How to warm up a new domain for 6k active contacts when moving from a shared domain to a private domain?

Summary

Warming up a new domain for 6k contacts after migrating from a shared domain necessitates a strategic approach centered around building a positive sender reputation. This involves a gradual increase in sending volume, starting with highly engaged users, alongside meticulous monitoring of deliverability metrics. Prioritizing engaging and valuable content, authenticating your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and maintaining a clean, validated email list are also crucial steps. Preparing recipients for the domain change and promptly addressing any deliverability issues further enhance the process.

Key findings

  • Gradual Ramp-Up: Incrementally increasing sending volume builds trust with ISPs.
  • Engagement-Based Segmentation: Segmenting your list by engagement level allows for targeted initial sends to highly responsive users.
  • Content Relevance: Providing valuable and relevant content improves sender reputation and deliverability.
  • Domain Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying sender legitimacy.
  • Proactive Monitoring: Continuously monitoring deliverability metrics enables timely identification and resolution of issues.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning and validating your email list minimizes bounce rates and complaints.

Key considerations

  • Recipient Awareness: Inform recipients about the upcoming domain change to minimize spam reports.
  • Engagement Focus: Prioritize content that encourages user interaction, like replies and clicks.
  • ISP Variations: Be aware that different ISPs may have varying thresholds and sensitivities regarding sending practices.
  • Immediate Action: Promptly address any identified deliverability issues to prevent further reputation damage.
  • Managed Volume Increase: Even if a faster warm-up seems possible, proceed cautiously and monitor results closely.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Warming up a new domain involves establishing a positive sender reputation with ISPs. Key strategies include gradually increasing email volume, segmenting your email list by engagement, sending engaging content, authenticating your domain, and monitoring deliverability metrics. Preparing recipients for the domain change and maintaining a clean email list are also crucial.

Key opinions

  • Sender Reputation: Building a positive sender reputation with ISPs like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo is crucial.
  • Gradual Increase: Gradually increasing email volume over time helps establish trust with ISPs.
  • Engagement Segmentation: Segmenting your email list by engagement allows you to start with your most active users.
  • Content Quality: Focusing on relevant and valuable email content improves sender reputation and deliverability.
  • Authentication: Authenticating your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC improves deliverability.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring deliverability metrics, spam folder placement, and blocklist status helps identify and address issues.
  • List Cleaning: Maintaining a clean and up-to-date email list reduces bounce rates and improves deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Recipient Preparation: Prepare your recipients for the domain change so they look out for your emails and don't mark them as spam.
  • Engagement Focus: Focus on email content that prompts positive engagement, such as replies and clicks.
  • List Validation: Validate your email list to ensure you are only sending to real, active email addresses.
  • Consistent Sending: Send emails consistently to maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Immediate Action: Take immediate corrective action if you notice any deliverability problems.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests focusing on the quality of your email content. Make sure your emails are relevant and valuable to your subscribers. Avoid using spammy language or tactics. This will help you improve your sender reputation and increase your deliverability.

October 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from ZeroBounce advises to validate your email list, create engaging content, warm up your IP address, send consistently, and monitor your results. This will help you build a positive sender reputation and improve your email deliverability.

October 2023 - ZeroBounce
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid states that warming up your IP address (or in this case, domain) is important to establish a positive sender reputation with ISPs. Start by sending small volumes of email to your most engaged users and gradually increase the volume over time. Monitor your deliverability metrics closely and adjust your sending schedule as needed.

September 2023 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that domain warming is all about building a good sender reputation with ISPs (Internet Service Providers) like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo. When you start sending emails from a new domain, ISPs are cautious because they don't know if you're a legitimate sender or a spammer. By gradually increasing your email volume and maintaining good sending practices, you demonstrate to ISPs that you're a trustworthy sender.

September 2023 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that sender reputation is key, and to maintain a good one by consistently sending valuable content that recipients want to receive. Monitor engagement metrics and promptly address any deliverability issues.

November 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel recommends ensuring your email list is clean and up-to-date. Remove any invalid or inactive email addresses to reduce your bounce rate. Use a double opt-in process to confirm that subscribers want to receive your emails.

December 2022 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit advises to segment your list into highly engaged, engaged, and unengaged contacts. Start by sending to your highly engaged contacts first, then gradually add in your engaged contacts. Monitor your open rates and bounce rates closely. If you see any issues, slow down your ramp-up.

September 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps advises to monitor your email deliverability with a tool like GlockApps to track your inbox placement and identify any deliverability issues. Pay attention to your spam folder placement and blocklist status. If you see any problems, take corrective action immediately.

February 2023 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from Woodpecker advises that it's not only about volume but about engagement. Aim to get replies and positive interactions to signal that the emails are wanted and valuable.

August 2023 - Woodpecker
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks advises prepping the list from the old shared domain in advance to expect a new domain and to check the spam folder.

September 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass shares the importance of segmenting your list by engagement. Start by sending to your most engaged users, then gradually increase the volume to less engaged users. Also, be sure to authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability.

July 2022 - GMass

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

When warming up a new domain for 6k active contacts after migrating from a shared domain, experts recommend a quick ramp-up strategy (1K -> 2K -> 4K -> whole list). It's important to start slow, segment your list focusing on engaged users, and monitor bounce/complaint rates. Maintaining a clean email list with double opt-in is critical for sender reputation. Microsoft is less strict than Gmail, allowing for potentially more frequent sends.

Key opinions

  • Quick Ramp-Up: For 6k active contacts, a relatively fast domain warmup is possible.
  • Engagement Segmentation: Prioritize sending to engaged users first for better initial results.
  • Microsoft's Lenience: Microsoft might be less sensitive than Gmail regarding sending frequency.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and validated email list is essential for sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Gradual Approach: Even with a quick ramp-up, start slowly and monitor performance closely.
  • Monitoring Metrics: Pay close attention to bounce and complaint rates to identify and address issues promptly.
  • Double Opt-In: Implement double opt-in to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails.
  • ISPs Differences: Be aware that different ISPs may have varying sensitivities regarding sending practices.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that it is ok to send only 1 send per day, and that Microsoft isn’t as picky as Gmail.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that for a list of 6K active contacts, the domain warmup can be done relatively quickly, suggesting a ramp-up from 1K to 2K to 4K to the whole list.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise states the importance of maintaining a clean email list. Remove unengaged subscribers and validate email addresses to prevent bounces and spam complaints. This will improve your sender reputation and deliverability. Ensure that you use double opt-in.

November 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource advises to start slowly with the warming up, even if you are moving from a shared to a private IP. Segment your list and start with your most engaged users. Monitor your results, especially your bounce rate and complaint rate.

February 2024 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Warming up a new domain involves gradually increasing email volume to establish a positive reputation with mailbox providers. This process is similar to IP warming, but often shorter. Proper domain authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for verification and deliverability. It is important to monitor your sender reputation using tools like Microsoft's SNDS.

Key findings

  • Gradual Volume Increase: Slowly increasing email volume is essential for building sender reputation.
  • Domain Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are crucial for verifying sender authorization.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring your sender reputation helps identify and address deliverability issues.
  • Shortened Warm-Up: Domain warm-up may be a shorter process compared to IP warm-up.

Key considerations

  • Industry Best Practices: Adhere to industry best practices for email sending to avoid being flagged as spam.
  • SPF Records: Implementing SPF records prevents email spoofing and improves deliverability.
  • Tool Utilization: Use tools like Microsoft SNDS to actively monitor sender reputation.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Support advises senders to start with a small sending volume and slowly increase it over time. If you're switching from a shared IP to a dedicated IP, it's especially important to warm up the new IP address. Google recommends following industry best practices for gradually increasing sending volume to avoid being flagged as a spammer.

April 2024 - Google Support
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains that SPF records help prevent email spoofing by allowing domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of their domain. This helps improve email deliverability and protect against phishing attacks.

September 2024 - RFC
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft recommends to ensure your sending domain is properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. This helps mailbox providers verify that you are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Also, monitor your sender reputation with Microsoft's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) tool.

November 2021 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that IP warm-up is a critical process when you begin sending mail from a new IP address. It involves gradually increasing the volume of email you send over time to build a positive reputation with mailbox providers. For new domains, a similar, though often shorter, process applies.

February 2022 - SparkPost