The Step-by-Step Checklist to Warm Up a New Domain

Launching a new domain is exciting — but if you start blasting cold emails right away, Gmail and Outlook will bury you in spam faster than you can say “unsubscribe.”

The fix? A structured warm-up process that builds trust with email service providers. Below is the ultimate 2025 checklist — follow it, and your new domain will be inbox-ready in no time.

✅ Step 1: Set Up Proper Authentication

Before sending a single email, lock in the basics:

• SPF record: Authorize your sending servers.
• DKIM record: Add a cryptographic signature.
• DMARC policy: Tell ESPs what to do if checks fail.

No authentication = instant spam suspicion.

👉 Related reading: Why Your Emails Land in Spam (and How to Fix It)

✅ Step 2: Start with a Small Daily Volume

• Begin at 5–10 emails/day.
• Increase gradually (10–20% per week).
• Avoid sending campaigns or bulk promotions during this phase.

Slow and steady = safe.

✅ Step 3: Mix in Engagement Signals

• Ask colleagues or test accounts to open, star, and reply.
• Mark emails as important.
• Move any spammed messages back to Inbox.

This tells Gmail/Outlook: “People want these emails.”

👉 Related reading: What is Email & Domain Warm-Up — Why It Matters (2025 Guide)

✅ Step 4: Use Human-Like Content

• Write natural subject lines.
• Keep body text simple — avoid spammy words like FREE, $$$, Buy Now.
• Limit links (1–2 max).

Remember: ESPs analyze content + engagement together.

✅ Step 5: Track Core Metrics

Don’t guess. Measure:

• Inbox vs Spam placement
• Reply rate
• Bounce rate
• Domain health score

If numbers dip, pause scaling until stability returns.

✅ Step 6: Keep the Warm-Up Going

Even after 30 days, don’t just stop:

• Maintain a steady flow of replies.
• Keep volumes consistent.
• Rotate sending across team inboxes if possible.

Pro tip: Use AutoWarm’s “auto-maintain mode” to handle this automatically while you focus on selling.

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📋 Quick Warm-Up Checklist

• Add SPF, DKIM, DMARC
• Start with 5–10 emails/day
• Increase gradually each week
• Simulate opens, stars, replies
• Avoid spammy content
• Track metrics daily
• Maintain reputation even after “warm”

🚀 Final Takeaway

A warmed-up domain is your passport to the inbox. Do it right, and you’ll see higher open rates, more replies, and better conversions. Do it wrong, and you’ll be stuck in spam hell.

AutoWarm takes this manual checklist and automates it with AI-powered warm-up flows — saving you weeks of effort while protecting your sender reputation.