How to warm up a new domain when moving email marketing and transactional emails to it?

Summary

Warming up a new domain for email marketing and transactional emails involves a strategic and gradual process to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs and email providers. This includes planning email campaigns, setting realistic goals, and deeply understanding your target audience. Key strategies involve: Starting with a small, highly-engaged segment of subscribers (those who have recently opened or clicked on emails), gradually increasing email volume over time, and segmenting email lists to prioritize active users. It’s important to separate transactional emails from marketing emails, potentially using different subdomains, and to authenticate emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability. You should monitor engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints, setting up feedback loops to monitor issues and adjusting your strategy accordingly. Regulatory compliance with CAN-SPAM and CASL, particularly regarding unsubscribe links, is also essential. Pre-warning subscribers about the domain change and offering a re-opt-in opportunity can help reduce complaints. Domain warm-up duration can vary, but approximately 30 days is a common timeframe, contingent on subscriber behavior and engagement.

Key findings

  • Gradual Warm-up: A gradual increase in email volume is crucial for establishing a positive sending reputation.
  • Engagement Focus: Start with highly engaged subscribers to build positive engagement metrics early on.
  • Segmentation: Segment email lists to prioritize active subscribers during the warm-up process.
  • Email Authentication: Authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for deliverability.
  • Separation of Emails: Separating transactional and marketing emails, often on different subdomains, aids in reputation management.
  • Monitoring and Adjustment: Monitoring key metrics and adjusting the warm-up strategy based on performance is necessary.
  • Proactive Communication: Pre-warning subscribers about the domain change helps manage expectations and reduce complaints.

Key considerations

  • Subscriber Engagement: Subscriber behavior significantly impacts the success and duration of the domain warm-up.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Compliance with regulations like CAN-SPAM and CASL is vital for avoiding legal issues and maintaining trust.
  • IP and Domain Reputation: Building a strong IP and domain reputation is fundamental for ensuring emails land in inboxes.
  • Feedback Loops: Actively monitoring feedback loops and taking action based on feedback is important to maintaining a good reputation.
  • Email Content and Personalization: Creating high-quality, personalized content and ensuring a valid reason for reaching out can improve engagement.
  • Consistent Sending Volume: Maintaining a consistent sending volume helps in building a predictable and reliable sending reputation.
  • Planning: Careful planning and strategizing are important before starting the domain warm-up process.

What email marketers say
15Marketer opinions

Warming up a new domain involves gradually increasing email volume to build a positive sender reputation with ISPs. Key strategies include starting with highly engaged subscribers, segmenting email lists, using double opt-ins, and separating transactional and marketing emails to different subdomains. Monitoring engagement metrics and maintaining consistent sending habits are crucial, as is ensuring email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Pre-warning subscribers about the domain change and providing a re-opt-in option helps manage expectations and minimize complaints. The warm-up duration can vary but typically takes around 30 days, depending on subscriber behavior and engagement.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Increase: Gradually increase email volume to build a positive reputation.
  • Engaged Subscribers: Start with highly engaged subscribers who have recently opened or clicked emails.
  • Segmentation: Segment email lists and prioritize active subscribers during the warm-up.
  • Separation of Emails: Separate transactional and marketing emails onto different subdomains for better reputation management.
  • Monitoring Engagement: Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and complaints to adjust the warm-up strategy.
  • Consistency: Maintain consistent sending habits to avoid being flagged as spam.
  • Double Opt-in: Implement a double opt-in process to ensure genuine subscriber interest.
  • Transactional Exemption: Transactional emails may not require a warm-up if they are truly transactional.

Key considerations

  • Subscriber Behavior: Subscriber engagement heavily influences the warm-up duration and success.
  • Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve deliverability.
  • Pre-Warning: Inform subscribers about the domain change to reduce complaints and manage expectations.
  • IP Reputation: Building a good IP reputation helps avoid being flagged as spam by email providers.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean the email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses.
  • Content Quality: Ensure your emails are personalized, high-quality, and provide value to the recipient.
  • Warm-up Duration: Expect the warm-up to take about 30 days, but adjust based on performance.
  • Complaint Rate: Aim for a low complaint rate to maintain a good sending reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user email_pro emphasizes the importance of separating transactional and marketing emails during the warm-up process. They suggest focusing on warming up the marketing domain first and gradually introducing transactional emails after the marketing domain has established a good reputation.

April 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet recommends starting with a small batch of your most engaged subscribers, then gradually increasing the volume daily. Segment the email list and start sending to the most active subscribers first, people who have opened or clicked on an email in the past 30 days.

July 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that domain warm-ups don't take long if subscribers don't complain. 30 days is achievable, but depends on subscriber behavior.

July 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that transactional mail shouldn't need a warm-up if it is truly transactional, because engagement rates will be higher. Dedicated IPs for transactional are recommended.

February 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass explains when warming up a new domain for cold email, start slow and ramp up gradually, sending a few emails per day initially and increasing the volume over time. Focus on sending high-quality, personalized emails to increase engagement and improve your sender reputation.

September 2022 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from Hunter.io lists four factors to consider when warming: Consistency, Volume, Engagement, and Authenticity. This process is important to build trust with the ESP.

May 2022 - Hunter.io
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests pre-warning engaged subscribers about the rebrand with a re-opt in opportunity and to whitelist new domain/IPs.

October 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Rejoiner emphasizes focusing on a small but highly-engaged segment of users to start with. The recipients in your initial sending group should have opened or clicked an email from you in the past 30 days.

September 2021 - Rejoiner
Marketer view

Email marketer from Lemlist shares it is best to warm up an email address so that Google or Outlook does not flag you as spam. When warming up the email address, slowly introduce it and warm it up for at least a week. This should give the IP reputation and validity you want to land in inboxes.

December 2024 - Lemlist
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests using a double opt-in process to ensure that subscribers are genuinely interested in receiving emails. They also recommend cleaning the email list regularly to remove inactive or invalid email addresses, to ensure deliverability for the good addresses.

February 2022 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that unless the new domain won't be used for anything else put transactional and marketing on separate subdomains.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid advises to gradually increase email volume to avoid being flagged as spam. They recommend starting with small sends and doubling the volume every few days, monitoring engagement metrics such as open rates and click-through rates. Send consistently and avoid large spikes in volume.

November 2022 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Woodpecker shares that it is best practice when doing cold email that you increase the number of emails sent each day until you reach the desired amount. They also explain to ensure that you are not landing in spam that you have personalized content and a valid reason for reaching out.

May 2023 - Woodpecker
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests separating transactional emails to a different subdomain from marketing emails.

July 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains all image hosting URLs align and don't think it matters, but to ensure there aren't any DNS overlaps.

September 2024 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Warming up a new domain involves careful planning, understanding your audience, and progressively increasing email volume to establish a positive reputation with ISPs. Focusing on highly engaged subscribers initially is crucial. Compliance with regulations like CAN-SPAM and CASL, particularly regarding unsubscribe links, is essential. Monitoring feedback loops and analyzing deliverability data are key to adjusting the warm-up strategy.

Key opinions

  • Strategic Planning: Plan email campaigns, set realistic goals, and understand the target audience before starting.
  • Gradual Volume Increase: Gradually increase email volume to build a sending reputation.
  • High Engagement Focus: Prioritize subscribers who are likely to engage positively with emails initially.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Comply with regulations such as CAN-SPAM and CASL.

Key considerations

  • IP Warm-up Necessity: IP warm-up is crucial to establish a sending reputation with ISPs.
  • Feedback Loop Monitoring: Monitor feedback loops and deliverability data to adjust the warm-up strategy.
  • Low Complaint Rates: Maintain low complaint rates to protect your sending reputation.
  • Unsubscribe Compliance: Ensure unsubscribe links work for the legally required period (30 days for CAN-SPAM, 60 days for CASL).
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes starting with low volume and high engagement, focusing on subscribers who are most likely to interact positively with your emails. She also shares that it is important to monitor feedback loops and analyze deliverability data to adjust the warm-up strategy as needed.

April 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks reminds that CAN-SPAM requires unsubscribe links to work for 30 days post send, and CASL requires them for 60 days.

November 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource suggests planning your email marketing campaign, setting realistic goals, and knowing your target audience before beginning the domain warm-up process.

August 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource highlights the necessity of IP warm-up to establish a sending reputation with ISPs by gradually increasing volume and maintaining low complaint rates.

March 2022 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Warming up a new domain requires a strategic approach involving gradually increasing email volume to establish a positive sending reputation with email providers. Key elements include planning the warm-up, authenticating email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, sending to engaged users, monitoring deliverability metrics, and setting up feedback loops. Avoid sending email blasts and focus on consistent volume.

Key findings

  • Gradual Volume Increase: Gradually increase email volume to build a positive reputation.
  • Engaged Users: Start by sending emails to highly engaged users.
  • Email Authentication: Authenticate email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
  • Monitoring: Monitor deliverability metrics closely.
  • Feedback Loops: Set up feedback loops to monitor issues.

Key considerations

  • Planning: Plan the warm-up process strategically.
  • Consistency: Send a consistent volume of emails.
  • Avoid Email Blasts: Avoid sending large email blasts, gradually increasing volume instead.
  • Reputation: Establish a positive sending reputation.
  • Bounce and Complaints: Monitor bounce rates and spam complaints.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that warming up a new domain involves gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from the new domain to build a positive reputation with email providers. Start with sending emails to highly engaged users and monitor deliverability metrics closely.

July 2024 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from AWS SES explains a solid IP warming strategy should involve: Planning the warm-up, Gradually increasing sending volumes, and Monitoring and adjusting the process. This is important to ensure you establish a strong reputation as a legitimate email sender and ensure that your emails reach the recipients' inboxes.

June 2023 - AWS SES Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft emphasizes the importance of establishing a positive sending reputation for new domains. This involves authenticating email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, as well as monitoring bounce rates and spam complaints to ensure optimal deliverability. Sending consistent volume is mentioned.

May 2022 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains the most critical elements to warming include: Setting up feedback loops, sending to engaged users, not sending email blasts, and using engagement to increase volume.

August 2024 - SparkPost