 'From' names can lead to higher spam scores.

December 2021 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Hubspot notes that consistent sender identity (including the 'From' name) builds trust with subscribers. Trust leads to better engagement rates and improved deliverability.

July 2022 - Hubspot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stackoverflow answers that some email providers may filter emails based on the From name/address combination. So ensure there is consistency between them.

January 2025 - Stackoverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that in theory, changing the 'From' name shouldn't affect delivery if a good reputation is established. They advise testing with seeds/inbox placement services and smaller sends before implementing the change fully, as recipients might not recognize the new 'From' name, potentially leading to unsubscribes or spam reports.

November 2021 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Changing the 'From' name can impact email deliverability by affecting sender reputation and user recognition. While the comment part of the email address might not be heavily filtered, consistent sender identity is crucial for building trust. Changes can confuse recipients, negatively impacting engagement and triggering filters. Proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is especially important when sending on behalf of clients, as it can prevent deliverability issues and damage to sender reputation.

Key opinions

  • Sender Identity: Consistent and recognizable 'From' name builds trust.
  • User Recognition: Changes can confuse recipients and reduce engagement.
  • Sender Reputation: Changing 'From' name can impact sender reputation and trigger filters.
  • Authentication: Proper authentication is crucial when sending on behalf of clients.

Key considerations

  • Consistency: Maintain a consistent 'From' name to build trust with recipients.
  • Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for sending on behalf of clients to maintain good deliverability.
  • Reputation: Monitor sender reputation to ensure changes don't negatively impact deliverability.
  • User Experience: Consider how changes will affect user recognition and engagement.
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource.com details that a change in the ‘From’ name can impact sender reputation by potentially breaking established trust relationships with recipients. Mailbox providers use engagement signals to determine whether to place emails in the inbox, and a sudden change in sender identity can trigger filters.

September 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of proper sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) when sending emails on behalf of clients. He notes that failing to authenticate correctly can lead to deliverability issues and damage the sender's reputation, particularly when using different 'From' names.

September 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that having a consistent and recognizable sender identity, including the 'From' name, is crucial for building a positive sender reputation and improving deliverability. Changing the 'From' name frequently can confuse recipients and negatively impact engagement.

March 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the comment in the email address (the part in double quotes) isn't heavily used in filtering directly and may affect user recognition which impacts reputation.

April 2023 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Changing the 'From' name impacts deliverability through sender reputation, authentication, and alignment with user expectations. Recipient actions like marking emails as junk directly affect reputation. Proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for recipients to identify and trust messages, especially when sending on behalf of clients. Mismatched 'From' fields can lead to authentication failures. Correct SPF setup is essential to prevent spoofing. Monitoring bounces, complaints, and blocks helps identify and address deliverability issues when changes are made.

Key findings

  • Sender Reputation: Recipient actions (marking as junk) impact sender reputation.
  • Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for identifying and trusting messages.
  • SPF Setup: Proper SPF configuration prevents spoofing issues.
  • Mismatched Fields: Mismatched 'From' fields can cause authentication failures.

Key considerations

  • User Expectations: Align 'From' information with what users expect to see.
  • Authentication Setup: Implement and maintain correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Monitoring: Monitor bounces, complaints, and blocks to address deliverability issues.
  • Best Practices: Adhere to RFC standards for the 'From' field.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help stresses the importance of authenticating email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which helps recipients (like Gmail) identify and trust messages coming from your domain, directly impacting deliverability when sending on behalf of clients.

July 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost emphasizes setting up SPF records correctly to authorize sending servers. When sending on behalf of clients, proper SPF configuration is essential to avoid deliverability issues related to spoofing.

August 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from AWS explains that bounces, complaints, and blocks directly impact sender reputation and deliverability. Monitoring these metrics when changing the 'From' name helps identify and address potential issues quickly.

February 2024 - Amazon Web Services
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that sender reputation is affected when recipients mark emails as junk and senders should align 'From' information with what users expect to see.

June 2022 - Microsoft Learn
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains that the 'From' field should contain the email address of the author(s) and/or agent(s) responsible for the message. Mismatched 'From' fields can cause authentication failures and delivery issues.

July 2024 - RFC 5322