How to Warm Up a Domain for the First Time and Why It’s Valuable

Have you ever wondered why your emails aren’t landing in inboxes? I was in the same boat until a good friend, a product marketing guru, shared some golden advice with me about warming up my domain. I decided to give it a shot, and wow, it’s changed the game for me. Here’s what I’ve learned and why it’s so valuable.

Today, I am sharing ideas that a great new friend shared. She said, "Explain why you write."

All right, I am launching a website community called Include Us World. The community aims to promote accessibility and inclusion for all through intentional technology. She explained a few things that I needed to learn about. Now that I do, I want to share my experiences.

The Importance of Warming Up Your Domain

So, what’s the big deal about warming up a domain? Picture this: you’ve just set up a new email domain and are excited to send newsletters and updates. But email service providers (ESPs) don’t know you yet. To them, you’re just another potential spammer until you prove otherwise. If you start by sending a massive volume of emails right away, chances are you’ll end up in the dreaded spam folder. Warming up your domain helps you build trust gradually with ESPs, ensuring your emails land in the inboxes where they belong.

My Step-by-Step Journey

Starting Slow: Following my friend’s advice, I began by sending 10 emails daily and waiting for replies. I contacted my ten friends through my usual email and told them to check their spam and look for my email. Once they located it, they moved it into the INBOX and replied within 24 hours. In the first week, I sent 200 emails this way, sending ten daily and increasing it by ten daily. This is a slow way to do it, but if you're serious, it will work. Also, don’t start on a Friday; start on a Monday.

Engaging the Audience: I sent emails to my most engaged subscribers. These people always open, read and click on my emails. Their positive interactions signaled to ESPs that my emails were valuable and worth delivering.

Gradual Increase:?I will slowly increase the weekly emails I send. By the second week, I will be up to 100 emails daily, then 200 in the third week, and so on. This gradual increase will maintain a positive sender reputation without overwhelming ESPs.

Monitoring Engagement: I monitored my email metrics closely. High open and click-through rates were good signs, boosting my sender reputation even further. Whenever I notice a dip, I take it as a sign to slow down.

Consistency: Lastly, I maintain a regular sending schedule. Consistency is crucial in showing that I was a reliable sender, not some fly-by-night spammer.

Taking my friend’s advice is incredibly valuable. By warming up my domain, I’ve seen a noticeable improvement in email deliverability. Emails are already landing in inboxes instead of spam folders, engagement rates are up, and my email marketing efforts are paying off.

Warming up your domain is like laying a solid foundation for a house. It takes time and patience, but the results are worth it. So, take it slow, stay consistent, and watch your email performance soar!

Thank you, Barb!