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When it comes to that Email marketingto ensure your campaigns reach and stay in customer inboxes optimal reputation of the sender is of utmost importance. An essential tool to achieve this is an email subdomain. This guide walks marketing managers through email subdomains, what they mean, how to set them up, and best practices for naming them.
What is an email subdomain?
An email subdomain is a secondary part of a website's domain that handles email-specific activities separately from the primary domain. It appears as the prefix of the main domain, e.g. E.g. “mail.yourcompany.com” or “newsletter.yourcompany.com”.
Email subdomains help companies differentiate and improve email marketing efforts from other business emails Email deliverabilityand protect the reputation of the primary domain.
Example of a subdomain vs. primary domain:
- Primary domain: yourcompany.com
- Email subdomain: Newsletter.YourCompany.com
When should you use an email subdomain?
Using an email subdomain is a strategic move, especially for companies that send large volumes of email. Below you will find specific cases in which using an email subdomain makes sense:
- Multiple email campaigns or departments: Large organizations that run different campaigns or departments can create separate subdomains for each one. Example:
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- events.yourcompany.com for event promotions
- Promotions.yourcompany.com for discount offers
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- Maintaining sender reputation: If marketing emails trigger spam complaints, the subdomain will help avoid damaging the reputation of your primary domain.
How many email subdomains do you need?
The number of subdomains depends on the size of your company and marketing needs. Here are some factors you should consider:
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- For small and medium-sized businesses, a marketing-oriented subdomain may be sufficient.
- Larger organizations can use separate subdomains for different emails.
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- Campaign segmentation requirements: If you regularly send multiple types of content (e.g. events, discounts, or product launches), a unique subdomain for each campaign type can organize operations.
- Email volume: When sending large emails across different regions or audiences, creating multiple subdomains helps protect your sender's reputation and ensure better deliverability.
Subdomain name ideas for email campaigns
When naming subdomains, it is important to choose relevant, clear and professional names. Below are some ideas:
- General marketing emails:
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- mail.yourcompany.com
- Newsletter.YourCompany.com
- Campaigns.YourCompany.com
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- Orders.YourCompany.com
- Invoices.YourCompany.com
- receipts.yourcompany.com
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- events.yourcompany.com
- webinars.yourcompany.com
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- Support and customer service emails:
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- support.yourcompany.com
- helpdesk.yourcompany.com
Make sure the subdomain matches the type of email you send to avoid confusion among recipients.
How to set up an email subdomain
Creating an email subdomain requires some technical steps, but your IT or web hosting team can help you. Here is a step-by-step process:
- Choose a subdomain name: Decide on a relevant subdomain name.
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- Sign in to your domain provider's control panel (e.g. GoDaddy, Google Domains, or Cloudflare).
- Add a new CNAME or A record for the subdomain that points to your email service provider's server.
- Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC records to verify your domain and prevent spoofing or phishing.
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- Authenticate your subdomain with your email service provider: Once the DNS records are set, Authenticate your subdomain within your email platform to ensure ISPs trust it.
- Test your setup: Send test emails from your subdomain to ensure deliverability and confirm that no authentication errors occur.
- Monitor performance: Use analytics tools to track open rates, bounce rates, and deliverability for emails sent from the subdomain.
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Best practices for using email subdomains
- Monitor subdomain reputation: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation and identify problems.
- For high-risk campaigns, use a different subdomain: If you run experimental campaigns with high engagement risk (e.g. cold calling emails), consider using a unique subdomain to prevent your primary marketing subdomain from being flagged.
- Maintain consistent branding: Even if you use subdomains, make sure your emails contain consistent brand elements (like logo and tone) to build trust.
- Monitor bounce rates and complaints: High bounce rates or complaints can affect your sender’s reputation. Adjust your strategy if metrics indicate problems.
Email Subdomains and Deliverability: Why They Matter
Using an email subdomain improves the deliverability of your emails. This means your emails end up in recipients' inboxes rather than spam folders. Subdomains offer several benefits to improve deliverability:
- Isolate reputational risks: Marketing email issues do not affect the primary domain or transactional emails.
- Improve tracking and analysis: Subdomains help monitor the performance of different campaigns more effectively.
- Protect primary domain reputation: Even if a subdomain's reputation declines, your primary domain remains intact for other business operations.
Final Thoughts: A Smart Move for Email Marketing Success
Email subdomains are powerful tools that marketing managers can use to improve email deliverability, maintain sender reputation, and organize campaigns. Whether you're writing simple newsletters or managing multiple campaigns across different departments, setting up one or more subdomains can help streamline your operations and protect your brand's online identity.
With careful planning, proper setup, and ongoing monitoring, email subdomains can open up new opportunities for better campaign management and email performance. Start setting up a subdomain today and take your email marketing strategy to the next level!
Author Biography:
by Jessica Lunk
Digital Marketing Manager
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
