Why is notifying subscribers important if only the 'From' address changes?

Notifying subscribers is important because changing the 'From' address, especially the domain or subdomain, can trigger spam filters and cause subscribers to not recognize your emails. This can lead to your messages being marked as spam or ignored, negatively impacting your overall email deliverability . Proactive communication helps maintain trust and encourages them to whitelist your new address.

Will changing my 'From' address always affect my email deliverability?

Yes, changing your 'From' address, particularly the sending domain, will almost certainly affect your email deliverability initially. Mailbox providers see a new domain as a new sender, requiring you to build a new sender reputation from scratch. This is a common deliverability concern during ESP migration .

What should I include in the notification email about the 'From' address change?

Your notification email should be concise. Clearly state that your 'From' address is changing (e.g., from old@domain.com to new@domain.com) and briefly explain why, such as for improved service or branding. Most importantly, include a clear call to action asking subscribers to add the new 'From' address to their safe sender list or contacts. This helps comply with new sender requirements from providers like Microsoft .

Should I warm up my new sending domain even if I notify subscribers?

Yes, even if you notify subscribers, you still need to warm up your new sending domain or IP address. Notification helps with subscriber trust, but IP warming is necessary to establish a positive reputation with mailbox providers. Gradually increasing your sending volume from the new setup is crucial for long-term deliverability.

What if I don't notify subscribers about the 'From' address change?

If you do not notify subscribers about a 'From' address change, you risk lower open rates, increased spam complaints, and a higher chance of your emails landing in the spam folder. Subscribers may not recognize your brand, leading to a negative impact on your domain's sender reputation and potentially causing your domain to be put on a blacklist (or blocklist).

Should I notify subscribers before changing 'From' address during ESP migration? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

When migrating to a new Email Service Provider (ESP), one of the key decisions involves whether to change your 'From' address. This isn't just a simple aesthetic tweak, it's a change that can significantly impact your email deliverability and how your subscribers perceive your communications.

Your 'From' address is a primary identifier for your brand in the inbox. It's how recipients recognize you and decide whether to open your emails. If this changes, particularly the domain, it can trigger spam filters and confuse your subscribers, potentially leading to lower engagement and higher complaint rates.

The question of notifying your subscribers before such a change is critical. It involves balancing the technical demands of a smooth migration with the need to maintain trust and deliverability.

The impact of changing 'From' addresses

Changing your 'From' address, especially the underlying domain or subdomain, has a profound impact on your email program. Mailbox providers rely heavily on consistency to build a sender's reputation. A new sending domain is seen as a new sender, meaning you'll need to establish trust from scratch.

This can lead to emails landing in the spam folder even for highly engaged subscribers. It can also affect your brand recognition, as recipients may not immediately recognize the new address, potentially marking your emails as spam or simply deleting them without opening. Understanding how your email domain reputation is built is key to mitigating these risks.

The deliverability concerns when using different 'From' addresses can range from increased spam complaints to decreased open rates, and even being put on a blocklist. Your sender reputation is tied closely to your sending domain and IP. If you change these, you're essentially starting fresh in the eyes of mailbox providers. This new identity needs a proper warm-up process to build a new positive sending history.

Maintaining the same 'From' address

Consistency: Subscribers continue to recognize your emails, fostering trust and familiarity.
Deliverability: Existing sender reputation on the domain remains intact, leading to more reliable inbox placement.
Simplicity: Fewer changes for your subscribers to adapt to, reducing potential confusion or spam complaints.

Changing the 'From' address

Branding: Opportunity to align your 'From' address more closely with your core brand identity.
Reputation Reset: A new domain requires a new sender reputation, potentially leading to initial deliverability challenges. This is why a sending subdomain change impacts deliverability.
Subscriber Adaptation: Subscribers might need to be re-educated to recognize the new address.

When notification is crucial

If you're changing your 'From' address, especially if it involves a new sending domain or subdomain, notifying your existing subscribers is not just a good idea, it's often essential. This is particularly true if the change is significant, moving from an old domain to a completely new one.

By giving your subscribers a heads-up, you can proactively manage their expectations and reduce the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam. An unexpected change can lead to confusion and a drop in engagement. Many email experts recommend this, especially if visible changes like sender names or email addresses occur.

A crucial step in this notification is asking subscribers to add your new 'From' address to their address book or whitelist. This simple action can bypass many spam filters and directly signal to mailbox providers that your emails are desired, giving your new sending domain a crucial early boost in its reputation. Letting contacts know about the switch is a strong deliverability best practice.

Key considerations for your notification

Timing: Send the notification from your old, established ESP and 'From' address. This ensures high deliverability for this critical message.
Clarity: Clearly state that your 'From' address is changing and explain why, briefly.
Call to action: Explicitly ask subscribers to add your new 'From' address to their safe sender list or contacts.

Strategies for a smooth transition

Even with notification, a methodical approach to ESP migration is vital. One of the most important steps is warming up your new sending infrastructure, whether it's a new IP address or a new sending domain. This involves gradually increasing your sending volume over time to build a positive reputation with internet service providers (ISPs). This process is essential for warming up email sending when moving to a new ESP, even with shared IPs.

Another critical strategy is to clean your email list before migrating. Sending to unengaged or invalid addresses from a new setup can severely harm your nascent reputation. Remove any known spam traps, unengaged subscribers, or bounced addresses. This ensures that your initial sends from the new ESP are to your most active and valuable contacts, which helps build a stronger sender reputation. For more on this, consider if you should mail unengaged users during a migration.

Ensure all necessary DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured for your new sending domain on the new ESP. This authentication is crucial for email security and deliverability, telling mailbox providers that you are a legitimate sender. Misconfigurations can lead to emails being rejected or sent to spam folders. Regularly checking your blocklist (or blacklist) status can also help identify potential issues early.

Aspect	Old setup	New setup
From Address	mail@notcuttsprivilegeclub.co.uk	email@marketing.notcutts.co.uk
Sending Domain	notcuttsprivilegeclub.co.uk	marketing.notcutts.co.uk
Associated ESP	Old ESP	New ESP

What to communicate

When crafting your notification email, simplicity and directness are key. The goal is to inform your subscribers without causing alarm or confusion. Start by clearly stating that you are updating your email system and that your 'From' address will change. Avoid overly technical jargon.

Explain briefly, and positively, why the change is happening, for example, to improve your service or branding. Reassure them that the content and frequency of your emails will remain consistent. Emphasize that this change is intended to improve their experience. This helps maintain the trust and engagement that are crucial for improving email deliverability.

The most important element of the notification is a clear call to action asking them to add your new 'From' address to their safe sender list or contacts. Provide simple, step-by-step instructions if possible. This proactive measure can significantly mitigate initial deliverability challenges and help your emails reach the inbox consistently.

Sample notification message points

Subject line: Important update regarding our emails
Body: We're moving to a new email platform to enhance your experience. Our 'From' address will change from [Old Email] to [New Email]. Please add [New Email] to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving our updates.
Benefit: This ensures you don't miss out on important news and offers.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Always notify subscribers if your 'From' address, especially the domain, changes during migration.

Send the notification from your old, established ESP to ensure high inbox placement for this critical message.

Explicitly ask subscribers to whitelist your new 'From' address to bypass spam filters.

Gradually warm up your new sending domain and IP address even after notifying subscribers.

Common pitfalls

Failing to notify subscribers about a 'From' address change, leading to confusion and spam complaints.

Not asking subscribers to whitelist the new address, resulting in emails landing in spam folders.

Performing a 'hard cutover' to the new ESP without proper IP or domain warming.

Migrating without cleaning your email list first, risking hits to invalid or unengaged addresses.

Expert tips

If your current 'From' address domain is tied to the old ESP, a change is necessary and provides an opportunity for better branding.

Highlighting the 'From' address change to existing subscribers can help them check for spam folders and boost overall reputation.

Whitelisting the new 'From' address by subscribers acts as a 'get out of spam jail free' card and improves general reputation.

Ensure all DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured for the new sending domain and ESP before live sending.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says when migrating to a new ESP and a new sending domain, it is good practice to inform customers about the change in the 'From' name and address before launching, so they can check if emails land in their spam folder.

2024-01-17 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says if the 'From' header email address will change, it is advisable to highlight this to existing subscribers before making the switch, even if the change is for better branding alignment.

2024-01-17 - Email Geeks

Final thoughts on your ESP migration

The decision to notify subscribers before changing your 'From' address during an ESP migration depends largely on whether the 'From' address itself, particularly the domain, will change. If the domain changes, notification is a strong best practice. It helps manage subscriber expectations, mitigates potential deliverability issues, and reinforces trust.