Summary
Setting up a subdomain for email sending with Klaviyo involves a multi-faceted approach to ensure email deliverability, protect domain reputation, and maintain compliance with email authentication standards. The process typically starts with configuring DNS records (CNAME, MX, TXT) with your DNS provider, often guided by Klaviyo's authentication wizard. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for authenticating your subdomain and preventing email spoofing. A separate subdomain for marketing emails helps protect the primary domain's reputation. Warming up a dedicated IP address gradually, monitoring deliverability metrics (bounce rates, spam complaints, inbox placement), and regularly cleaning your email list are crucial for maintaining a positive sending reputation. Feedback loops with ISPs allow for identifying and removing subscribers who mark emails as spam. PTR records enhance deliverability through reverse DNS lookup. Consistently sending high-quality content and addressing deliverability issues promptly further improve domain reputation.
Key findings
- DNS Configuration: Setting up a subdomain involves adding specific DNS records (CNAME, MX, TXT) provided by Klaviyo to your DNS settings.
- SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for authenticating your subdomain and ensuring deliverability.
- Subdomain Reputation: Using a separate subdomain protects the primary domain's reputation by isolating marketing emails.
- IP Warm-up: Gradually increasing email volume over time is essential for warming up a dedicated IP address and establishing a positive sending reputation.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Monitoring deliverability metrics such as bounce rates, spam complaints, and inbox placement is crucial for maintaining a good sending reputation.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning your email list to remove invalid, inactive, and spam trap addresses is vital for improving deliverability.
- Feedback Loops: Registering for feedback loops with ISPs helps identify and remove subscribers who mark emails as spam.
Key considerations
- ESP Guidance: Rely on Klaviyo's authentication wizard and guidance for the subdomain setup process.
- A Records and PTR: Consider setting up an A record and PTR record for your dedicated IP to support custom branded PTR (rDNS).
- Authentication Details: Ensure proper authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prevent emails from being marked as spam.
- Content Relevance: Send high-quality, relevant content to engaged subscribers to improve domain reputation.
- Sender Score: Regularly check your sender score using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Sender Score to identify and address deliverability issues.
- PTR Record Setup: Setting up a PTR record may require coordination with your hosting provider or ISP.
- DMARC Policy: Determine the appropriate DMARC policy (none, quarantine, reject) based on your risk tolerance and email strategy.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Setting up a subdomain for email sending with Klaviyo involves several key steps to ensure proper authentication, improve deliverability, and protect your domain reputation. It begins with the creation of a subdomain in your DNS settings and the addition of DNS records (CNAME and TXT) provided by Klaviyo. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are crucial for authenticating your subdomain, separating marketing emails from transactional emails, and protecting your main domain's reputation. Warming up your IP address by gradually increasing email volume, monitoring deliverability metrics (bounce rates, spam complaints, inbox placement), and regularly cleaning your email list are essential for maintaining a positive sending reputation.
Key opinions
- DNS Configuration: Setting up a subdomain requires adding CNAME and TXT records provided by Klaviyo to your DNS settings to authenticate your emails.
- SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for authenticating your subdomain, preventing email spoofing, and ensuring deliverability.
- Reputation Protection: Using a subdomain helps separate marketing emails from transactional emails, protecting your main domain's reputation.
- IP Warm-up: Gradually increasing the volume of emails you send over time helps establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Monitoring metrics such as bounce rates, spam complaints, and inbox placement rates provides insights into your sending reputation and deliverability.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning your email list by removing invalid and inactive addresses is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Synthetic Subdomain: You may not need to create a traditional subdomain but rather set it up synthetically through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
- CNAME Records: Klaviyo uses CNAME records to manage SPF, DKIM, and custom link branding.
- A Records: You might need to set up an A record to support a custom branded PTR (rDNS) for your dedicated IP.
- Authentication Wizard: Klaviyo's sending domain authentication wizard guides you through the necessary steps, including CNAME setup with SSL.
- ESP Guidance: Your Email Service Provider (ESP) should provide specific instructions for setting up the subdomain and delegating authority.
- DMARC Policy: Setting the DMARC policy to 'none', 'quarantine', or 'reject' depends on your risk tolerance and email strategy.
- Sender Score: Regularly check your sender score using tools like Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address any deliverability issues.
- Content Quality: Consistently send high-quality, relevant content to engaged subscribers to improve your domain reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Gmass explains that to check your sender score you should use tools like Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools. These tools help to determine if your emails are likely to be marked as spam and to maintain good sending practices.
24 Mar 2023 - Gmass Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that setting up DKIM involves generating a DKIM key pair in Klaviyo, adding the public key as a TXT record in your DNS settings, and then enabling DKIM signing in Klaviyo. This ensures that your emails are digitally signed and verified by receiving mail servers.
18 Aug 2021 - Stack Overflow
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Setting up a subdomain for email sending with Klaviyo involves several crucial steps to protect your domain reputation and ensure email deliverability. Experts emphasize the importance of using a separate subdomain for marketing emails and ensuring it's properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Additionally, using a dedicated IP address and warming it up gradually is recommended for establishing a positive sending reputation. ESPs often provide guides and handle parts of the setup, but proper authentication is always critical to avoid emails being flagged as spam.
Key opinions
- Subdomain Separation: Using a separate subdomain for marketing emails protects the primary domain's reputation.
- Authentication is Key: Proper authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for subdomain email sending.
- Dedicated IP Benefits: A dedicated IP address helps establish a positive sending reputation.
- Warm-Up Process: Gradually increasing sending volume over time is important for warming up a dedicated IP address.
- ESP Guidance: ESPs like Klaviyo often provide guides and assistance in setting up subdomains.
Key considerations
- ESP Setup Assistance: Rely on your ESP's (e.g., Klaviyo's) guidance, as they often handle significant parts of the subdomain setup process.
- Authentication Protocols: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured for the subdomain to prevent emails from being marked as spam.
- DMARC Policy: Consider implementing a DMARC policy (quarantine or reject) to further protect your domain from phishing attacks and improve deliverability.
- IP Warm-Up Patience: Take the time to warm up your dedicated IP gradually to build a good sending reputation with ISPs.
- Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sending reputation and deliverability metrics to identify and address any potential issues.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise recommends implementing DMARC to safeguard your domain reputation and protect recipients from email phishing attacks. Setting up DMARC with a policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject' can help improve deliverability and security.
29 Aug 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that using a separate subdomain for marketing emails can help protect your primary domain's reputation. Ensure the subdomain is properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
27 Nov 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Setting up a subdomain for email sending with Klaviyo, according to various documentation sources, involves configuring specific DNS records with your DNS provider. This process includes adding CNAME, MX, and TXT records to authenticate your email sending and improve deliverability. Configuring SPF records is crucial to specify authorized mail servers, while registering for feedback loops allows you to manage complaints from ISPs. Additionally, setting up a PTR record enhances deliverability by verifying your identity through reverse DNS lookup.
Key findings
- DNS Configuration: Connecting a sending domain requires configuring DNS records (CNAME, MX, TXT) with your DNS provider.
- SPF Record: Setting up an SPF record involves including Klaviyo's SPF record in your DNS settings to authorize mail servers.
- Feedback Loops (FBLs): Registering for FBLs with major ISPs allows you to identify and remove subscribers marking your emails as spam.
- PTR Record: Setting up a PTR record for your sending IP address enhances deliverability through reverse DNS lookup.
Key considerations
- DNS Provider Access: You need access to your DNS provider's account to add and modify DNS records.
- Klaviyo's DNS Values: Ensure you use the correct values for CNAME, MX, and TXT records provided by Klaviyo.
- SPF Authorization: Properly configuring SPF ensures only authorized mail servers can send emails on behalf of your domain.
- ISPs Feedback Loop: Regularly monitor and act on feedback received through feedback loops to maintain a clean email list.
- PTR Configuration: Setting up a PTR record requires coordination with your hosting provider or ISP to ensure correct reverse DNS resolution.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that feedback loops (FBLs) are a mechanism by which ISPs forward complaints from their users back to the sender. Registering for FBLs with major ISPs allows you to identify and remove subscribers who are marking your emails as spam.
1 Sep 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Cloudflare Support explains that adding DNS records involves logging into your Cloudflare account, selecting your domain, navigating to the DNS settings, and then adding the required records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT) with the values provided by Klaviyo to point the subdomain to Klaviyo's servers for email sending.
29 Jul 2022 - Cloudflare Support
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How do I troubleshoot DMARC, SPF, and DKIM setup issues in Klaviyo?
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