Summary
The overwhelming consensus from email marketers, experts, and documentation suggests that it is best practice to use a subdomain for SAP with Marketing Cloud when the TLD is also used for corporate email. While technically possible to configure the TLD, doing so introduces complexity and potential conflicts with existing MX records and corporate email infrastructure. Subdomains allow for better separation of email streams, improved sender reputation management, and easier configuration of email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Isolating marketing activities from the core business domain enhances overall email deliverability and protects the brand's reputation.
Key findings
- Subdomain as Best Practice: A subdomain is widely recommended for SAP due to its ability to isolate email streams.
- Technical Feasibility of TLD: Configuring the TLD for sending *is* technically possible but requires a more complex setup.
- MX Record Conflicts: Using the TLD directly can cause conflicts with MX records needed for corporate email.
- Improved Deliverability: Isolating your marketing activities will improve deliverability
- Reputation Management: Subdomains make it easier to manage your reputation
Key considerations
- Assess Technical Expertise: Assess the technical expertise and resources available to configure and manage the more complex setup required for using the TLD.
- Evaluate Potential Risks: Carefully evaluate the potential risks and implications of using the TLD, particularly concerning email deliverability and sender reputation.
- Ensure Compliance with Best Practices: Prioritize compliance with industry best practices by properly configuring DNS records and separating email streams for optimal performance.
- Evaluate Current MX records: Evaluate your current MX records to ensure that the SAP settings won't impact this.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
While technically feasible, using a Top-Level Domain (TLD) for SAP (Sender Authentication Package) with Marketing Cloud when it's also used for corporate email is generally discouraged. The consensus among email marketers is that using a subdomain is the recommended best practice. This approach simplifies DNS record management, avoids potential conflicts with existing MX records for corporate email, protects the brand's overall email reputation, and allows for the establishment of a separate sender reputation for marketing campaigns.
Key opinions
- Subdomain Recommendation: Email marketers consistently recommend using a subdomain instead of the TLD for SAP due to various benefits.
- DNS Management: Using a subdomain simplifies the management of DNS records required for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
- MX Record Conflicts: Using the TLD can lead to conflicts with existing MX records used for corporate email, potentially disrupting email flow.
- Reputation Isolation: A subdomain allows for building a separate sender reputation for marketing emails, isolating it from the reputation of transactional or corporate emails.
- Deliverability Impact: Improper configuration when using the TLD can negatively impact email deliverability due to shared DNS records and reputation issues.
- Best Practice: Multiple industry resources and experts consider using a subdomain for SAP as a standard best practice for email marketing.
Key considerations
- Complexity Evaluation: Evaluate the complexity and potential risks associated with configuring a TLD for SAP, particularly concerning DNS management and potential conflicts.
- Deliverability Configuration: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, regardless of whether a TLD or subdomain is used, to ensure optimal email deliverability.
- Brand Reputation: Consider the potential impact on brand reputation if marketing campaigns sent from the TLD result in deliverability problems.
- Transactional Email Separation: Separate transactional emails from marketing emails to prevent one from impacting the others deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum advises against using a TLD for SAP when it's already in use for corporate email. They highlight potential deliverability issues due to shared DNS records and suggest a dedicated subdomain for SAP as a best practice.
26 Dec 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit mentions that while technically feasible, using a subdomain is generally cleaner and avoids potential conflicts with existing MX records for corporate email. They recommend evaluating the complexity and potential risks before proceeding with the TLD.
7 Jun 2022 - Reddit
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts offer differing perspectives on using a Top-Level Domain (TLD) for SAP (Sender Authentication Package) with Marketing Cloud when it's also used for corporate email. While one expert notes that configuration is *possible* through a complex setup involving subdomains and private domains to ensure DMARC compliance, others highlight potential MX record conflicts and advocate for the clearer separation and improved deliverability that subdomains provide. Separating marketing and corporate email is a key factor for success.
Key opinions
- Possible but Complex Configuration: Configuring the TLD for sending is *possible* in Marketing Cloud, but requires a specific setup with subdomains and private domains.
- Potential MX Record Conflicts: Using the TLD directly for SAP can lead to conflicts with existing MX records for corporate mail.
- Separation for Reputation Management: Using a subdomain allows for clearer separation and better management of reputation between marketing and corporate emails.
- Improved Deliverability: Keeping marketing email separate from the core business domain improves deliverability.
Key considerations
- Configuration Complexity: Evaluate the complexity of the required configuration and whether the benefits outweigh the effort and potential risks.
- DNS Management: Consider the implications for DNS management and potential conflicts with existing MX records.
- Reputation Management: Assess the importance of maintaining separate reputations for marketing and corporate emails.
- DMARC Compliance: Ensure proper DMARC compliance, especially if attempting to send directly from the TLD.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that using the TLD directly for SAP can cause conflicts with existing MX records for inbound corporate mail. Also Salesforce doesn’t host customised DNS.
30 Jun 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise states that keeping your email marketing separate from your core business domain will improve deliverability.
21 Nov 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Documentation sources lean heavily towards using a subdomain for SAP with Marketing Cloud when the TLD is also used for corporate email. Salesforce's documentation suggests a dedicated setup, implying a subdomain. Further, documentation details the process of subdomain delegation, MX record conflicts, and the use of subdomains for SPF and DMARC. Microsoft also encourages the use of subdomains to separate marketing activities.
Key findings
- Salesforce Suggests Dedicated Setup: Salesforce documentation implies that the TLD may require a dedicated setup and suggests a subdomain for clarity.
- Subdomain Delegation: Documentation from SparkPost and Microsoft show the importance of setting up subdomains.
- MX Record Conflicts: RFC documentation highlights the potential for conflicts with existing MX records on the TLD.
- SPF/DMARC Separation: DMARC.org recommends using a subdomain for marketing to properly configure SPF and maintain security.
- Microsoft Recommends Subdomains: Microsoft advises the use of subdomains and dedicated IPs to isolate marketing email traffic from corporate email.
Key considerations
- Assess MX Record Implications: Carefully assess how SAP configuration will affect existing MX records for the TLD.
- Prioritize Email Authentication: Ensure proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are in place, especially if using a subdomain.
- Understand Subdomain Delegation: Thoroughly understand the process of subdomain delegation to properly configure email sending.
- Review Salesforce Documentation: Refer to Salesforce's specific documentation to ensure compliance with their recommendations and requirements.
- Dedicated Setup: Review Microsofts documentation to ensure compliance with their recommendations and requirements.
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Help explains that SAP involves branding your account with your domain. Although it doesn't explicitly prohibit using the TLD, it implies a dedicated setup for sending, suggesting a subdomain for clarity and to avoid email delivery issues with corporate email.
10 May 2024 - Salesforce Help
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains how to setup sending domains. They encourage the use of subdomains and dedicated IP addresses to seperate the corporate domain from marketing activities.
21 Sep 2023 - Microsoft
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