How long does it take to warm up a new dedicated sending domain?

The duration varies depending on the volume you plan to send and the engagement you generate. Generally, it can take anywhere from two weeks to 8-12 weeks for higher volumes. Consistency and positive engagement are key factors in speeding up the process.

What metrics are most important to monitor during domain warming?

You should closely monitor your open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaint rates. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools are invaluable for gaining insight into your domain's reputation with major ISPs.

Can a welcome series alone be sufficient to warm up my domain?

Yes, a welcome series is an excellent starting point because it targets highly engaged subscribers who expect your emails. This helps generate the positive interactions necessary for building a good sender reputation. However, for very high volumes, you may need to gradually introduce other email flows as part of your warm-up strategy.

What should I do if my emails land in spam during the warm-up phase?

If your emails start going to spam, immediately reduce your sending volume. Review your email content for anything that might trigger spam filters and ensure your list segmentation is targeting your most engaged subscribers. Check for any blocklist (blacklist) listings as well.

Is IP warming different from domain warming?

Yes, IP warming focuses on building a reputation for the IP address your emails are sent from, while domain warming builds a reputation for your sending domain. Both are crucial for deliverability, but with a new dedicated sending domain, the emphasis shifts more heavily to establishing the domain's reputation.

How do you warm up a new dedicated sending domain for automated email flows with a welcome series? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

Moving your email flows, especially critical ones like a welcome series, to a new dedicated sending domain is a significant step towards better email deliverability and brand control. It signals to inbox providers that your brand is serious about its email sending practices. However, simply switching domains is not enough. A new domain lacks any established reputation, meaning internet service providers (ISPs) will view its mail with suspicion.

This is where domain warming comes into play. It's a crucial process that systematically introduces your new domain to ISPs by gradually increasing your email sending volume while maintaining high levels of positive engagement. The goal is to build a solid sender reputation over time, ensuring your automated welcome emails land in the inbox, not the spam folder.

Automated flows, particularly welcome series, are ideal for this purpose because they typically target highly engaged subscribers who have just opted in. This makes them perfect for generating the positive interactions necessary to establish trust with ISPs. Failing to properly warm up can lead to immediate deliverability issues, including emails being sent to spam or even being blocklisted (blacklisted).

The foundation of domain reputation

When you use a new dedicated sending domain, ISPs like

Gmail and

Outlook have no history with your domain. This means you start with a neutral, or even slightly negative, reputation. Unlike shared domains where reputation is aggregated, a dedicated domain requires you to build your own from scratch. This is why a proper domain warming process is non-negotiable.

The core principle is to send small volumes of email to highly engaged recipients, gradually increasing the volume over several weeks. This steady, positive interaction helps ISPs learn that your domain sends legitimate and desired mail. Conversely, sending too much too soon, or sending to unengaged lists, can quickly damage your sender reputation, making it difficult to reach the inbox later on.

Remember, the goal is not just to send emails, but to send emails that get opened, clicked, and not marked as spam. Consistent positive engagement is the strongest signal you can send to ISPs. This will help your domain reputationto quickly improve.

Core warm-up principles

Start small: Begin with very low volumes of email, increasing gradually.
Send to engaged lists: Prioritize recipients who are most likely to open and click.
Monitor closely: Keep an eye on deliverability metrics and adjust if needed.
Be patient: Domain warming can take several weeks, or even months for high volumes.

Strategic use of automated flows

Your welcome series is an invaluable asset for warming up a new dedicated sending domain. These automated emails are triggered by a new subscriber's action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. This means the recipients are highly engaged and expecting to hear from you, making them ideal for initial warm-up sends. Focus on sending your welcome flow to your most active and recently engaged subscribers first.

To maximize engagement during this phase, ensure your welcome series content is compelling and provides clear value. Encourage opens and clicks by asking subscribers to add your email address to their contacts, confirming their subscription, or offering an exclusive discount. Keep the content concise and to the point, making it easy for recipients to quickly engage with your emails.

Starting with your highest engagement workflows and gradually adding others is a proven strategy. This phased approach helps maintain strong positive signals to ISPs. If you are migrating from a shared sending domain (e.g., like klaviyo.com), you'll be building a new sending reputation, so a temporary increase in spam placement might occur while filters adjust.

Good warm-up practices

Send to active subscribers: Prioritize users who have recently opened or clicked your emails.
High engagement content: Craft emails that encourage opens, clicks, and replies.
Monitor performance: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools to track domain health.
Gradual ramp-up: Increase volume slowly over weeks, not days.

Pitfalls to avoid

Sudden volume spikes: Avoid sending large volumes from day one.
Unengaged lists: Sending to dormant subscribers can lead to spam complaints.
Ignoring metrics: High bounce or complaint rates are red flags.
Inconsistent sending: Sporadic sending patterns can negatively affect reputation.

Implementing your warm-up schedule

A typical warm-up schedule involves increasing your daily sending volume by a small percentage, often 10-20%, every few days. For automated flows like a welcome series that might send 7-9k emails on weekdays, you might start with a much smaller daily volume (e.g., 500-1000) for the first week, then slowly ramp up. The entire process can take anywhere from two weeks to 45 days or more, depending on your target volume and deliverability performance.

While your email service provider (ESP) should guide you, it's beneficial to understand the process. Many ESPs can implement throttling on their backend to pace your sending volume if it can't be done directly through the user interface. For more general guidance on warming, resources like the OneSignal email warm-up guide provide useful insights.

Consistency is paramount. Avoid skipping days or making drastic jumps in volume. A smooth, predictable sending pattern is what ISPs prefer. Remember that if you have an existing deliverability issue on your old domain, simply switching to a dedicated domain will not magically fix it. You might also want to read about warming a new domain on an existing warmed IP address.

Example daily sending volume ramp-up

Day 1-3: 500 emails/day
Day 4-6: 1,000 emails/day
Day 7-9: 2,000 emails/day
Day 10-14: 4,000 emails/day
Week 3-4: 8,000 emails/day
Week 5+: Gradually increase to full volume

Week	Daily volume	Notes
1	200-500	Send to most engaged subscribers.
2	500-1,000	Monitor spam rates. Add slightly less engaged segments.
3-4	1,000-2,500	Gradually introduce more segments. Maintain engagement.
5+	Gradual increase to target volume.	Continue monitoring blocklists.

Ongoing monitoring and maintenance

Continuous monitoring is essential throughout the warm-up process and beyond. Keep a close eye on your deliverability metrics, including open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaint rates. Spikes in bounces or complaints are strong indicators that you need to slow down your sending volume or refine your audience segmentation. If your emails start landing in spam, pause your ramp-up and investigate the cause.

Also, ensure your email authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured for your new dedicated domain. These records prove to ISPs that your emails are legitimate and prevent spoofing. Properly configured authentication is a fundamental aspect of good deliverability and can prevent your domain from being put on a blocklist (blacklist).

Common warming pitfalls

Sending to unengaged segments: This is the quickest way to accumulate spam complaints and damage your reputation.
Ignoring soft bounces: While not as severe as hard bounces, consistent soft bounces can indicate underlying issues.
Not monitoring blocklists (blacklists): Regular checks on a blocklist checker are critical to catch listing early.
Poor content quality: Emails with spammy language or irrelevant content will lead to low engagement and complaints.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Start domain warming by sending to your most engaged audience segments.

Use your welcome series as the primary tool for initial warm-up volumes.

Gradually increase your sending volume, typically by 10-20% every few days.

Common pitfalls

Sending too many emails too quickly from a new dedicated domain.

Sending to unengaged or inactive segments of your email list during the warm-up period.

Ignoring early warning signs like increased bounce rates or spam complaints.

Expert tips

If moving from a shared domain, understand that you're building a new reputation, so expect temporary spam folder placement.

Throttling email volume on the backend can help pace sends if not possible in the UI.

Consider extending the warm-up period beyond initial recommendations for high-volume sends.

Marketer view

A marketer from Email Geeks says they moved from a shared Klaviyo domain to a dedicated one and hoped to improve deliverability, especially on Gmail.

2022-03-08 - Email Geeks

Expert view

An expert from Email Geeks noted that 7-9k emails per week is a tiny volume and likely wouldn't require special planning beyond what their ESP (Klaviyo) recommended.

2022-03-08 - Email Geeks

Final thoughts on warming your sending domain

Warming up a new dedicated sending domain for automated email flows, especially your welcome series, is a fundamental step toward achieving excellent email deliverability. It requires patience, careful planning, and consistent monitoring of your sending metrics. By starting with small volumes to your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing your reach, you build trust with ISPs and establish a strong sender reputation.

Embrace the process, leverage your welcome series as your primary warm-up tool, and pay close attention to deliverability signals. By doing so, you'll ensure your important automated emails consistently reach the inboxes of your audience, fostering positive relationships and driving better engagement for your brand.