Understanding dedicated vs. shared sending domains

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Learn more about dedicated sending domains, how they differ from a shared domain, and when they may be beneficial for your business to use. In the world of email marketing, your sending infrastructure, including your sending domain, is very important. Mailbox providers like Google, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc. determine whether to block, filter, or deliver your emails based on the reputation of your sending infrastructure or where your emails are being sent from.

If you're interested and ready to set up a dedicated sending domain, please see our resource on how to set up a dedicated sending domain. Note that existing Klaviyo customers who switch to using a dedicated sending domain and have 30 days of send history do not need to rewarm their infrastructure.

Klaviyo’s default setup

When onboarding onto the Klaviyo platform, records are automatically set up to ensure your emails will be delivered to your recipients. These records include your sending domain or where your emails appear to be sent from. By default, most users will start out sending from a shared IP and Klaviyo domain. This domain will appear in the sender information at the top of an email message as shown below (e.g., “sent on behalf of '' or “via klaviyomail.com”). In the example below from Gmail, your recipients see that your sender email address includes "via klaviyomail.com” because you are using a shared sending domain.

Inside an email inbox showing an example of an email sent from the via klaviyo sending domain

If you're interested in using a dedicated sending domain, please see our set up resource.

Existing Klaviyo customers who have at least a 30 day sending history with their account, do not need to rewarm their infrastructure if switching to a dedicated sending domain.

What is a dedicated sending domain, and why would you use this?

In contrast, a dedicated domain allows you to send emails that appear to be coming from your brand instead of Klaviyo. Any company is eligible to create a dedicated sending domain. This changes (or removes entirely) the "via klaviyomail.com" message that is displayed beside your sender email address.

Note that if you choose to set up a dedicated sending domain, you will need to use a unique subdomain that is not used for any other purpose. A subdomain is a secondary part to your root domain. For example, if your dedicated sending domain is hello@send.yourbrand.com, your subdomain would be the “send” portion. Learn more about how to set up a dedicated sending domain.

Benefits of a dedicated sending domain
Connecting a dedicated sending domain allows you to use your brand’s domain name to send emails instead of a Klaviyo domain. It also allows you to build a sending reputation on your domain and limit any negative impact to your domain reputation and deliverability from shared senders. In other words, you are the only one that will send from your domain and thus affect your reputation.

Mailbox providers like Gmail, Microsoft, or Yahoo are always monitoring activity by senders and domains. If these providers see that email using a domain is often marked as spam, rarely opened, or quickly opened and then deleted, that domain may acquire a negative reputation over time. If you are on a shared sending domain, this means that all Klaviyo customers will use the same shared domains by default. This could also mean that you will inherit these shared domains' reputations. Even though these domains are consistently reviewed and we work to ensure accounts are using very clean opt-in lists, you may want to take deliverability entirely into your own hands. With a dedicated domain you will have more control over your own sender reputation.

Drawbacks of dedicated sending domain
If you are on a brand new domain or new to email altogether, your domain will not have an email sending reputation yet. Thus, a dedicated sending domain may not be a good option right away. Mailbox providers and filter software may look at the domain age and not trust your mail.

In this case, it is best to use the shared sending domain while you develop an email reputation on the brand's domain by using it in the "friendly from address" first. Once you have sent consistent messaging with positive results over 30 days you can safely set up your dedicated sending domain. It is still important to remember best practices by not sending to unengaged or purchased lists, as your domain is still young and this can ‌quickly damage your sending reputation.

Learn more about how to set up a dedicated sending domain. Note that existing Klaviyo customers who switch to using a dedicated sending domain and have already sent from their account do not need to rewarm their infrastructure.

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