What are the deliverability implications of using different domains for website, sending, and reply-to addresses in Klaviyo?

Summary

Using different domains for website, email sending, and reply-to addresses in Klaviyo presents deliverability challenges. While not always avoidable, inconsistencies can damage sender reputation, trigger spam filters, and reduce trust with email providers. Experts, marketers, and documentation emphasize that domain alignment (matching domains) builds trust and is generally recommended. If different domains are necessary, proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial to mitigate risks. Maintaining a consistent and clear domain presence establishes a trustworthy sender identity and prevents emails from being flagged as suspicious. Inbox placement tests can help assess deliverability impact.

Key findings

  • Domain Alignment is Key: Domain alignment (matching domains for website, sending, and reply-to) is crucial for building trust with email providers and avoiding spam filters.
  • Authentication Matters: If different domains must be used, proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential to minimize deliverability risks.
  • Sender Reputation at Risk: Using different domains can negatively impact sender reputation if not properly authenticated, leading to confusion with ISPs and spam filters.
  • Inconsistency = Suspicion: Disparate domains can make it appear as though the emails are sent from a suspicious source, potentially damaging deliverability.
  • Consistent Domain Footprint: Maintaining a consistent domain footprint across website, sending infrastructure, and reply-to addresses is essential for a strong domain reputation.

Key considerations

  • Run Inbox Placement Tests: Conduct inbox placement tests to assess the impact of different domain configurations on deliverability.
  • Reputation of Reply-To Domain: Consider the reputation of the domain used in the reply-to address and avoid those involved in phishing or viruses.
  • Prioritize Primary Domain: Prioritize using a primary domain consistently to enhance trust and reputation with ISPs.
  • Monitor Domain Health: Monitor domain reputation and authentication signals regularly to ensure optimal email deliverability.
  • Clear Web Presence: Maintain a consistent and clear web presence to enhance trust with ISPs and email providers, making alignment easier to recognize.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Using different domains for a website, email sending, and reply-to addresses can significantly impact email deliverability in Klaviyo. While not always avoidable, inconsistencies can negatively affect sender reputation, trigger spam filters, and reduce trust with email providers. Domain alignment, where the domains match across these elements, is generally recommended for optimal deliverability. Proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial to mitigate risks when using different domains. Maintaining a consistent and clear domain presence helps establish a trustworthy sender identity.

Key opinions

  • Sender Reputation: Using different domains can negatively impact sender reputation if not properly authenticated, leading to confusion with ISPs and spam filters.
  • Domain Alignment Crucial: Domain alignment (matching domains for website, sending, and reply-to) is crucial for building trust with email providers and avoiding spam filters.
  • Domain Consistency Matters: Domain consistency impacts email deliverability, and disparate domains can make it appear as though the emails are sent from a suspicious source.
  • Trustworthiness: Using a consistent domain reputation and presence is essential for building a trustworthy sender identity.
  • Authentication is Key: Proper authentication with SPF, DKIM and DMARC is key to ensuring deliverability across different domains.

Key considerations

  • Inbox Placement Tests: Run inbox placement tests to assess the impact of different domain configurations on deliverability.
  • Reputation of Reply-To Domain: The reputation of the domain used in the reply-to address is important, avoiding those involved in phishing or viruses is advisable.
  • Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is configured when using different domains to minimize deliverability risks.
  • Alignment of From, Return-Path, DKIM: If different domains must be used, ensure the domain in the from address, return-path, and DKIM match for better deliverability.
  • Protect Sender Identity: Protect sender identity through a consistent web presence and clear alignment to ensure customers can trust the emails they receive.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Uplers describes the importance of website and email alignment as one of the 7 key factors in determining email deliverability.

March 2022 - Email Uplers
Marketer view

Email marketer from Validity explains the importance of email deliverability and how domain alignment plays a key part in the process of getting the emails to customers and avoiding spam filters.

November 2021 - Validity
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that while it's not ideal to use different domains for mail than the website, it is sometimes necessary. They clarify that if the domain in the from address, return-path, and DKIM match, the setup is acceptable. While alignment with the reply-to address is preferred, it's not strictly required.

June 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that domain alignment (matching domains for website, sending, and reply-to) is crucial for building trust with email providers. Mismatched domains can trigger spam filters and hurt deliverability rates in Klaviyo.

July 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from DigitalMarketer emphasizes the impact of domain consistency on email deliverability. Using disparate domains can make it appear as though the emails are sent from a suspicious source, therefore it is important for your brand to ensure that they are using consistent domains when communicating with customers.

November 2024 - DigitalMarketer
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that using different domains can negatively impact sender reputation if not properly authenticated. It can lead to confusion with ISPs and spam filters, potentially reducing deliverability.

February 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Customer.io shares the importance of protecting the sender identity and ensuring that customers can trust the emails. They detail how having a clear domain presence plays a part in gaining that trust.

August 2024 - Customer.io
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass emphasizes the importance of using a consistent domain reputation and presence as the building blocks of establishing a trustworthy sender identity, and warns of the detrimental effect that can occur on email campaigns if different domains are used.

November 2022 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailerLite indicates that the email reputation and credibility is created and enhanced by using a consistent domain presence, while having a confusing and disjointed web presence can result in lower engagement with emails and a negative impact on deliverability.

June 2023 - MailerLite
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that using a cousin domain seems unnecessary and risks making it look like you are spoofing yourself. She suggests the safest way to know if there are issues is to run an inbox placement test. She mentions that it depends on the reputation of the domain you use in the reply-to and suggests avoiding domains involved in phishing or viruses.

June 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

Experts emphasize that maintaining a consistent domain footprint across website, sending infrastructure, and reply-to addresses is crucial for building a strong domain reputation. Diverging from a primary domain can raise red flags and negatively affect deliverability, especially without proper authentication. Inconsistencies weaken authentication signals, making it harder to achieve optimal deliverability.

Key opinions

  • Domain Consistency: Consistent use of a primary domain is crucial for establishing trust and a positive reputation with ISPs.
  • Authentication Importance: Diverging from the primary domain without proper authentication can raise red flags and negatively affect deliverability.
  • Authentication Signals: Inconsistencies in domain usage can weaken authentication signals, making it harder to achieve optimal deliverability.
  • Domain Footprint: Maintaining a consistent domain footprint across website, sending infrastructure, and reply-to addresses is essential.

Key considerations

  • Primary Domain Usage: Prioritize using a primary domain consistently to enhance trust and reputation.
  • Authentication Methods: Ensure proper authentication methods are in place when diverging from the primary domain to mitigate potential deliverability issues.
  • Domain Monitoring: Monitor domain reputation and authentication signals to ensure optimal email deliverability.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that consistent use of a primary domain is crucial for establishing trust and a positive reputation with ISPs. Diverging from the primary domain without proper authentication can raise red flags and negatively affect deliverability.

April 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that maintaining a consistent domain footprint across website, sending infrastructure, and reply-to addresses is essential for building a strong domain reputation. Inconsistencies can weaken authentication signals, making it harder to achieve optimal deliverability.

July 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
6Technical articles

Technical documentation consistently emphasizes that using a dedicated sending domain aligned with the website domain is crucial for improved email deliverability. Alignment allows for proper email authentication, signaling legitimacy to ISPs. Conversely, using different, unauthenticated domains can damage sending reputation, leading to emails being marked as spam or blocked entirely. Adhering to industry standards for email authentication and maintaining a consistent web presence are vital for avoiding deliverability issues. Major email providers like Google and Microsoft also prioritize domain alignment when determining email placement.

Key findings

  • Dedicated Sending Domain: Using a dedicated sending domain that aligns with the website domain improves deliverability.
  • Proper Authentication: Domain alignment allows for proper email authentication, signaling legitimacy to ISPs.
  • Reputation Damage: Using various unauthenticated domains damages sending reputation, leading to emails being marked as spam.
  • Authentication Standards: Adhering to industry standards for email authentication is essential to avoid deliverability issues.
  • Major Providers: Major email providers like Google and Microsoft prioritize domain alignment when determining email placement.

Key considerations

  • Dedicated Domain Setup: Implement a dedicated sending domain and ensure its alignment with the website domain.
  • Email Authentication: Configure email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) correctly for the sending domain.
  • Monitor Reputation: Monitor sending reputation to identify and address any potential deliverability issues promptly.
  • Adhere to Standards: Follow industry best practices and standards for email sending and authentication.
  • Web Presence: Maintain a consistent and legitimate web presence to enhance trust with ISPs and email providers.
Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet details how sending reputation is built on consistent domain usage. Using various domains without proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) will damage sending reputation, resulting in the emails going to spam, and being blocked by mailbox providers.

August 2021 - Mailjet
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid provides a comprehensive guide and detailed plan on how domain reputation can impact email deliverability and stresses the importance of a consistent web presence, and it also warns against the dangers of using disparate domains.

November 2023 - SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains in detail how it determines whether an email should be sent to customers' inboxes, and how it uses domain alignment and web presence to detect suspicious activity. They note the need for web and email addresses to be aligned.

September 2023 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Klaviyo explains that using a dedicated sending domain that aligns with your website domain improves deliverability. It allows you to authenticate your emails properly and signals to ISPs that you are a legitimate sender. Using a different domain without proper setup can cause deliverability issues.

June 2021 - Klaviyo
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft advises that it is important to align email addresses to website domains to ensure that any emails from the company are properly received in user inboxes, and that they do not fail the companies fraud protection measures.

March 2022 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost outlines the importance of adhering to industry standards for email authentication, noting that failure to do so makes emails highly susceptible to filtering and deliverability issues, especially when domains for sending and website do not align.

August 2023 - SparkPost