Email marketing isn’t easy. Why? Inboxes are precious commodities. That’s why. And email providers will do anything they possibly can to protect them via the 4-letter word many email marketers hate to hear.
S-P-A-M. And, no, not the lunchmeat in a can.
For most, it’s a challenge; but being Joey Matterhorn certainly has its perks. Probably the biggest perk I have is the knowledge of what it takes to avoid the spam folder in an inbox –
It’s called “domain warming”
Most marketers know of this, but achieving it successfully may be a whole different ballgame altogether. Some may call it a science. Others, a strategy.
Some may even say it’s an art form!
More importantly, however you want to view it as, it’s probably the most critical to simply say it’s an absolute necessity if you want to get into your subscribers’ inboxes.
So what is “domain warming”? We’re going to start from the beginning:
Imagine you’re a bouncer at a nightclub, and there’s a long line of people waiting to get in. You recognize some who’ve been to the club before; there are others you don’t.
Chances are those you recognize might already be on the “list.” You know what that list is! Right? It’s the difference between life and death for those who want to be in the club.
But guess what: you’re the gatekeeper. Those on the list get into the club. It’s as simple as that. And if there are some strangers in the line, chances are good those strangers aren’t on the list!
Email providers are kind of like that
They’re the “bouncers.” The inboxes are the “night clubs.” So how does domain warming relate? –
It’s how guests get on that list!
You warm up your email domain where your messaging comes from by strategically sending small amounts of emails to those subscribers who’ve never seen your domain before.
What happens if an email provider (bouncer) hasn’t seen your domain (a stranger in the line, waiting to get into the club) before? Chances are your email domain ends up in the spam folder.
But…. If you send just small volumes on a light sequence – no daily email blasts here – you’re doing what is called “warming up the domain” for those inboxes who’ve never seen you before.
Checking analytics to see if your domain and your sending strategy has built up rapport enough to “get on the list” so you can “get into the club” might then lead you to gradually increase your send frequency and volume.
And before you know it, you’re a regular! Sometimes you might even know the “bouncer” personally that you’d jump the line and get in right away.
Common expectations with domain warming
Like I said, it may easily be quite the strategic, artful science, this domain warming. It will take some time to really warm up to those inboxes
enough that your subscribers end up seeing your emails right away.
Generally speaking, you can expect roughly a month before you see contacts receiving blasts on a regular basis, responding well to your offers.
But there are strategies within the strategy of domain warming you have to be mindful of:
- What’s the right volume of email to send?
- What’s the right frequency of sends?
- How fast or slow should I start sending?
- How’s the quality of your subscriber list?
- Are most of my subscribers on Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail?
- Should I send an email a day or an email a week?
These are all important questions. But unless you have the tools that can help give you the right answers, you’re throwing darts at a board blindfolded – hoping to get a bull’s eye.
The good news is we have the bull’s eye – right here
Apello Warm-Up Services manages all of that for you. You’ll operate with
- The right framework
- Return paths
- Functional feedback loops
- WHOIS record updates
- Mail exchange records
- Abuse@ and postmaster@ role account management
And so much more! No one can pass up the value. If you’re email list is in the thousands, it’s more than a game changer.
It’s a trendsetter in email marketing. You’re not doing it, you’re not winning it.
So click the link below
Our warm-up center will work with you to determine what your volume and frequency should be. Just sign up right here and get started!