What is the best approach for sending marketing emails from a new domain for an existing company?

Key findings

• Reputation isolation: Using a separate domain for a new marketing service can protect the main company domain’s email reputation from potential negative impacts, such as unsubscribes or complaints related to the new content. This is a common practice to keep different email streams distinct.
• Content relevance: The desire to separate unsubscribe impacts often stems from a focus on delivering highly relevant content. Subscribers to one service may not be interested in the other, making separate domains a logical choice for managing distinct content streams.
• Strategic IP choice: The decision between shared and dedicated IPs depends on projected email volume and subscriber acquisition strategy. New, low-volume domains might start on shared IPs, transitioning to dedicated as volume grows.
• Warming necessity: Any new sending domain or IP requires a tailored warming plan to build a positive sender reputation with internet service providers (ISPs). This involves gradually increasing sending volume to engaged recipients.

Key considerations

• Brand perception: Consider how recipients will perceive the new domain relative to the main company. If they appear as distinct entities, separating mail streams (and IPs) can be beneficial for reputation. For more on this, read our article on choosing an email sending domain.
• Subscriber acquisition: How will new subscribers be obtained for the second domain? This greatly influences the warming strategy. If cross-subscribing from an existing list, special care is needed.
• Warming plan detail: There is no single 'standard' IP warming plan. The specific volume, sending frequency, and list quality of the new domain will dictate a unique warming strategy. Learn more about sending domain best practices.
• Preference centers: Even with separate domains, implementing a robust preference center allows subscribers to manage their content interests, which can reduce unsubscribes and improve overall engagement. This also aids in the transition process, as detailed in our guide on transitioning email sending from one domain.

Key opinions

• Separation for protection: Many marketers advocate for separating sending domains, especially if the content and subscriber interests are distinct, to prevent negative feedback from one domain affecting the other's reputation.
• Subdomain vs. separate domain: There's a debate on whether to use a subdomain or an entirely separate domain. Some lean towards separate domains for stronger isolation, while others prefer subdomains for brand consistency. Explore this further in our article: Should I use a subdomain or separate domain?
• Quality over quantity: A strong emphasis is placed on direct opt-in consent and targeted sending, especially for new domains, to build a positive sender reputation from the start.
• Warming flexibility: Marketers recognize that IP warming isn't a one-size-fits-all process and must be customized based on list growth, volume, and engagement.

Key considerations

• Audience segmentation: Even within the same company, different service offerings often require distinct audience segments and messaging, necessitating separate email streams.
• Shared IP starting point: For initial lower volumes and organic list growth, starting on a shared IP range might be more suitable until volumes justify a dedicated IP. This also impacts domain authentication. Read our article on email domain authentication.
• Preference center implementation: Setting up robust preference centers can allow subscribers to manage their interests across different offerings, potentially reducing the need for complete domain separation solely for unsubscribe management.
• Cross-subscription risk: Marketers are wary of cross-subscribing users from an existing domain to a new one without clear consent, as this can negatively impact the new domain's reputation. Learn more about this by reading multiple email domain strategies.

Key opinions

• Unsubscribes and IP: Experts clarify that unsubscribes are not directly a function of IP address or reputation. Instead, the use of multiple IPs or domains for different services is primarily a branding effort to separate distinct mail streams.
• Tailored warming: There's no universal 'standard IP warming' plan. The warming strategy must be specific to the volume, list growth method (e.g., organic, cross-subscription), and engagement levels of the new domain.
• Phased IP approach: For new domains, starting on a shared IP range is often advised for lower volumes, with a transition to a dedicated IP once volumes reach certain thresholds. Each transition requires its own warming plan.
• Engagement first: The core of any successful warming plan involves sending small volumes to the most engaged audience possible and gradually increasing volume while closely monitoring for any negative signals. Read more about warming a small email list.

Key considerations

• Recipient perception: If recipients perceive the two domains as distinct brands or entities, separating the mail streams is crucial, regardless of whether they belong to the same parent company.
• Consistent warming methodology: While warming plans vary, the fundamental method of sending small volumes to engaged users and slowly scaling remains constant for any new IP, whether shared or dedicated. For more on this, check out our guide on warming a new domain for transactional emails.
• Monitoring and adjustment: Continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics, feedback loops, and potential blocklist (or blacklist) listings is essential during the warming period to identify and address issues promptly. Learn more about the deliverability impacts of separate marketing email domains.

Key findings

• Dedicated sending domains: Documentation frequently highlights the benefits of a dedicated sending domain for improving sender reputation and appearing more authentic to recipients.
• Subdomain vs. separate domain: Many resources recommend using subdomains for different email types (e.g., transactional, marketing) to maintain a consistent root domain, though completely separate domains are also recognized for distinct brand entities.
• Pre-notification to subscribers: It is advised to inform subscribers about a domain change in advance, which can help in managing expectations and maintaining engagement during the transition.
• Authentication setup: Proper configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is crucial for any new sending domain to ensure emails are authenticated and trusted by receiving mail servers. For more details, see our simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.

Key considerations

• Gradual warming: All documentation stresses the importance of a gradual email warming process for new domains and IPs to build a positive reputation over time. This helps avoid triggers for spam filters.
• Monitoring tools: Utilizing tools like Google Postmaster Tools is essential for monitoring the new domain's reputation, spam rate, and deliverability performance. Learn how in our ultimate guide to Google Postmaster Tools.
• Compliance: Ensure that the new domain's email practices comply with anti-spam laws and regulations, including clear unsubscribe options and privacy policies.
• Brand consistency: While separating domains, maintain some level of brand consistency to avoid confusing recipients, especially if the new service is part of the existing company. Check out GoHighLevel's dedicated sending domains overview.