Summary
Experts, marketers, and documentation widely agree that custom sending domains are valuable for improving email deliverability, sender reputation, and brand identity. They are essential for implementing DMARC and other authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM) which helps to prevent spoofing, increases trust with ISPs, and ultimately boosts engagement rates. A custom domain provides control over your online identity, separates your reputation from shared domains, and enhances brand consistency. However, setting up and maintaining custom domains requires technical expertise and ongoing monitoring.
Key findings
- DMARC Requirement: Custom sending domains are a prerequisite for deploying DMARC.
- Enhanced Deliverability: Custom domains enable implementation of authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM) resulting in improved deliverability by signaling legitimacy to mailbox providers.
- Control & Brand Identity: Owning your domain provides greater control over sender reputation, reinforces brand identity, and enhances trust with recipients.
- Reputation Management: Custom domains allow you to build and manage your sender reputation independent of shared IP or domain environments.
- DMARC Alignment Benefits: If your domains match then you don't get the “via” in Gmail. Some of the webmail providers are looking at DMARC style alignment even in the absence of a DMARC record.
Key considerations
- Technical Expertise Required: Setting up and managing DNS records and authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) requires technical expertise and can be complex.
- Ongoing Maintenance and Monitoring: Sender reputation and authentication protocols need continuous monitoring and maintenance to ensure optimal deliverability.
- Cost Implications: Costs can arise for setting up a custom domain, possible dedicated IPs and the time spent configuring them correctly.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Using custom sending domains is widely recommended for improving email deliverability and sender reputation. It enhances brand recognition and trustworthiness, allowing senders to control their reputation, implement authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and avoid the negative impact of shared domain reputations. It also promotes brand consistency and provides more control over authentication and deliverability strategies.
Key opinions
- Improved Deliverability: Custom domains allow implementation of authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) which signals to mailbox providers that you're a legitimate sender, increasing the likelihood of emails reaching the inbox.
- Control Over Reputation: Senders gain control over their email reputation, avoiding the negative impact of other senders on a shared domain and establishing a positive reputation with ISPs.
- Brand Enhancement: Custom domains enhance brand recognition and build trustworthiness by aligning the 'From' address with the sender's website domain.
- Increased Flexibility: Custom domains provide flexibility and control over authentication and deliverability strategies which contributes to higher engagement rates.
Key considerations
- Cost & Effort: Setting up and managing a custom sending domain requires an investment of time and resources, including technical setup, authentication configuration, and ongoing monitoring.
- Sender Reputation Building: While a custom domain provides control, building a positive sender reputation takes time and consistent effort. It's important to send quality content, maintain clean lists, and monitor deliverability metrics.
- Authentication Maintenance: Implementing and maintaining authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for maximizing the benefits of a custom domain. Regular monitoring and updates are necessary to ensure continued deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SparkPost shares that custom sending domains improve deliverability by aligning the 'From' address with the sender's website domain. This alignment builds a consistent brand identity and reduces the chances of emails being flagged as phishing attempts.
6 Dec 2023 - SparkPost
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that it is recommended to use your own domain, for the reasons already mentioned. When using a shared domain you're sharing reputation with all customers of that domain, and are at risk of poor deliverability if one of those senders makes a mistake. Sending from your own domain will give you more control over your deliverability and allow you to move between providers more easily.
14 Dec 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Experts recommend custom sending domains as a good practice, especially if DMARC deployment is desired. Matching domains eliminate the "via" notice in Gmail and are becoming increasingly important for webmail providers, even without a DMARC record. Owning your domain offers control over online identity and reputation. Moving to a dedicated IP and custom domain can significantly improve deliverability if shared IP reputation is negatively impacted.
Key opinions
- DMARC Requirement: Custom sending domains are essential for deploying DMARC, a critical email authentication protocol.
- Domain Matching Benefits: Matching domains improve email appearance by removing the "via" notation in Gmail and are increasingly considered by webmail providers for deliverability even without a DMARC record.
- Brand Control: Owning your domain provides control over your online identity and reputation, offering a stronger digital presence.
- Deliverability Improvement: Switching to a dedicated IP and custom domain can resolve deliverability issues stemming from a shared IP address space with a poor reputation.
Key considerations
- Setup Complexity: Implementing DMARC and properly configuring DNS records for your custom domain can be technically complex and may require expert assistance.
- IP Warm-up: When moving to a dedicated IP, a warm-up period is required to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. This involves gradually increasing sending volume over time.
- Ongoing Maintenance: Continuously monitor and maintain your sender reputation and authentication configurations to ensure optimal deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that if your domains match then you don’t get the “via” in Gmail. Also explains that some of the webmail providers are looking at DMARC style alignment even in the absence of a DMARC record.
12 Dec 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that custom sending domains are required if you are ever going to deploy DMARC.
2 Oct 2022 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Technical documentation consistently emphasizes the importance of custom domains for email authentication and security. DMARC requires domain alignment for proper function, Sender ID relies on domain ownership verification, and custom domains enable the creation of SPF records to authorize sending servers. DKIM signing with a custom domain adds a digital signature to ensure email authenticity and integrity. Ultimately, custom domains enable better brand control and sender reputation management through authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Key findings
- DMARC Alignment: Custom domains are essential for DMARC compliance, as DMARC relies on alignment between the 'From' address and the domain used for SPF/DKIM authentication.
- SPF Records: Custom domains allow the creation of SPF records, which explicitly define authorized mail servers, preventing spoofing and unauthorized use of your domain.
- DKIM Signing: Using a custom domain for DKIM signing ensures email authenticity and integrity, verifying that the message hasn't been tampered with during transit.
- Sender ID Authentication: Sender ID identifies the responsible sending domain through the Purported Responsible Address (PRA), relying on DNS records to verify domain ownership.
- Brand Control & Reputation: Custom domains provide improved brand control and allow for stronger sender reputation through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Key considerations
- Technical Expertise: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC requires a solid understanding of DNS records and email authentication protocols. Proper configuration is crucial for effective protection.
- Maintenance & Monitoring: Email authentication protocols require ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure they remain effective and adapt to evolving threats and changes in email infrastructure.
- Potential for Misconfiguration: Incorrectly configured SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records can lead to deliverability issues, causing legitimate emails to be rejected or marked as spam.
Technical article
Documentation from AuthSMTP explains how a custom domain allows better brand control when using authentication methods like SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and a stronger sending reputation to be built and maintained.
29 May 2022 - AuthSMTP
Technical article
Documentation from RFC-Editor explains that sender ID uses the Purported Responsible Address (PRA) to determine the domain responsible for sending an email. It emphasizes domain ownership verification through DNS records as crucial for authentication.
7 Mar 2022 - RFC-Editor
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