Choosing the right domain for your cold email campaigns can have a significant impact on your deliverability and inbox rate. In cold emailing, success hinges on ensuring that your messages reach your recipients’ inboxes, not their spam folders. A carefully chosen and properly configured domain can increase your chances of a high inbox placement rate, while a poor choice can result in emails being flagged as spam or even get your domain blacklisted.
In this post, we’ll cover the key factors you should consider when selecting a domain for cold mailing.
1. Importance of a Good Domain for Cold Mailing
One of the most critical factors in successful cold email campaigns is using a trusted, well-aged domain. Older domains often carry more authority and credibility in the eyes of email service providers, resulting in better inbox placement. New domains can sometimes be flagged as risky or suspicious, particularly when used for sending cold emails at a high volume.
If you’re starting from scratch, consider purchasing an older domain, which can be done through platforms like Namecheap or Cloudflare. These providers offer a wide range of domains at reasonable prices, and they’re reputable in the industry, ensuring that you’re not buying a domain with a troubled history.
2. Domain Management with Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a great tool for managing your domain settings, including DNS management. It provides security features like SSL encryption and DDoS protection, which can improve your domain’s credibility and deliverability. When sending cold emails, having an SSL certificate and properly configured DNS settings ensures that your emails are not flagged as suspicious or harmful by recipients’ email filters.
3. Set Up DKIM for Authentication
One essential step when setting up your domain for cold emailing is configuring DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). DKIM adds a digital signature to your email headers, confirming to the recipient’s mail server that your message hasn’t been altered and that it’s genuinely from the domain it claims to be from.
Failing to set up DKIM can result in your emails being marked as spam or rejected entirely. It’s a must for anyone serious about cold emailing, as it not only improves deliverability but also builds trust between you and your recipients.
4. Choose the Right Domain Extension
When selecting a domain, it’s usually best to go with a .com extension. Domains with generic and trusted extensions tend to have higher credibility with email providers. On the other hand, some cheaper domain extensions like .online or .xyz can raise red flags. These domain extensions are often associated with spammy or suspicious activity, which can cause your emails to get suspended or blacklisted by email service providers or domain registrars.
5. Check if Your Domain/IP is Blacklisted
Before starting your cold email campaign, make sure your domain and the SMTP server’s IP address are not blacklisted. You can use tools like Spamhaus to check whether your domain or IP is on any spam lists. Being on a blacklist can drastically affect your deliverability, as your emails may automatically be flagged as spam or rejected by major email providers.
If your domain or IP is already on a blacklist, it’s essential to resolve the issue before starting any cold mailing activities. Otherwise, your emails may never make it to the inbox, rendering your campaign ineffective.
6. Warm Up Your Domain and IP Address
Warming up your domain and IP address is crucial before sending large volumes of cold emails. Sending a high volume of emails from a new domain or IP too quickly can trigger spam filters, harming your sender reputation and getting you blacklisted.
During the warm-up phase, start by sending a small number of emails per day, gradually increasing the volume over time. Ideally, this process should last a few weeks, giving email providers time to recognize your domain/IP as legitimate and trustworthy.
7. Limit Your Sending Volume
Even after the warm-up process, it’s important to limit the number of emails you send per day. For each domain/IP, avoid sending more than 10,000 emails per day. Sending beyond this limit can negatively affect your inbox rate, as email providers may suspect spammy behavior and penalize you by lowering your sender score or placing you on a blacklist.
Conclusion
Choosing the right domain for cold emailing is an essential step in ensuring the success of your campaigns. By purchasing a trusted, well-aged domain from reputable providers like Namecheap or Cloudflare, setting up DKIM, and choosing the right extension like .com, you can significantly improve your inbox rate. Always check for blacklists and take the time to warm up your domain and IP address before sending large volumes of emails. By following these steps, you can maintain a strong sender reputation and avoid getting blacklisted, ensuring the continued success of your cold email campaigns.