What is the best approach for sending marketing emails from a new domain for an existing company?

Summary

Launching a new email domain under an existing company requires a strategic approach focusing on gradual domain warming, maintaining a strong sender reputation, and ensuring subscribers perceive the emails as wanted. Domain warming involves sending emails initially to a segmented list of engaged subscribers and slowly increasing volume. It also includes maintaining consistent branding. Separate IPs might be considered for branding or mail stream distinction. Key technical considerations include setting up SPF, DKIM, and reverse DNS records for authentication, actively monitoring sender reputation with tools like Sender Score, and implementing feedback loops. List hygiene is paramount, requiring a thorough cleaning to remove unengaged addresses. Consistent email volume, thorough email testing, and offering preference centers for subscriber control all contribute to positive engagement and avoid triggering spam filters. The end goal is to be viewed as wanted mail.

Key findings

  • Gradual Domain Warming: Warming the new domain slowly with engaged subscribers helps establish a positive reputation.
  • Technical Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and reverse DNS records are crucial for authenticating emails.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitor sender reputation using available tools and feedback loops.
  • List Hygiene: A clean subscriber list ensures better engagement and reduces spam complaints.
  • Wanted Mail Perception: Focusing on engagement helps ensure emails are viewed as wanted by inbox providers.

Key considerations

  • Segmentation Strategy: Segment your list for initial sends to engaged users to improve open rates and sender reputation.
  • Branding Consistency: Maintain consistent branding to build trust and recognition with subscribers.
  • IP Strategy: Consider dedicated IPs based on sending volume and desired reputation control.
  • Volume Control: Avoid sudden spikes or drops in volume to prevent triggering spam filters.
  • Email Testing: Thoroughly test emails across different clients and devices for consistent rendering.
  • Preference Centers: Offer preference centers to allow subscribers to manage their interests across domains.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

When launching a new domain for email marketing under an existing company, several key strategies can ensure successful deliverability and sender reputation. Gradual domain warming is crucial, starting with highly engaged subscribers and slowly increasing the volume and frequency of emails. Segmentation helps target these engaged users, improving open rates. Consistent branding between the new and old domains builds trust and recognition. Technical setup includes proper authentication (SPF, DKIM), monitoring sender reputation, and feedback loops with ISPs. Email design and rendering should be thoroughly tested, and maintaining a consistent sending volume is important to avoid triggering spam filters. Subscriber list cleaning is a prerequisite, and the use of shared vs. dedicated IPs should be based on volume and reputation needs. Preference centers can also help manage subscriber interests across domains.

Key opinions

  • Domain Warming: Gradually warm up the new domain by sending emails to engaged subscribers first and increasing volume slowly.
  • Segmentation: Segment your email list to initially target highly engaged subscribers, boosting open rates and sender reputation.
  • Consistent Branding: Maintain a consistent brand identity between the new and existing domains.
  • IP Strategy: Choose between shared or dedicated IPs based on sending volume and desired reputation control.
  • List Hygiene: Clean your subscriber list to remove unengaged or problematic addresses before starting sends from the new domain.

Key considerations

  • Subscriber Preferences: Implement preference centers to allow subscribers to manage their interests across different domains or services.
  • Email Authentication: Set up SPF and DKIM records for the new domain to authenticate your emails and improve deliverability.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitor your sender reputation to identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
  • Engagement Focus: Prioritize sending wanted mail in the early stages to drive engagement.
  • Email Testing: Thoroughly test email rendering across different email clients and devices.
  • Sending Volume: Avoid large volume swings to maintain a good IP reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that the frequency of emails from your new domain should be gradual. Starting with just one or two emails a week and then slowly ramping it up to reduce the chance of being marked as spam.

November 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow responds that cleaning the subscriber list should be a primary step. Old unengaged email addresses are likely to report emails as spam.

October 2022 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests preference centers as a solution for managing subscriber interests when using separate domains for the same brand. He mentions the risk of treating mail streams as one (sharing IPs) if recipients perceive the domains as distinct entities.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that you should segment your email list to target your most engaged subscribers first when using a new domain. This ensures higher open rates and positive engagement, building a good sender reputation.

January 2023 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that warming up the domain slowly is crucial. He suggests starting with your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over time. This establishes a positive reputation with ISPs.

June 2021 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that maintaining consistent branding between the new and old domains helps subscribers recognize and trust the emails. This includes logos, colors, and overall design.

April 2023 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot explains that it's important to maintain a consistent sending volume. Avoid sudden spikes or drops in email volume, as this can trigger spam filters.

April 2024 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says there is no standard IP warming process. He suggests a warming plan based on the volume if cross-subscribing. He also suggests shared IPs might be better until they reach dedicated thresholds, at which point they will need a different warming plan.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus suggests that thoroughly testing your emails for rendering across different email clients and devices is very important. Inconsistent design can affect credibility and increase spam complaints.

April 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Warrior Forum shares that if the email volumes are high, consider using a dedicated IP address for the new domain. This gives you more control over your sender reputation. If email volumes are low a shared IP address may be better.

July 2022 - Warrior Forum

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

When sending marketing emails from a new domain for an existing company, experts emphasize the importance of separating IP addresses for branding and distinct mail streams. A standard warming plan should be applied, which involves sending small email volumes to an engaged audience and slowly increasing the volume over time, while vigilantly watching for warning signs of deliverability issues. Actively monitoring the new domain's reputation by checking blocklists, feedback loops, and deliverability rates is vital to promptly address any problems. Finally, the primary objective is to ensure that inbox providers view emails from the new domain as wanted, achieved by focusing on high engagement early on, as poor engagement can lead to deliverability issues.

Key opinions

  • IP Separation for Branding: Separate IP addresses for the new domain can enhance branding and ensure distinct mail streams.
  • Standard Warming Plan: Implement a warming plan with small volumes to engaged users, gradually increasing over time.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitor the new domain's reputation through blocklists, feedback loops, and deliverability rates.
  • Engagement Focus Early On: Ensure emails are viewed as wanted by prioritizing engagement in the early stages.

Key considerations

  • Deliverability Monitoring: Vigilantly watch for warning signs of deliverability issues during the warming process.
  • Problem Resolution: Address any identified issues related to reputation promptly.
  • Provider Perception: Ensure inbox providers view the new domain's emails positively.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that you need to actively monitor the reputation of your new domain. Look at blocklists, feedback loops, and deliverability rates to identify and address any issues promptly.

May 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that using separate IPs relates more to branding efforts and keeping mail streams distinct, and that standard IP warming should apply.

July 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks describes the standard warming plan of sending small volumes to engaged audience and slowly increasing over time while watching for warning signs.

March 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the main goal is to make sure the emails from the new domain are viewed as wanted by the inbox providers. Focus on sending wanted mail in the early stages to drive engagement. Poor engagement in the early stages will lead to deliverability issues.

July 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

When launching a new domain for email marketing within an existing company, documentation emphasizes the critical role of proper email authentication and reputation monitoring. Setting up SPF and DKIM records for the new domain is essential to verify authorization and enhance deliverability. Actively monitoring sender reputation using tools like Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools helps identify and resolve deliverability issues early. Implementing a feedback loop (FBL) with major ISPs allows for receiving and acting upon spam complaints, facilitating the removal of problematic subscribers. Finally, setting up a reverse DNS record is an important technical element that helps in authenticating the sender and avoiding spam classification.

Key findings

  • SPF & DKIM Setup: Setting up SPF and DKIM records is essential for authenticating emails from the new domain.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitor sender reputation using tools like Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Feedback Loop Implementation: Implement a feedback loop (FBL) to receive spam complaints and remove problematic subscribers.
  • Reverse DNS Record Setup: Setting up a reverse DNS record helps authenticate the sender and prevents emails from being marked as spam.

Key considerations

  • Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication is critical for ensuring emails are delivered and not marked as spam.
  • Early Issue Identification: Monitoring sender reputation helps identify and address deliverability issues in their early stages.
  • Subscriber List Management: Using feedback loops allows for better subscriber list management by removing addresses generating spam complaints.
  • Technical Setup: A complete technical setup, including reverse DNS, is important for proper email authentication.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Documentation shares that actively monitoring your sender reputation through tools like Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools helps you identify and address any deliverability issues early on.

October 2024 - Microsoft Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from AWS explains that setting up a reverse DNS record is a good idea as this helps give authentication as to who you are, preventing your emails from being marked as spam.

April 2021 - AWS Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that setting up SPF and DKIM records for the new domain is essential for email authentication. These records verify that you are authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain, improving deliverability.

May 2023 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains that implementing a feedback loop (FBL) with major ISPs allows you to receive reports about spam complaints. This helps you identify and remove problematic subscribers from your list.

August 2022 - RFC