Why is email engagement lower after switching from DotDigital to Hubspot?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital explains that switching ESPs can impact sender reputation. A new IP address may not have an established reputation, leading to lower deliverability and engagement until it's warmed up.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that duplicate From, CC, etc. headers on HubSpot could be causing problems.
Email marketer from G2 notes that certain features or integrations available in DotDigital might affect engagement. HubSpot's implementation of similar features should be verified.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum responds that the new ESP might have different deliverability settings by default. Reviewing and adjusting these settings in HubSpot to match those in DotDigital might improve engagement.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains that following best practices is essential. This includes properly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your sending domain within HubSpot, ensuring proper authentication.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow notes that inconsistencies in email headers when switching from DotDigital to HubSpot could cause deliverability issues. Verify that the email headers are correctly configured and aligned with best practices.
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that a decrease in engagement could be due to changes in list hygiene practices. The new ESP might have different methods for suppressing unengaged contacts, leading to a smaller but more responsive list or, conversely, including contacts the old ESP suppressed.
Email marketer from Quora explains the potential for list segmentation strategies differing in Hubspot. Make sure similar segmentation practices are used to target the right audience.
Email marketer from Reddit user mentions that open and click tracking can be different across platforms so some of the drop could be due to how hubspot vs DotDigital track activity.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that a common reason is the lack of proper IP warm-up on HubSpot. Gradually increasing sending volume can help establish a positive sender reputation.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a likely reason for reduced engagement is that the IP address used by Hubspot needs to be warmed up and have its reputation built. This is a common cause when switching ESPs.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that different filtering, reporting, and analytics can contribute to different results between ESPs with Tim Starr adding that you can't A/B test ESPs.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that engagement often drops when switching ESPs due to various potential theories without a definitive guide.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that the user may be seeing oversigning on DKIM rather than multiple headers. Also suggests checking DMARC reports for issues before worrying too much about DKIM configuration and to check if DMARC is set to enforcing.
Expert from Spam Resource details that sometimes a change in the content of the email can lead to it being filtered more aggressively. It could be worth checking the types of links, wording and offers have stayed the same when moving from DotDigital.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests using DMARC reports to get useful data about authentication and to look at bounce/deferral data to see what recipient providers are reporting.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from DMARC explains that Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) policy, if not set up correctly after the switch, can lead to deliverability problems. Check if the DMARC record is properly configured to work with HubSpot's sending domain.
Documentation from Hubspot explains that a common reason is that Hubspot DKIM hasn't been properly configured. Setting this up will help mail providers authenticate emails sent from hubspot.
Documentation from RFC explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records can cause alignment issues if not correctly configured when switching ESPs, potentially causing lower deliverability.
Documentation from DKIM details that DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signatures may be different between DotDigital and HubSpot, affecting how email providers evaluate message authenticity. HubSpot's DKIM setup needs to be implemented correctly.