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What are the challenges with email deliverability when switching to Hubspot from SFMC?

Summary

Switching from SFMC to HubSpot introduces several email deliverability challenges, encompassing authentication, IP warming, list management, and reputation monitoring. Properly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial, as is gradually warming up the new IP address to establish a positive sender reputation. Changes in open rates may stem from reporting differences or Google's handling of new senders. Maintaining a clean and engaged email list and avoiding sending a high percentage of cold leads are also key. Furthermore, consistent sending volumes, engagement metrics, and protection against spoofing and phishing via DMARC play significant roles. Ensuring emails render correctly across different clients, avoiding spam trigger words, using double opt-in, and continuously monitoring for blacklisting are essential for a successful transition.

Key findings

  • Authentication Setup: Properly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on the new platform is essential.
  • IP Warming: Warming up the new IP address is crucial to establish a positive sender reputation.
  • List Management: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is vital for deliverability.
  • Sending Volume: Inconsistent sending volumes can negatively impact sender reputation.
  • Engagement Metrics: ISPs consider engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates.
  • Reputation Protection: Implementing DMARC protects against spoofing and enhances deliverability.
  • Client Testing: Previewing emails ensures proper rendering across different clients.
  • Blacklist Monitoring: Monitoring blacklists is crucial for maintaining deliverability.
  • Deliverability Reporting: Deliverability Reporting differences can impact open rates

Key considerations

  • Verify Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured and validated.
  • Implement IP Warm-up: Gradually increase sending volume to the new IP address to build reputation.
  • List Segmentation: Segment your email list based on engagement to target active subscribers.
  • Maintain Consistency: Maintain a consistent sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Monitor Engagement: Regularly monitor and analyze engagement metrics to identify areas for improvement.
  • Implement DMARC: Implement a DMARC policy to protect the domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • Test Emails: Test emails across various email clients and devices before sending.
  • Monitor Blacklists: Continuously monitor your IP address and domain for blacklisting.
  • Transition Plan: Develop a well constructed and tested plan for transition between platforms

What email marketers say

9 marketer opinions

Switching email platforms from SFMC to HubSpot presents several deliverability challenges. Key issues include the need to warm up the new IP address gradually to establish a good sender reputation, maintaining a clean and engaged email list, ensuring consistent sending volumes to avoid triggering spam filters, monitoring and optimizing engagement metrics, previewing emails across different clients to prevent rendering issues, avoiding spam trigger words, using double opt-in for subscriber consent, and monitoring blacklists. Addressing these challenges is crucial for a successful transition and sustained deliverability.

Key opinions

  • IP Warming: Warming up the new IP address is essential to establish a positive sender reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is crucial for deliverability.
  • Sending Volume: Inconsistent sending volumes can negatively impact sender reputation.
  • Engagement Metrics: ISPs consider engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates.
  • Email Preview: Previewing emails ensures proper rendering across different clients.
  • Spam Trigger Words: Avoiding spam trigger words helps prevent emails from being filtered.
  • Double Opt-in: Double opt-in improves deliverability and sender reputation.
  • Blacklist Monitoring: Monitoring blacklists is crucial for maintaining deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Gradual IP Warm-up: Implement a phased approach to warming up the new IP address.
  • List Segmentation: Segment your email list based on engagement to target active subscribers.
  • Consistent Volume: Maintain a consistent sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Monitor Engagement: Regularly monitor and analyze engagement metrics to identify areas for improvement.
  • Client Testing: Test emails across various email clients and devices before sending.
  • Content Optimization: Optimize email content to avoid spam trigger words and improve engagement.
  • Opt-in Process: Implement a double opt-in process to ensure subscriber consent.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Continuously monitor your IP address and domain for blacklisting.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that ISPs consider engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and complaint rates. Low engagement and high complaint rates can harm your deliverability.

13 May 2022 - Sendinblue

Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that deliverability problems can arise from inconsistent sending volumes. Sudden spikes or drops in email volume can trigger spam filters and negatively impact your sender reputation.

14 Jul 2023 - Reddit

What the experts say

6 expert opinions

Switching from SFMC to HubSpot presents several email deliverability challenges. Setting up proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical, as relying on SFMC's authentication previously may cause issues. IP warming is necessary to build a good sender reputation. Changes in open rates may stem from reporting differences or Google's handling of new senders. Sending a high volume of cold leads (10-20%) can negatively impact deliverability. Proper domain authentication and maintaining IP reputation are paramount to avoid spam filters and ensure emails reach the inbox.

Key opinions

  • Authentication Setup: Properly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on the new platform is essential.
  • IP Warming Importance: Warming up the new IP address is critical for establishing a good sender reputation.
  • Open Rate Changes: Changes in open rates might be due to reporting differences or Google's pre-fetching behavior.
  • Cold Lead Volume: Sending a high percentage of cold leads can negatively impact deliverability.
  • Domain Authentication Migration: Domain authentication can cause issues during ESP migration

Key considerations

  • Verify Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured and validated.
  • Implement IP Warm-up: Gradually increase sending volume to the new IP address to build reputation.
  • Analyze Reporting: Understand how the new platform reports open rates and account for potential discrepancies.
  • Segment Cold Leads: Reduce the volume of cold leads or segment them into a separate campaign.
  • Transition strategy: Create a well planned transition strategy for moving from SFMC to Hubspot

Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that one of the main challenges when switching ESPs is maintaining IP address reputation. A new IP needs to be 'warmed up' to build a good reputation with ISPs, and a sudden change can trigger spam filters.

31 Dec 2023 - Spam Resource

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that the changes in opens may be due to a change in reporting, not any actual change in how many images are being loaded. Also, noticed that there seems to be a drop in pre-fetching at Google domains when senders move platforms. The best theory is that if you change things, Google puts you in a 'new sender' category and won't necessarily pre-fetch images for A While. This will lower reported open rates, but is all an artifact.

7 Apr 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

4 technical articles

Maintaining or improving email deliverability when switching from SFMC to HubSpot requires proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to prove legitimacy and avoid spam filters. Sender reputation, based on sending history, engagement, and complaints, greatly impacts deliverability. Implementing a DMARC policy is crucial for protecting against spoofing and phishing, further improving reputation. Properly configured SPF records ensure authorized mail servers are identified, preventing deliverability issues.

Key findings

  • Authentication Importance: Correct email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is vital for deliverability.
  • Sender Reputation Impact: Sender reputation, based on sending history, significantly affects deliverability.
  • DMARC Protection: Implementing DMARC protects against spoofing and enhances deliverability.
  • SPF Configuration: Proper SPF record configuration ensures authorized mail server identification.

Key considerations

  • Authentication Setup: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and validated during the transition.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Monitor sender reputation metrics, such as bounce rates and spam complaints, post-migration.
  • DMARC Implementation: Implement a DMARC policy to protect the domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • SPF Verification: Regularly verify SPF records to ensure they accurately reflect authorized mail servers.

Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org explains that implementing a DMARC policy helps protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks, which can improve your sender reputation and deliverability.

14 Oct 2023 - DMARC.org

Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that your sender reputation is based on your sending history, including bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement metrics. A poor sender reputation can result in emails being filtered as spam.

16 Aug 2022 - SparkPost

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