What are the potential deliverability issues when sending from an old domain with a new brand name?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from StackExchange advises to verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC is setup properly. Ensure your domain is correctly authenticated to increase trust.
Email marketer from Email on Acid recommends closely monitoring inbox placement during and after the domain switch. Use seed lists and check deliverability reports to identify potential issues early.
Email marketer from Gmass explains that there can be deliverability problems if you share an IP with a bad sender, if this is the case, consider moving to a dedicated IP.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that sender reputation is linked to your domain. Changing the domain without proper setup can lead to deliverability issues, as ISPs will treat the new domain with suspicion initially.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that changing the Left Hand Side (the bit before the @) won't impact deliverability or sending reputation, especially if sending to an engaged segment. They also mention that changing the From address can break user custom email message routing rules and user-specific spam allow-lists.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that when rebranding, your domain reputation might not transfer automatically, impacting deliverability. Warming up the new domain gradually is crucial.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that using a phased approach to warming up the IP addresses and domains is critical. Start with your most engaged users and grow the volume slowly.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that sending reputation is key and needs to be rebuilt with the new domain. You should do this slowly and be patient.
Email marketer from Sendinblue advises that using a new domain requires a warm-up period to establish trust with ISPs. Sending high volumes immediately can trigger spam filters and hurt deliverability.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks shares to send an announcement from the old email about the new name and to start a slow migration/warmup of the new domain.
Expert from Email Geeks points out that changing the localpart (the part before the @) can affect delivery for users who have created filters or added the sender to their address book.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that domain age is a factor in deliverability. Newer domains often face more scrutiny from ISPs and spam filters. This means you'll need to work harder to build trust and establish a positive sending reputation with the new domain.
Expert from Spam Resource (Laura Atkins) explains that IP address and domain reputations are separate and need to be considered individually when transitioning to a new domain. Even if your IP reputation is good, your new domain will still need to build its own reputation.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from AWS mentions how it is essential to understand the sending limits on your account with SES. If sending from a new domain, these limits will start small and will be scaled up slowly - don't send too much!
Documentation from Google explains that domain reputation is a significant factor in email deliverability. Sudden changes, like switching to a new domain without proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), can negatively affect your sending reputation and lead to emails being marked as spam.
Documentation from RFC explains that Implementing SPF records is crucial. Without a properly configured SPF record on the new domain, receiving mail servers cannot verify that the email is truly from your domain, potentially leading to deliverability issues.
Documentation from Dmarc suggests that you need to verify your configuration by sending test emails to ensure everything is configured and working as intended.
Documentation from Microsoft details how sender reputation influences whether emails reach the inbox. Using a new domain without establishing a positive reputation can result in emails being filtered or blocked by Outlook and other Microsoft email services.