What are the deliverability concerns when using different or changing 'from' addresses in email campaigns?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit shares that changing the 'from' name but keeping the same email address is less risky than changing the entire address. However, sudden changes in the 'from' name can still cause confusion among subscribers.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that changing 'from' addresses can disrupt subscriber engagement. Subscribers may not recognize the new address, leading to decreased open rates and increased spam complaints.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that maintaining consistent 'from' addresses helps build brand recognition. Subscribers are more likely to engage with emails from familiar senders.
Email marketer from GMass explains that using a dedicated IP address can help maintain a consistent sender reputation when changing 'from' addresses. This gives you more control over your deliverability.
Email marketer from Quora advises using subdomains for different types of email communications. This helps segment your sender reputation and minimizes the impact of deliverability issues on your primary domain.
Email marketer from StackExchange recommends A/B testing different 'from' addresses to identify which ones resonate best with subscribers. However, cautions to do this gradually and monitor deliverability closely.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that using multiple 'from' addresses can dilute your sender reputation. If you're constantly switching, ISPs might struggle to identify you as a legitimate sender, negatively impacting deliverability.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum responds that changing the 'from' address also needs to be accompanied with changes to IP and domain reputations. Failing to do so will mean the new 'from' address has a cold IP reputation
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that if you must switch 'from' addresses, warm up the new address gradually. Sending low volumes initially and monitoring deliverability rates helps establish a positive reputation.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that typically it's fine to use different from addresses (e.g., support@example.com and sales@example.com). However, advises to be consistent and avoid frequent changes or additions of addresses, as people add addresses to allow-lists and address books.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource (John Levine) explains that when changing the 'from' address, especially the domain part, the reputation of the new domain or subdomain is critical. A new or unused subdomain will likely face stricter filtering until it establishes a positive sending history.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) responds that frequently changing the 'from' address can negatively impact deliverability. ISPs use historical data to assess sender legitimacy, and frequent changes disrupt this process, potentially leading to emails being filtered as spam. Consistency is key to building and maintaining a positive sender reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks responds that changing from addresses should not be a big issue.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools advises monitoring your domain reputation when making changes to 'from' addresses. A sudden drop in reputation can indicate deliverability issues.
Documentation from DKIM explains the importance of DKIM signatures for authenticating the 'from' address. Correctly configured DKIM records can help improve deliverability, especially when using multiple 'from' addresses.
Documentation from Microsoft explains the importance of updating SPF records when changing 'from' addresses. Failure to do so can result in emails being flagged as spam due to authentication failures.
Documentation from RFC Editor indicates that inconsistencies between the 'from' address, sender ID, and domain can lead to deliverability issues. Ensure these elements align to improve sender authentication.
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that consistent 'from' addresses help build trust with mailbox providers. Frequent changes can trigger spam filters, as it's a common tactic used by spammers.