Summary
When changing email subdomains, it's generally recommended to alter the 5321.MailFrom (envelope sender) rather than the 5322.From (display sender) header to preserve deliverability. The 5322.From is vital for recipient recognition, brand consistency, and maintaining a positive sender reputation. DKIM alignment plays a pivotal role; if aligned with the 5322.From domain, changes to the 5321.MailFrom are less detrimental. Strong email authentication practices (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are crucial. Consider factors such as brand recognition, email authentication and DMARC compliance. Monitor metrics, warm up new subdomains, and stick to one verified domain if you get lost!
Key findings
- 5322.From Importance: The 5322.From impacts recipient recognition, brand reputation, and whitelisting.
- DKIM Alignment Effect: DKIM alignment with the 5322.From mitigates deliverability issues when altering the 5321.MailFrom.
- Authentication Crucial: Strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for maintaining deliverability during changes.
- Reputation Tied to Subdomain: Consistent use of a subdomain helps build a positive sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Maintain Brand Recognition: Avoid changing the 5322.From unless necessary to minimize disruption.
- Ensure Proper DKIM Configuration: Check and adjust DKIM settings to maintain DMARC alignment during subdomain changes.
- Implement Subdomain Warmup: Gradually warm up new subdomains to establish a positive reputation.
- Continuously Monitor Metrics: Track deliverability metrics (e.g., bounce rates, complaint rates) to identify and address issues.
- DMARC Compliance is Required: Verify DMARC compliance to ensure messages pass authentication checks.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
When changing subdomains for email sending, it's generally better to change the 5321.MailFrom (envelope sender) header rather than the 5322.From (visible sender) header. The 5322.From is often tied to brand recognition and recipient whitelisting, impacting sender reputation if changed. DKIM alignment is crucial; if DKIM is aligned with the 5322.From domain, changing the 5321.MailFrom is less risky. Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is paramount for maintaining deliverability during any subdomain changes. Before making changes, ensure you have a solid plan for subdomain warmup and continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics.
Key opinions
- 5322.From Importance: The 5322.From header is crucial for brand recognition and can impact recipient whitelisting, so changing it can harm deliverability.
- DKIM Alignment: DKIM alignment is key. If DKIM aligns with the 5322.From, changing the 5321.MailFrom is less risky.
- Reputation Impact: Changing either subdomain can impact sender reputation; the 5322.From has a greater impact.
- Authentication is Key: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for maintaining deliverability during subdomain changes.
Key considerations
- Brand Recognition: Consider the impact on brand recognition if changing the 5322.From subdomain.
- DKIM Configuration: Ensure DKIM is properly configured and aligned with the domain you intend to use.
- Warming Up: If changing subdomains, implement a subdomain warmup strategy to build a positive sending reputation.
- Monitoring Metrics: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates and complaint rates, after making changes.
- DMARC Compliance: Ensure your changes don't cause DMARC failures, which can significantly impact deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit explains that if you have to change a subdomain, prioritize keeping the 5322.From consistent because that is what recipients see and remember. Changing the 5321.MailFrom is less disruptive, especially if DKIM is aligned. Ensure your DKIM signatures are properly configured to authenticate the emails from the new subdomain.
17 Oct 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus advises that changing the 5322.From subdomain impacts brand recognition, and can therefore harm deliverability if recipients don't recognize the new subdomain. So you should avoid this if possible. However, it depends on your specific sending infrastructure and authentication setup.
13 Mar 2022 - Litmus
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
When changing subdomains, maintaining a consistent 5322.from header is crucial to avoid losing personal whitelisting and negatively impacting sender reputation. Monitoring metrics like complaint rates and ensuring DMARC alignment are essential for deliverability. If a subdomain has a poor reputation, switching entirely and warming up a new one might be the best strategy.
Key opinions
- Whitelisting Impact: Changing the 5322.from header can result in a loss of personal whitelisting, affecting deliverability.
- Reputation Management: Consistently using a subdomain builds a positive reputation, while poor reputation may require switching to a new one.
- DMARC Alignment: Proper DMARC alignment, where the domain in the 'From' header matches the DKIM signing domain, is crucial for deliverability.
Key considerations
- Monitoring Metrics: Monitor metrics like complaint rates when changing subdomains to ensure deliverability is not negatively impacted.
- Subdomain Warmup: If switching to a new subdomain, warm it up properly to establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
- DKIM Configuration: Review and adjust DKIM configurations to maintain proper DMARC alignment when making subdomain changes.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains it's best to avoid changing the 5322.from header if possible, as you lose personal whitelisting.
9 Jan 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource.com states that DMARC leverages both SPF and DKIM to validate the authenticity of email messages. DKIM provides a cryptographic signature that can verify the email's origin and content integrity, regardless of forwarding. Proper DMARC alignment, where the domain in the 'From' header matches the DKIM signing domain, is essential for passing DMARC checks and improving deliverability. Therefore, changing a subdomain might affect DMARC compliance, depending on your DKIM configuration.
26 Dec 2021 - Spamresource.com
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
RFC 5322 identifies the 'From:' field (5322.From) as the author's identity, implying changes can affect recipient recognition. DMARC.org and Google Postmaster Tools emphasize the critical role of DKIM alignment for deliverability. Changing subdomains in either the 5321.MailFrom or 5322.From impacts DMARC alignment if DKIM signatures are misconfigured. Google specifically highlights that misalignment of DKIM after a 5322.From change can lead to emails being flagged as suspicious.
Key findings
- From Header Significance: RFC 5322 defines the 5322.From as the author's identity, and changes can impact recipient recognition.
- DKIM Alignment Importance: DMARC.org underscores that strong DKIM alignment improves deliverability.
- Google's Stance: Google Postmaster Tools warns that changing the 5322.From without proper DKIM alignment can lead to emails being treated suspiciously.
Key considerations
- Recipient Recognition: Be mindful of how changes to the 5322.From might affect recipient recognition of the sender.
- DKIM Configuration: Ensure DKIM signatures are correctly configured to maintain DMARC alignment during subdomain changes.
- Authentication Consistency: Maintain consistent authentication practices for improved trust with mailbox providers like Gmail.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC 5322 specifies that the 'From:' field contains the identity(ies) of the author(s) of the message, indicating who is responsible for the message. Changing this could impact recipient recognition.
9 Nov 2024 - RFC 5322
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org highlights the importance of DKIM alignment. Strong alignment, where the domain used to sign the message matches the domain in the From header, improves deliverability. Changing subdomains in either the 5321.MailFrom (envelope sender) or 5322.From header will affect DMARC alignment if DKIM signatures aren't configured correctly.
13 Jan 2022 - DMARC.org
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