Summary
Changing a domain impacts email deliverability due to factors like loss of sender reputation, authentication failures, and potential impersonation warnings from email providers. To prevent issues like Gmail warnings, it's crucial to update DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM) immediately, warm up the new domain gradually by sending to engaged subscribers, monitor DMARC reports and blocklists, maintain consistent sender identity, and ensure a clean IP address reputation. Proper list hygiene and redirection from the old domain are also essential.
Key findings
- Authentication Critical: Correct SPF, DKIM, and MX records are essential for deliverability.
- Reputation Impact: Domain changes negatively impact sender reputation if not managed properly.
- Gmail Warnings Trigger: Incomplete authentication and domain similarity to impersonated domains cause warnings.
- Warming Essential: Gradually warming up a new domain improves deliverability.
- DMARC Monitoring Needed: Regular DMARC report monitoring is important for identifying and addressing authentication issues.
- IP Reputation Matters: A clean IP address reputation is necessary.
- List Hygiene Best Practice: Removing unengaged subscribers improves reputation and deliverability.
- Consistent Sender Identity: Maintain brand consistency in all sender information to build trust.
- Blocklist Monitoring Imperative: Constant monitoring is needed to ensure that your domain or IPs aren't on blocklists.
- Redirect old domain: Redirect from the old domain is needed as its reputation continues to impact
Key considerations
- Immediate Authentication Fixes: Immediately correct all DNS records for SPF, DKIM, and MX.
- Gradual Warm-Up Strategy: Begin with highly engaged subscribers.
- Proactive DMARC Reporting: Set up DMARC reporting and analysis.
- Clean IP address usage: Switch to a dedicated IP with a good history or clean up the existing one before migrating.
- Brand Consistency Enforcement: Maintain Consistent ‘From’ addresses.
- Blocklist Mitigation Preparation: Continuously monitor and act on any listings.
- Complete Exchange online setup: Add a new accepted domain for exchange online users.
- Hygiene Focus: Clean up the list so engaged subscribers respond better
- Monitor both domains: Ensure the new domain is working as expected and the old one is not damaging reputation
- Have consistent sending and reply-to address: Ensure the identity is easy to identify and matches the new domain and branding.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Changing a domain significantly impacts email deliverability. Several factors contribute to this, including the loss of established sender reputation, authentication issues, and potential impersonation warnings from email providers like Gmail. To mitigate these risks, a multi-faceted approach is essential. This includes properly configuring domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), warming up the new domain by gradually increasing email volume, monitoring DMARC reports and blocklists, maintaining good list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers, and ensuring a consistent sender identity. Additionally, the IP address reputation must be managed carefully, and redirects from the old domain should be implemented to prevent negative impacts from its past reputation.
Key opinions
- Authentication: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for the new domain to authenticate your emails.
- Sender Reputation: Domain changes can negatively impact sender reputation, leading to deliverability issues.
- Gmail Warnings: Gmail may issue warnings if the new domain fails authentication or resembles previous impersonation attempts.
- Warming Up: Gradually warm up the new domain by sending emails to engaged subscribers first.
- DMARC Monitoring: Actively monitor DMARC reports to identify and address authentication failures and unauthorized senders.
- List Hygiene: Maintain good list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers to improve deliverability.
- Old Domain: The reputation of the old domain can still impact deliverability; ensure proper redirection.
- Blocklist Monitoring: Check if the new domain or IP addresses appear on any blocklists.
Key considerations
- Authentication Setup: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and validated before sending any emails.
- Reputation Management: Monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and address any issues promptly.
- Gradual Warm-Up: Implement a gradual warm-up strategy to build trust with ISPs and avoid being flagged as spam.
- List Segmentation: Segment your email list and send to your most engaged subscribers first during the warm-up phase.
- DMARC Reporting: Set up DMARC reporting and regularly review reports to identify potential security or configuration issues.
- IP Reputation: Consider the IP address reputation associated with the new domain and take steps to improve it if necessary.
- Blocklist Awareness: Proactively monitor blocklists and take immediate action if your domain or IP is listed.
- Consistent Sender Identity: Maintain a consistent 'From' address and sender identity to avoid confusion and build trust.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid shares that changing domains can negatively impact your sender reputation, especially if the new domain is not properly warmed up. They recommend gradually increasing email volume to the new domain and monitoring deliverability metrics closely. Additionally, ensure you have proper authentication in place (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to maintain your sender reputation.
4 Apr 2022 - SendGrid
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) is essential for maintaining email deliverability during a domain change. Ensure these records are properly configured for the new domain to verify that your emails are legitimately sent from your domain. They also suggest monitoring DMARC reports to identify and address any authentication issues.
31 Jul 2021 - Mailchimp
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
When changing domains for email sending, several key areas need attention to ensure deliverability and avoid issues like Gmail warnings. The immediate priority is to align DKIM and SPF records for the new domain to ensure email authentication passes. Maintaining a consistent sender identity, including 'From' and reply-to addresses, is also critical for building trust and avoiding spam flags. Finally, your IP address reputation plays a significant role; a clean IP is easier to warm up, so monitoring and maintaining its reputation, or using a dedicated IP with a good history, is important before and after the domain migration.
Key opinions
- Authentication: DKIM and SPF alignment on the new domain is critical for immediate resolution of email authentication issues.
- Sender Identity: Consistent sender identity helps build trust and avoids spam flags.
- IP Reputation: A clean IP address simplifies the domain warm-up process and enhances deliverability.
Key considerations
- Immediate Fixes: Promptly correct any DKIM temperror or neutral SPF results by aligning domain authentication.
- Brand Consistency: Ensure 'From' and reply-to addresses accurately represent your brand and remain consistent.
- IP Strategy: Monitor and maintain IP reputation, potentially switching to a dedicated IP with a good history if needed.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks responds to a DKIM temperror and neutral SPF result by stating that Lori needs to fix ASAP. They should get the domains aligned with DKIM and SPF as soon as possible.
25 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that during a domain migration, your IP address reputation plays a crucial role in deliverability. A clean IP address is easier to warm up, so it's important to monitor and maintain your IP reputation before, during, and after the domain change. If your IP has a poor reputation, consider using a dedicated IP with a good history or working to improve the existing one before migrating your email sending.
21 Feb 2025 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Changing a domain requires comprehensive updates to DNS records and email configurations to maintain deliverability. Google Workspace, RFC specifications, Microsoft Exchange Online, and DKIM.org emphasize the importance of updating MX, SPF, and DKIM records to reflect the new domain. Failure to do so can result in emails being marked as spam, rejected by recipient servers, or failing delivery entirely.
Key findings
- MX Record Update: MX records must be updated to point to the new domain for proper email routing.
- SPF Record Update: SPF records must be updated to authorize sending sources for the new domain and prevent rejections.
- DKIM Configuration: A new DKIM key pair must be generated for the new domain, and DNS records updated with the public key to ensure proper signing.
- Exchange Online Domain Addition: For Exchange Online users, the new domain must be added as an accepted domain for email functionality.
Key considerations
- Record Accuracy: Ensure all DNS records are accurately updated and propagated to prevent immediate delivery failures.
- Complete SPF Authorization: Verify that the SPF record includes all authorized sending sources for the new domain.
- Proper DKIM Key Rollover: Generate a new DKIM key and properly configure sending servers to sign emails with the new key.
- Exchange Online Verification: Add the new domain as an accepted domain in Exchange Online to ensure seamless email routing.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that after a domain change, the SPF records must be updated to accurately reflect the sending sources authorized to send email on behalf of the new domain. SPF records that are not updated may cause legitimate emails to be rejected by recipient mail servers.
14 Jul 2021 - RFC Editor
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that when you change your domain, you need to update your MX records, SPF records, and DKIM records to point to the new domain. This ensures that email is delivered correctly. Failure to update these records can cause email deliverability issues, including emails being marked as spam or not being delivered at all.
19 Mar 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help
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