How to Manage Domains for Cold Email Outreach
- Use separate domains for cold emailing to protect your primary domain’s reputation.
- Pick trusted TLDs like
.com,.net, or.iofor better deliverability. - Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to authenticate emails and avoid phishing issues.
- Warm up domains gradually over 3–4 weeks to build trust with email providers.
- Scale smartly by limiting email volume per domain and spreading sends across multiple domains.
- Automate tasks like DNS setup and domain warming using tools like Mailforge to save time and reduce errors.
Quick Overview of Best Practices:
| Step | Key Action |
|---|---|
| Domain Selection | Use .com, .net, or industry-relevant TLDs |
| Authentication | Set up SPF, DKIM, DMARC for email security |
| Warming Up | Start small, gradually increase email volume |
| Scaling | Use multiple domains, limit emails per account |
| Automation | Use tools like Mailforge for bulk management |
Mastering domain management ensures your emails reach the right inboxes, builds trust, and drives results. Ready to dive deeper? Let’s break it all down.
How to Choose the Right Domains for Cold Email Outreach
Picking the right domains is crucial for ensuring your emails are delivered and maintaining credibility. The domain extension you use plays a big role in how email providers assess your messages and decide whether they end up in the inbox or the spam folder. With spam accounting for roughly 28% of global email traffic, choosing the wrong domain can hurt your outreach efforts. Some TLDs (top-level domains) have earned poor reputations because they’re cheap and commonly used by spammers.
Best TLDs for Cold Email
When it comes to TLDs, stick with trusted ones. .com is the global go-to for a reason - it’s widely recognized and accepted. While it’s true that .com domains sometimes appear in spam folders, this is more about their popularity than any specific issue with deliverability.
As Daniel Shnaider, an expert in email deliverability, explains:
TLD reputation is a factor that mailbox providers and email filters use to determine whether to deliver emails to recipients' inboxes or to send them to spam folders.
Here’s a breakdown of recommended TLDs for cold email outreach:
| TLD | Deliverability Performance | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| .com | Excellent | Universal choice |
| .net | Good | Great secondary option |
| .io | Good | Ideal for tech companies |
| .co.uk | Good | UK-focused businesses |
| .ca | Good | Canadian businesses |
.net is a strong fallback option, especially since it’s often easier to secure than .com. For tech-focused companies, .io has proven to be a reliable choice.
On the flip side, steer clear of TLDs like .xyz, .free, and .yx, which are frequently flagged as spam. Jesse from Bento sums it up well:
At the end of the day, your email deliverability is too important to risk on a trendy or 'fun' TLD. Stick with the tried and true .com and .net, or use a country-specific TLD if it's relevant to your business.
It’s also worth considering how well your domain aligns with your business. For instance, if your company doesn’t deal with artificial intelligence, using a .ai domain may not make sense. Choose a domain that fits your industry and audience while maintaining a professional image.
Once you’ve chosen the right TLDs, the next step is figuring out how many domains you’ll need for your outreach efforts.
How Many Domains You Need
The number of domains you’ll need depends on how many emails you plan to send and the goals of your campaign. Successful cold email campaigns often use multiple domains to distribute email volume and avoid triggering spam filters.
A good starting point is three domains, with each one sending about 30 emails daily - totaling 90 emails per day. This setup allows you to test and fine-tune your strategy without overloading any single domain.
Arnaud Belinga, a cold email expert, advises:
My advice would be to iterate on your copywriting with few cold email domains until you find the best performing one. Then, if you have good results, your job is to scale the number of cold emails you send per day which result in buying more domains.
If you’re aiming to send higher volumes, scale up accordingly. For example, sending 400 emails per day would require 10 domains, with each handling 30–50 emails daily to maintain good deliverability.
Here’s an important tip: limit each domain to 1–2 email accounts. George Wauchope, an email deliverability specialist, explains:
The more email accounts that you create on a single domain, the more overall email volume you will be sending on that domain, and the more likely you are to be blacklisted by email service providers such as Gmail and Outlook.
Even users with unlimited inboxes tend to stick to three domains unless they’re managing campaigns for multiple clients. This highlights the importance of quality over quantity - it’s better to refine your approach with a smaller number of domains than to spread yourself too thin.
For businesses just starting out, resist the temptation to purchase dozens of domains right away. Focus on crafting effective email copy and targeting with a small number of domains. Then, as your campaign grows, you can scale up your domain count to meet your needs.
How to Set Up Domains for Maximum Deliverability
Getting your domains set up the right way is crucial. A misstep in configuration can hurt your email deliverability, while a proper setup lays the groundwork for consistent inbox placement. This process starts with implementing solid authentication protocols and using automation tools to minimize errors and save time.
Required Authentication Protocols
To protect your domain and ensure your emails reach their destination, you need to implement three essential authentication protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols confirm that emails sent from your domain are legitimate, which is critical in an era where phishing accounts for 85% of cyberattacks in 2022.
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Think of SPF as a guest list for your domain. It specifies which servers are authorized to send emails on your behalf. If an email comes from an unauthorized server, it fails the SPF check.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying their origin and ensuring the content hasn’t been tampered with. It works alongside SPF to validate both the sender and the email’s integrity.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC acts like a bouncer, enforcing policies for emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. It provides greater control over your domain’s email security and helps reduce phishing risks.
These protocols are stored as DNS TXT records, and most web hosting services won’t configure them for you automatically. You’ll need to set them up manually.
Automating DNS Setup with Mailforge
Manually configuring DNS records can be tedious and prone to mistakes. A single typo in a DNS record could disrupt your entire email authentication system. That’s where automation tools like Mailforge come in, streamlining the process of setting up SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and custom domain tracking.
Karlo Binda, Founder of Leadsnack.co, shared his experience:
"We often hear 10x improvement as a target among startups when it comes to cold email infrastructure setup. Mailforge provides 100x improvement! Procedures that usually took hours - such as setting DKIM, SPF, and other records - for multiple domains now take just a few minutes."
Here’s a quick comparison of manual versus automated DNS setup:
| Setup Method | Time Required | Error Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Manual DNS Setup | ~2 hours per domain | High |
| Mailforge Automation | 5 minutes per domain | Minimal |
With Mailforge, you can configure domains and mailboxes in under 10 minutes. It also supports bulk DNS updates, allowing you to update records for multiple domains with just a few clicks. Plus, the platform handles ongoing hosting and inbox maintenance, so you can focus on your outreach efforts.
SSL and Domain Masking
SSL and domain masking are essential for securing your connections and maintaining a professional brand image. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts the connection between your domain and email servers, while domain masking ensures your emails appear professional and trustworthy, bypassing spam filters.
"Domain masking is a feature that allows you to use a secondary domain to represent your primary domain without revealing the original one. This technique ensures your emails look professional, secure, and trustworthy while maintaining the privacy and reputation of your main domain."
The setup process involves a few steps:
- Choose a domain registrar that supports domain masking.
- Configure your DNS settings to enable URL forwarding with masking.
- Add metadata like titles, descriptions, and keywords to the masked domain.
- Implement SSL certificates for both the original and masked domains to ensure secure connections.
Here’s how domain masking compares to basic URL forwarding:
| Feature | Domain Masking | URL Forwarding |
|---|---|---|
| Original URL Visibility | Hidden from users | Visible to users |
| Spam Filter Performance | Better bypass rates | Higher detection risk |
| Professional Appearance | Maintains consistency | May affect trust |
Mailforge simplifies this process by including SSL and domain masking as part of its infrastructure. At just $2 per domain per month (or $6 per domain per year), it’s a small price to pay for enhanced security and professionalism.
How to Warm Up Your Domains
Once you've set up authentication, the next step is to gradually warm up your domains. This step is crucial to avoid spam filters and to establish a strong sender reputation.
Why Domain Warming Matters
Domain warming is all about building trust with email service providers (ESPs) like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook. Without it, your carefully planned cold email campaigns might never reach your audience, landing in spam folders or getting blocked altogether.
"Domain warming is the process of establishing credibility for a new domain by sending emails in small volumes and gradually increasing the number of emails over time."
- Ryan O'Connor, formerly Director of E-commerce Growth at SmartBug
This process mimics natural email-sending behavior, helping you avoid spam filters that flag unusual activity. For instance, if you launch a new domain and start blasting out hundreds of emails a day, ESPs will likely see this as suspicious and penalize you.
Building credibility takes time - typically around 3–4 weeks. During this period, you're not just sending emails; you're building a reputation. A strong domain reputation significantly boosts the chances of your emails landing in inboxes instead of being filtered out. On the flip side, once a domain's reputation is damaged, it becomes almost unusable for email campaigns. That’s why warming up your domain properly is absolutely essential for successful outreach.
A Step-by-Step Domain Warming Schedule
A structured domain warming plan can mean the difference between hitting inboxes or getting flagged as spam. Depending on your final sending volume, the warmup period usually lasts 15 to 60 days. Keep an eye on key metrics - open rates should stay above 20%, and bounce rates below 2%.
Week 1: Laying the Groundwork
- Days 1–2: Start small, sending 50–100 emails per provider (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) to your most engaged contacts. Keep the content simple, with clear calls-to-action, and monitor open, click, and bounce rates closely.
- Days 3–4: Double your volume to 200 emails per provider.
- Days 5–7: Increase to 400 emails per provider.
Week 2: Controlled Growth
- Days 8–10: Scale up to 600–800 emails per provider.
- Days 11–14: Increase to 1,000–1,500 emails per provider. Focus on gradual daily increases (30–50%) instead of doubling, as sudden spikes can trigger spam filters.
Week 3: Scaling Up
- Days 15–17: Push to 2,000–3,000 emails per provider.
- Days 18–21: Increase to 4,000–5,000 emails per provider. If deliverability issues arise, reduce your volume by 25–30% and monitor metrics until they improve.
Week 4: Reaching Full Volume
- Days 22–25: Scale to 7,500–10,000 emails per provider.
- Days 26–30: Hit your full intended sending volume. Consistency is key - send roughly the same number of emails each day to establish regular patterns that ESPs recognize.
Here’s a quick summary of the progression:
| Week | Daily Volume per Provider | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 50–400 emails | Foundation & engagement |
| Week 2 | 600–1,500 emails | Controlled growth |
| Week 3 | 2,000–5,000 emails | Scaling up |
| Week 4 | 7,500–10,000 emails | Full volume |
Keep an eye on spam complaint rates - they should stay below 0.1% throughout the process. If issues arise with a specific provider, reduce your volume for that provider while continuing to scale with others.
Automating Domain Warming with Mailforge
Following a structured warmup plan can be time-consuming, but tools like Mailforge simplify the process. Mailforge automates domain warming, ensuring consistent engagement signals like replies, opens, and steady sending patterns - exactly what ESPs look for. This automation takes the guesswork out of warming up and ensures you're sticking to best practices without manually tracking every detail.
Warming up your email and domain plays a critical role in outreach success. It builds or repairs your sender reputation, improves deliverability, and helps you scale your campaigns faster.
Mailforge also allows you to warm up multiple domains simultaneously, maintaining the consistency required by ESPs. The platform adjusts volume increases based on performance metrics, ensuring optimal results. This is particularly helpful when managing several domains across different campaigns, freeing you up to focus on crafting impactful outreach messages and building targeted prospect lists. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with DNS automation features, creating a complete domain management solution.
How to Scale Your Domain Portfolio for Growth
As your cold email campaigns grow, expanding your domain portfolio becomes essential. This not only helps distribute email volume but also safeguards your sender reputation. The trick lies in managing your sending limits wisely, structuring your domains effectively, and using tools to streamline bulk management.
Managing Domain Volume Limits
Staying within email volume limits is critical to avoid spam filters and maintain a strong sender reputation. Experts suggest sending no more than 50–60 emails per day per email account to ensure optimal deliverability. Sending beyond these limits increases the risk of being flagged as spam.
George Wauchope, Founder of Emailchaser, shares a practical scaling strategy:
The way to scale your sending volume is by buying secondary domains and creating a new email account with each domain. This allows you to spread your sending volume across multiple email accounts.
To keep things running smoothly, limit each domain to five email accounts and stagger your email sends to avoid overwhelming any single domain. Regularly monitor performance metrics like bounce rates (keep them under 2%) and spam complaints (below 0.1%) to maintain a healthy sender reputation.
Here’s a real-world example: Skief helped a small business owner scale their outbound lead generation to 20,000 emails per month. This was achieved by purchasing six new domains, setting up four mailboxes per domain on Google Workspace, and gradually warming up the accounts. The result? Around 10–15 leads per day.
A good balance is key. Use half of your daily sends for new prospects and the other half for warm-up emails. This approach keeps engagement levels high while maintaining email deliverability.
Once your volume is under control, organizing your domains can further boost efficiency.
Organizing Domains Across Campaigns
Managing sending limits is just the start. Structuring your domain portfolio ensures campaigns run smoothly. Segment your campaigns and monitor domain performance to identify which ones are excelling and which need more attention. Use a clear naming system that reflects each domain's purpose - whether it’s for a specific campaign, audience, region, or team. Adding domain redirections can also help build trust with prospects.
To keep things running efficiently:
- Regularly clean your email lists to remove invalid addresses.
- Personalize your email content to increase engagement.
- If a domain’s performance dips, pause its activity and spend extra time warming it up before resuming.
Using Mailforge for Bulk Domain Management
Scaling becomes even easier with tools designed for bulk operations. Mailforge is one such tool, automating tasks like domain creation and DNS configuration (including DMARC, SPF, and DKIM setup) in just minutes. It also simplifies bulk DNS updates, allowing you to modify multiple domains with a few clicks.
Mailforge offers multiple workspaces to help you manage domains and mailboxes across various projects. Its domain calculator is a handy feature, helping you estimate the number of domains and mailboxes you’ll need based on your sending volume and contact list size.
Karlo Binda, Founder of Leadsnack.co, highlights Mailforge’s efficiency:
We often hear 10x improvement as a target among startups, when it comes to cold email infrastructure setup, Mailforge provides 100x improvement! Procedures that usually took hours (setting DKIM, SPF, etc. records) for multiple domains, now take a few minutes.
Isabella L., Founder of Let's Fearlessly Grow, also praises the tool:
The simplicity and the automation in the buying process of domains, DNS setting, inbox creation, forwarding, etc.
Mailforge integrates seamlessly with any sending software, including Salesforge. Its pricing is competitive - $484 per month for 200 mailboxes, which is considerably more affordable than Google Workspace or MS365. With over 10,000 businesses, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, relying on it, Mailforge is a trusted solution for scaling cold email outreach. By automating bulk tasks, you can focus your energy on creating impactful campaigns while scaling effectively.
sbb-itb-fe3169b
Key Takeaways for Domain Management Success
Managing domains effectively for cold email campaigns requires a combination of technical precision, gradual preparation, and strategic scaling. The foundation lies in selecting the right domains. Stick to dependable TLDs like .com, .net, and .io, while steering clear of .co, which is known to have deliverability issues. While your TLD choice won’t make or break your campaign, how you set up and prepare your domains will play a crucial role in achieving long-term success.
Once your domains are selected, the next step is to establish their credibility. This means setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to build trust with email providers before you start sending emails. Gradually warm up your domains over a period of 2–4 weeks to establish a strong sender reputation.
Scaling your domain portfolio smartly is equally important. Limit the number of email addresses per domain to reduce risks. This way, if one domain gets flagged, the impact on your overall campaign remains minimal. After scaling, ongoing monitoring becomes critical for maintaining success.
Pay attention to key metrics like bounce rates and spam complaint rates, and adjust your content to improve engagement. Avoid using open tracking, as it can harm your deliverability.
Tools like Mailforge can simplify the process by automating domain creation, authentication, and management. This not only saves time but also ensures that your emails maintain high deliverability standards. Mailforge's automation capabilities make managing a large portfolio of domains much more efficient.
Lastly, remember that cold emails can be a powerful tool. In fact, 21% of sales professionals credit cold emails as their top source of lead generation. Pairing this with well-crafted follow-up sequences can boost reply rates by as much as 65%. With a solid domain management strategy, you’re not just sending emails - you’re building a scalable system that can deliver consistent results for years to come.
FAQs
Why should I use separate domains for cold email outreach, and how does it safeguard my main domain's reputation?
Why Use Separate Domains for Cold Email Outreach?
Using separate domains for cold email outreach is a smart way to safeguard your primary domain’s reputation. Cold email campaigns can sometimes lead to issues like spam complaints, high bounce rates, or even blacklisting. By dedicating a separate domain to these campaigns, you create a safety net that shields your main domain from any potential fallout.
This strategy also gives your secondary domain the chance to establish its own sender reputation. Over time, this can improve the deliverability of your outreach emails. In short, separating domains helps protect your main brand's credibility while allowing you to run effective and scalable cold email campaigns without risking your core communications.
How do SPF, DKIM, and DMARC improve email deliverability and protect your domain in cold email campaigns?
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: Protecting Your Emails and Domain
When it comes to cold email outreach, ensuring your messages land in inboxes - and not in spam folders - is a top priority. That’s where SPF, DKIM, and DMARC come into play. These protocols not only improve email deliverability but also protect your domain from potential abuse.
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This protocol verifies that only approved servers can send emails on behalf of your domain. By doing so, it reduces the risk of email spoofing, where someone forges your domain to send fraudulent emails.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a unique digital signature to your emails. This signature ensures the message hasn’t been altered during transmission and confirms its authenticity to the recipient’s server.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together, allowing you to specify how emails failing these checks should be handled - whether they’re quarantined or rejected. It also provides detailed reports that let you track and address any unauthorized use of your domain.
By implementing these protocols, you not only boost the chances of your emails reaching the intended inboxes but also protect your domain’s reputation. For cold email campaigns, this can make all the difference in building trust and maintaining effective communication.
How do I warm up a new domain to improve email deliverability and avoid spam filters?
To get a new domain ready for email campaigns and improve deliverability, start slow. Begin by sending just 5 to 10 emails per day and gradually increase your volume by 10-20% daily. Target recipients who are likely to engage with your emails first - opens, clicks, and replies play a big role in building a strong domain reputation.
It's also crucial to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication protocols. These settings show email providers that your messages are legitimate. Keep a close eye on your metrics, especially bounce rates and engagement levels. If bounce rates spike or engagement dips, scale back your email volume until things stabilize.
This process takes time - usually a few weeks - to establish a good reputation. Stay consistent and patient, and you'll reduce the risk of landing in spam folders while boosting the success of your cold email campaigns.