How to resolve Gmail email deliverability issues with a new domain?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 2 Jun 2025
Updated 18 Aug 2025
8 min read
Launching a new domain for email marketing, especially with Gmail, can feel like navigating a minefield. You expect smooth sailing, especially if your lists are clean and engagement is high. However, new domains inherently lack a sending history, and this absence of a positive reputation can lead to immediate deliverability challenges.
I've seen many instances where well-intentioned senders, trying to escape past issues with an old domain, spin up a brand-new one only to face unexpected throttling or even hard blocks from Gmail. The issue often boils down to trust. Internet service providers (ISPs) view new domains with skepticism because spammers frequently acquire fresh domains to bypass filters.
This guide will walk through the critical steps to establish a positive sender reputation for your new domain, ensuring your emails reliably reach the inbox. We'll cover everything from foundational authentication to strategic warm-up tactics and ongoing monitoring, providing practical advice to overcome the hurdles of a nascent sending history.
A new domain starts with no history, which means it has no established reputation with Gmail or other major ISPs. This blank slate can be challenging, as ISPs are designed to be wary of unknown senders to prevent spam. Without a proven track record of positive sending behavior, your emails are more likely to be flagged or sent to the spam folder.
The common trap is attempting to send high volumes too quickly from a new domain. This rapid increase in sending volume, combined with no prior reputation, often triggers spam filters, leading to low inbox placement rates and a quickly damaged domain reputation. It's a critical error to assume that a clean list and proper opt-in will suffice without first establishing domain credibility.
A subdomain, while related to your main domain, also starts with its own distinct sending reputation. While it might benefit slightly from the main domain's general authority, it still requires a careful warm-up process to build its specific sending history and trust with ISPs. You can learn more about how domain changes impact deliverability in our article on how a domain change affects deliverability.
Old domain challenges
Damaged reputation: Already marked by ISPs due to past sending practices, leading to low inbox rates.
Existing blocklist entries: May be listed on public or private blocklists (blacklists), requiring delisting efforts.
Negative user feedback: Higher spam complaints and low engagement rates are hard to reverse.
New domain opportunities
Clean slate: Opportunity to build a pristine sending reputation from scratch.
Controlled warm-up: Implement a strategic ramp-up to gradually gain ISP trust.
Optimized engagement: Focus on highly engaged subscribers to send positive signals from day one.
Laying the groundwork with authentication
Before you send a single email from your new domain, ensuring proper email authentication is non-negotiable. This includes SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols verify that your emails are legitimately coming from your domain and haven't been spoofed or tampered with. Google's email sender guidelines explicitly recommend setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for improved email delivery.
While SPF passing its test is good, ensuring SPF alignment is also crucial. SPF alignment means that the domain in the Return-Path (or Mailing-From) header matches the From header domain that your users see. While DKIM alignment is generally considered more impactful by ISPs, an unaligned SPF can still signal an issue to Gmail. It is beneficial to investigate and resolve any SPF alignment issues with your Email Service Provider (ESP). You can read more about this topic in this article on SPF alignment.
For DMARC, even a p=none policy provides valuable insight into your email streams without impacting delivery. This initial setup is crucial for any new domain to build trust. Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly is the first step toward resolving Gmail deliverability issues with a new domain. You can easily generate your own DMARC record.
For new domains, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are more than just best practices; they are foundational requirements for building trust. Without them, your emails may be viewed as suspicious, leading to immediate spam flagging or rejection by Gmail.
Prevent spoofing: Authentication protects your domain from being used by malicious actors.
Establish legitimacy: Signals to ISPs that you are a legitimate sender.
Improve inbox placement: Authenticated emails are less likely to be marked as spam.
Building your domain's reputation
The process of warming up a new domain (or an IP address) is critical. This involves gradually increasing your sending volume over time, rather than sending a large batch of emails immediately. Start with a small, highly engaged segment of your audience. These are subscribers who consistently open and click your emails. This positive engagement helps build your sender reputation with ISPs, particularly Gmail.
Many senders make the mistake of rushing the warm-up process. Buying a new domain and immediately blasting thousands of emails, even to a previously engaged list, can lead to your emails being marked as spam. Remember, even if the recipients opted in to your old domain, they might not recognize your new sender address, leading to higher complaint rates. This is a common reason why Gmail flags emails as spam.
A typical warm-up period can range from a few weeks to a few months, depending on your sending volume and list size. During this period, focus on sending emails that generate high engagement, such as transactional emails, welcome series, or highly anticipated content. Avoid promotional emails initially, as these tend to have lower engagement and higher complaint rates. Here’s a sample warm-up schedule:
All engaged subscribers, introduce non-promotional content
Stabilize sending volume and expand content types
Continuous monitoring for long-term deliverability
Even after a successful warm-up, continuous monitoring is essential. Google Postmaster Tools is a free and invaluable resource for understanding your Gmail deliverability. It provides data on IP and domain reputation, spam rates, and authentication errors (like SPF and DKIM failures). Regularly checking these metrics will help you identify and address issues proactively. We have an ultimate guide to Google Postmaster Tools that can provide more in-depth information.
Pay close attention to user engagement metrics: open rates, click-through rates, and complaint rates. High complaint rates or low engagement can quickly tank your domain reputation, even if you have a new, warmed-up domain. If you notice a sudden drop in deliverability, investigate your content, list hygiene, and sending practices immediately. This proactive approach is key to maintaining a healthy sender reputation and avoiding blacklists (or blocklists) in the long run. Our guide to how email blacklists work can offer further understanding.
When your domain reputation takes a hit
Even with best practices, sometimes issues arise. If your Gmail deliverability drops or your domain reputation declines, it's crucial to act swiftly. Check for recent changes in your sending volume, content, or list quality. An ESP's compliance team can often provide valuable insights and guidance.
Identify the cause: Use Postmaster Tools to pinpoint reputation or delivery issues.
Clean your list: Remove inactive or unengaged subscribers to improve engagement rates.
Reduce sending volume: Scale back sending to rebuild trust, then restart a gradual warm-up.
Review content: Ensure your email content isn't triggering spam filters.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC immediately for any new domain to establish foundational trust.
Start with a very gradual warm-up, sending to your most engaged subscribers first, then slowly expanding volume.
Prioritize transactional or highly anticipated content during the initial warm-up phase to maximize positive engagement.
Regularly monitor your domain and IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
Clean your email list to remove unengaged or invalid addresses before starting a new domain's sending program.
Common pitfalls
Attempting to send high volumes of emails too quickly from a brand-new domain, leading to immediate blocks.
Neglecting SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup or not ensuring alignment, which signals untrustworthiness to ISPs.
Using purchased or old, uncleaned lists with a new domain, resulting in high bounce and complaint rates.
Relying on 'seeding' or automated warm-up tools, which can often backfire and harm reputation.
Ignoring early warning signs from Google Postmaster Tools or low engagement metrics on initial sends.
Expert tips
Thoroughly check email authentication results headers, as this provides detailed insights into SPF and DKIM status.
Ensure your ESP offers white label return paths if you aim for full SPF alignment with your 'From' domain.
If SPF alignment issues persist despite proper setup, consult your ESP's support team for specific guidance.
A subdomain will also require a warm-up period, even if the main domain has an existing reputation.
Patience is crucial; domain reputation takes time and consistent positive sending behavior to build.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says avoiding blocks by simply spinning up never-before-seen domains does not tend to go well because a domain with no history, broken authentication, and shaky consent levels will struggle.
2024-06-16 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that while SPF may pass tests, it might not align, and the issue is often the actual domain in the return path of the email, which needs to change.
2024-06-17 - Email Geeks
Achieving inbox success with your new domain
Resolving Gmail email deliverability issues with a new domain requires a strategic and patient approach. It starts with meticulous authentication setup, moves through a gradual and monitored warm-up, and continues with consistent performance tracking. There are many factors that influence email deliverability.
Rushing the process or neglecting any step can lead to your emails consistently landing in spam folders or being rejected outright. Building a positive sender reputation is an ongoing effort, but by following these guidelines, you can ensure your new domain achieves optimal inbox placement and maintains it over time. Remember, trust is earned, not given, in the world of email deliverability.
