Summary
To achieve optimal email deliverability and avoid spam filters when using domains and subdomains for click tracking, a multi-faceted approach is essential. Core strategies include proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), strategic domain management (isolating email reputation with subdomains), and maintaining a positive sender reputation. This involves practices like allowing new domains to age, avoiding throwaway domains and generic link shorteners, using branded links and consistent domains, warming up IPs, directing tracking links to legitimate landing pages, and actively monitoring domain reputation. Owning and controlling your link tracking domain is key, while being wary of reputation sharing when using ESP-provided domains. Ultimately, transparency, consistency, and proactive reputation management are paramount.
Key findings
- Email Authentication is Crucial: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying your sending domain and preventing spoofing, leading to improved deliverability.
- Isolate Email Reputation via Subdomains: Utilizing subdomains specifically for email activities effectively separates your email sending reputation from your primary website's SEO, preventing deliverability issues from impacting your website's visibility.
- Avoid Throwaway Domains and Generic Shorteners: Using throwaway domains or generic link shorteners is a significant red flag, negatively impacting your deliverability and sender reputation.
- Domain Ownership Provides Control: Owning and controlling your link tracking domain is critical for effectively managing its reputation and avoiding issues linked to shared services.
- Domain Reputation Monitoring is Key: Regularly monitoring your domain reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools is vital for proactively identifying and addressing deliverability concerns.
- New Domains Require Aging: New domains necessitate an aging period (3-6 months) to build a positive sender reputation prior to large-scale email campaigns.
- Branded Links Enhance Trust: Using branded link shorteners contributes to a more consistent brand presence and enhances the credibility of your emails.
- Consistent Domain Usage Matters: Maintaining consistency across all email marketing elements (sender address, tracking links, landing pages) is crucial for building trust with mailbox providers.
- Warm Up New IPs: Gradually increasing sending volume on new IP addresses helps to establish a positive sender reputation and prevent triggering spam filters.
- Legitimate Landing Pages are Essential: Ensuring tracking links lead to relevant, legitimate landing pages is necessary for sustaining a positive user experience and sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Proper DNS Configuration: Correctly configure DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to authenticate your sending domain and demonstrate legitimacy to mailbox providers.
- Subdomain Strategy: Develop a strategy for utilizing subdomains that effectively isolates email activities while maintaining brand consistency.
- Domain Acquisition and Aging: Plan for domain aging periods when launching new email initiatives to avoid deliverability problems.
- Reputation Monitoring Tools: Implement tools and procedures for continuous domain reputation monitoring to proactively address any issues that arise.
- Vendor Selection: Carefully select email service providers (ESPs) and consider the reputation implications of using shared link tracking domains.
- Consistent Branding: Ensure all domains and subdomains align with your branding guidelines to build trust and recognition.
- Link Transparency: Prioritize clear and direct links over excessive redirection and link cloaking to enhance trust with email recipients and mailbox providers.
- Ethical Sending Practices: Adhere to ethical sending practices, including obtaining proper consent, honoring unsubscribe requests, and avoiding misleading subject lines.
- Volume Adjustment: Adjust email sending volume gradually to establish a positive sender reputation, particularly when using new domains or IPs.
- Content Review: Regularly review email content and landing pages to ensure relevance and avoid triggering spam filters.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
The key to using domains and subdomains effectively for email click tracking to avoid spam filters involves isolating your email reputation, maintaining transparency, and actively monitoring your domain's health. Creating a dedicated subdomain for email activities separates your website's SEO from email deliverability issues. Avoiding excessive link cloaking, generic link shorteners, and inconsistent domains builds trust with mailbox providers. Gradual IP warming and ensuring tracking links point to legitimate content also contribute to a positive sender reputation.
Key opinions
- Isolate Email Reputation: Using a dedicated subdomain for email activities shields your main website's SEO from potential email deliverability issues.
- Avoid Excessive Cloaking: Excessive link cloaking and redirects can flag your emails as suspicious, negatively impacting deliverability.
- Monitor Domain Reputation: Regularly monitoring your domain reputation allows you to proactively identify and address deliverability issues.
- Use Branded Links: Avoid generic link shorteners and use branded links to improve trust and deliverability.
- Maintain Consistency: Consistent use of domains and subdomains across all email marketing elements builds trust with mailbox providers.
- IP Warming: Gradually increase sending volume on new domains or IP addresses to establish a positive sending reputation.
- Legitimate Landing Pages: Ensure tracking links point to legitimate and relevant landing pages to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Subdomain Setup: Carefully plan and configure your email subdomain to properly isolate and manage your email reputation.
- Link Transparency: Prioritize direct, transparent links over cloaked or excessively redirected links to build trust.
- Reputation Monitoring Tools: Implement tools and processes for regularly monitoring your domain reputation and addressing any issues promptly.
- Branded Link Implementation: Invest in setting up a branded link shortener or custom tracking domain to enhance brand recognition and deliverability.
- Consistency Across Channels: Ensure consistency in domain usage across all aspects of your email marketing to build trust and credibility.
- Gradual Volume Increase: Implement a gradual IP warming strategy when launching new domains or IP addresses to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Content Relevance: Always ensure tracking links lead to legitimate and relevant content to maintain a positive user experience and sender reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Medium shares that ensure your tracking links point to a legitimate landing page. Avoid using broken links or redirecting to irrelevant content, as this can damage your sender reputation.
22 Mar 2024 - Medium
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailGeeks suggests that using consistent domains and subdomains across your email marketing efforts (sender address, tracking links, landing pages) builds trust with mailbox providers and improves deliverability. Inconsistent domains can raise red flags and trigger spam filters.
5 May 2025 - EmailGeeks
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
To effectively use domains and subdomains for email click tracking and avoid spam filters, it's crucial to manage your domain reputation carefully. Experts recommend allowing new domains to age before use and utilizing subdomains of the client's domain for click tracking. Avoid throwaway domains as they raise red flags, and ensure 'branded' domains are true subdomains. Owning and controlling your link tracking domain is essential for managing its reputation, while using ESP-provided domains involves shared reputation. Separating email sending activities onto a subdomain isolates your email reputation from your main website, protecting its SEO.
Key opinions
- Domain Aging: New domains should age for 3-6 months before being used for email to establish a positive reputation.
- Avoid Throwaway Domains: Using throwaway domains for click tracking is a red flag, as it's a tactic used by spammers.
- True Subdomains: 'Branded' domains should be subdomains of the customer's domain, not cousin domains.
- Control Your Domain: Owning and controlling your link tracking domain is crucial for managing its reputation.
- Isolate Email Reputation: Using subdomains for email separates your email reputation from your website's SEO.
Key considerations
- Domain Age Planning: Factor in domain aging when launching new email campaigns to avoid deliverability issues.
- Domain Reputation Impact: Understand how your choice of domain (owned, ESP-provided, or throwaway) affects your reputation and deliverability.
- Subdomain Structure: Plan your subdomain structure carefully to isolate email activities and protect your main website's reputation.
- Reputation Management: Implement processes for monitoring and managing the reputation of your link tracking domains.
- Client Domain Integration: If offering click tracking as a service, prioritize using subdomains of your client's domains to avoid reputation sharing.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource responds that using a link tracking domain that you own and control is essential. This allows you to manage the reputation of that domain and prevent issues that arise when using shared or generic link tracking services.
21 Jun 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that using throwaway domains for click tracking is a significant red flag because it mimics the behavior of bad actors who use such domains to avoid associating their bad behavior with their real domain.
17 Dec 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Following email authentication best practices and managing your sender reputation are crucial for successful email deliverability. Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records authenticates your domain and prevents spoofing, thereby improving deliverability. Using a custom tracking domain builds a consistent brand experience and enhances sender reputation. Employing a dedicated IP address provides greater control over deliverability, separate from shared IP pools. Also, maintaining a good domain reputation by avoiding spammy practices (like sending unsolicited emails) is essential for reaching the inbox.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are critical for authenticating your sending domain.
- Custom Tracking Domain: Using a custom tracking domain enhances your brand and builds a positive sender reputation.
- Dedicated IP Address: A dedicated IP address gives you more control over your sender reputation and deliverability.
- Good Domain Reputation: Maintaining a good domain reputation is essential for consistent email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Authentication Setup: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to protect your domain and improve deliverability.
- Tracking Domain Implementation: Implement a custom tracking domain to align with your branding and boost sender reputation.
- IP Address Management: Consider using a dedicated IP address to have more control over your sending reputation, especially for high-volume senders.
- Ethical Sending Practices: Adhere to ethical sending practices to avoid harming your domain reputation and maintain good deliverability.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is essential for authenticating your sending domain and preventing email spoofing, which can improve deliverability and avoid spam filters.
9 Feb 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft Support shares that maintaining a good domain reputation is key to deliverability. Avoid practices that can harm your reputation, such as sending unsolicited emails, using deceptive subject lines, and not honoring unsubscribe requests.
23 Dec 2023 - Microsoft Support
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