How to Filter Email Providers for Accounts

Navigate to Settings -> Email Services -> Location Settings and click the "Filter" button. All your account email service records will be available on the page.

We have three options in the Filter:

1. LeadConnector
2. Mailgun
3. Others (account using their own email service provider)

Filter by LeadConnector

• This option allows you to find all accounts that use LeadConnector as their default email service. 
• You also have the flexibility to combine filters to narrow down your search further. For example, you can filter accounts by both domain name and email validation status simultaneously.
• Filter by Dedicated Domain name.
• Filter by Email validation enabled/disabled account.

Filter by Mailgun

• This option allows you to find all accounts that use Mailgun as their default email service.
• You have the option to filter by Mailgun dedicated domain.

Filter by Other

• This option allows you to find all accounts that use their own email service providers.

Migrate an Account Over to LC - Email

• Navigate to Settings -> Email Services -> Location Settings.
• Choose the account and click the Pencil icon.

• Choose LeadConnector, select your dedicated domain, or set Fallback to Default (platform default domain), and save the settings.

Bulk Migration of Accounts to LC - Email

1. Navigate to Settings -> Email Services -> Location Settings and click the "Filter" button. All your account email service records will be available on the page.

2. Based on your filter, you can move the account to LC Email. Discover more about our filtering capabilities by clicking here.

3. Example for moving Mailgun accounts to LC Email:

• Transfer all Mailgun accounts or specific Mailgun dedicated domain accounts.

• Navigate to Settings -> Email Services -> Location Settings and click the "Filter" button.
• You have two options:
• Select Mailgun to filter all the Mailgun accounts.
• Select Mailgun and a dedicated domain to filter all accounts associated with Mailgun dedicated domains.
• All Mailgun accounts will be filtered. Click the checkbox near the Location name and use the "Select all" option in the table header.

• Click the "Manage" button and select Migrate to LC under the Request type. Click Confirm to select the LC dedicated domain. 

• Choose the dedicated domain and click Confirm to migrate the accounts to LC Email.

Include LC - Email Dedicated Domains for Accounts

• Navigate to Settings -> Email Services -> Location Settings.
• Choose the account and click the Pencil icon.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I Transfer a Dedicated Domain from One Account to Another?
  You have to delete the domain and add it to the other account.

        Or

        Add the domain at the platform level and share it with one or more accounts. Click here to learn more.

• Can I Share a Dedicated Domain with Accounts?
  Yes, you can share it with accounts.
• Filter the accounts using the filter or by name and click Manage.
• Select Migrate to LC under Request type and select the domain.

Note: By default, the platform's default dedicated domain will be shared with accounts that do not have a dedicated domain.

• Can I Share a Dedicated Domain from One Account with Other Accounts?
  No, domains created under an account cannot be shared with other accounts or with the platform.

This guide will help you add and verify your email domain.

Verifying your domain is really important before you start sending emails. It is recommended for everyone to do this to track opens and clicks, stop spam, and ensure only you and your team can send emails from your domain.

Step 1: Add Your Domain

Once you are in your account, click on Settings > Email Services > Dedicated Domain and IP > + Add Domain. 

Enter the domain you want to use in the “Enter domain name” field, then click "Add & Verify."

Please note: We recommend using a subdomain for better email deliverability.

Step 2: Verify Your Domain
Here are two options for you: Connect through your DNS provider or set up manually. 

Option 1: Connect Your Domain (Auto Configure DNS)
This is the easiest method to verify and authenticate your domain. It uses the built-in connection with many top DNS providers to automatically set up DNS records. This way, you can verify and authenticate your domain in just one simple process.

Click “Continue” on the next modal. 

The system will detect your DNS provider and then guide you directly to their platform.

Note: The "Configure Domain" option may not be compatible with all DNS providers. If the system is unable to identify your provider, the records will be shown in a modal window. Click here to manually add the DNS records.

The example below shows the DNS provider as Cloudflare. To move forward, you will need to have the credentials to log into your DNS provider.

Click “Authorize domain” on the next modal.

Log in to your DNS provider. This will look slightly different for each provider. In this example, it’s Cloudflare. The login method will also be slightly different for each DNS provider.

The DNS provider may ask you to enter a confirmation code emailed or texted to you.

Click “Authorize” on the Cloudflare page.

You will be redirected to the domain verification page.

Note: It might take anywhere from 1 to 10 minutes for DNS changes to spread across the internet. Typically, it happens faster, but don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away.

DMARC: If you’ve already added the policy to your root domain, you can skip adding the DMARC record for the subdomain.

If everything is set correctly, you’ll see a Verified status like this:

Option 2: Set Up Manually
Once you've added the domain, if the system couldn’t identify your provider, the records will be displayed for you to view. 

Most DNS providers will typically require the following information to set up your DNS records:

Root domain example:

Sub-domain example:

If everything is set correctly, you’ll see a Verified status like this:

You will be redirected to the Dedicated Domain page where you can see the active status.

Note: After your domain is verified, issuing the SSL certificate may take between 1 to 10 minutes. 

Usually, it happens faster, but don’t worry if it doesn’t happen immediately.

In order to use the SMTP server, you need to use the SMTP credentials associated with your domain.

Please note that the SMTP credentials are unique for each domain you add. If you want to check the list of currently added users, or add more users, you can easily do so by accessing your domain settings.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols.

How to Create SMTP Credentials

SMTP credentials can be created at the account level (not the platform-assigned domain) and not at the broader platform level.

Navigate to Account Settings -> Email Service -> SMTP Service -> Dedicated Domain and IP -> SMTP Settings under the dedicated domain.

Click the "Create New SMTP User" and add a username and password to create the credential.

Please note that only a maximum of five SMTP credentials can be created for a dedicated domain.

SMTP Settings

• SMTP Server Address: smtp.mailgun.org
• Secure Connection: TLS/SSL based on your mail client/website SMTP plugin
• SMTP Username: [YourGivenName@DomainName.com]
• SMTP Password: [YourGivenPassword]
• SMTP port: 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

What Ports Does Mailgun Support?

Our servers listen on ports 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

How to Reset SMTP Password

To finalize the password reset process, kindly click on the "Reset Password" button located in the pop-up modal.

How to Delete SMTP Credentials

To delete the SMTP credential, kindly click on the "Delete" button located in the pop-up modal.

Email Pricing

We charge $0.675 for 1,000 emails for all plans at a lower cost than most major SMTP providers, compared to $0.80/1,000 with Mailgun.

Account view > Billing > Credits:
All incoming and outgoing emails (To, CC, and BCC) will be charged.

Where Can I Find My IMAP Settings?

IMAP is used to retrieve messages, and SMTP is for sending data.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols. You cannot use the SMTP credentials in IMAP settings.

You can find your IMAP settings with your email provider.

Example:

If you are using Google, you need to generate an app password in Google:

• Username: Your Email Address
• Password: Your App Password
• IMAP Host: imap.gmail.com
• IMAP Port: 993

Here are the support pages of some email providers that will guide you on obtaining the IMAP hostnames:

• Amazon AWS
• Hostgator
• Ionos
• Kinghost
• Rackspace
• TransIP
• Bluehost
• Titan
• Dreamhost
• InMotion

Verizon

• IMAP Host: imap.verizon.net
• IMAP Port: 995

AOL

• IMAP Host: imap.aol.com
• IMAP Port: 993

If your provider is not listed here, we recommend reaching out to your email service provider for IMAP settings.

In order to use the SMTP server, you need to use the SMTP credentials associated with your domain.

Please note that the SMTP credentials are unique for each domain you add. If you want to check the list of currently added users, or add more users, you can easily do so by accessing your domain settings.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols.

How to Create SMTP Credentials

SMTP credentials can be created at the account level (not the platform-assigned domain) and not at the broader platform level.

Navigate to Account Settings -> Email Service -> SMTP Service -> Dedicated Domain and IP -> SMTP Settings under the dedicated domain.

Click the "Create New SMTP User" and add a username and password to create the credential.

Please note that only a maximum of five SMTP credentials can be created for a dedicated domain.

SMTP Settings

• SMTP Server Address: smtp.mailgun.org
• Secure Connection: TLS/SSL based on your mail client/website SMTP plugin
• SMTP Username: [YourGivenName@DomainName.com]
• SMTP Password: [YourGivenPassword]
• SMTP port: 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

What Ports Does Mailgun Support?

Our servers listen on ports 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

How to Reset SMTP Password

To finalize the password reset process, kindly click on the "Reset Password" button located in the pop-up modal.

How to Delete SMTP Credentials

To delete the SMTP credential, kindly click on the "Delete" button located in the pop-up modal.

Email Pricing

We charge $0.675 for 1,000 emails for all plans at a lower cost than most major SMTP providers, compared to $0.80/1,000 with Mailgun.

Account view > Billing > Credits:
All incoming and outgoing emails (To, CC, and BCC) will be charged.

Where Can I Find My IMAP Settings?

IMAP is used to retrieve messages, and SMTP is for sending data.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols. You cannot use the SMTP credentials in IMAP settings.

You can find your IMAP settings with your email provider.

Example:

If you are using Google, you need to generate an app password in Google:

• Username: Your Email Address
• Password: Your App Password
• IMAP Host: imap.gmail.com
• IMAP Port: 993

Here are the support pages of some email providers that will guide you on obtaining the IMAP hostnames:

• Amazon AWS
• Hostgator
• Ionos
• Kinghost
• Rackspace
• TransIP
• Bluehost
• Titan
• Dreamhost
• InMotion

Verizon

• IMAP Host: imap.verizon.net
• IMAP Port: 995

AOL

• IMAP Host: imap.aol.com
• IMAP Port: 993

If your provider is not listed here, we recommend reaching out to your email service provider for IMAP settings.

In order to use the SMTP server, you need to use the SMTP credentials associated with your domain.

Please note that the SMTP credentials are unique for each domain you add. If you want to check the list of currently added users, or add more users, you can easily do so by accessing your domain settings.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols.

How to Create SMTP Credentials

SMTP credentials can be created at the account level (not the platform-assigned domain) and not at the broader platform level.

Navigate to Account Settings -> Email Service -> SMTP Service -> Dedicated Domain and IP -> SMTP Settings under the dedicated domain.

Click the "Create New SMTP User" and add a username and password to create the credential.

Please note that only a maximum of five SMTP credentials can be created for a dedicated domain.

SMTP Settings

• SMTP Server Address: smtp.mailgun.org
• Secure Connection: TLS/SSL based on your mail client/website SMTP plugin
• SMTP Username: [YourGivenName@DomainName.com]
• SMTP Password: [YourGivenPassword]
• SMTP port: 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

What Ports Does Mailgun Support?

Our servers listen on ports 25, 465 (SSL/TLS), 587 (STARTTLS), and 2525.

How to Reset SMTP Password

To finalize the password reset process, kindly click on the "Reset Password" button located in the pop-up modal.

How to Delete SMTP Credentials

To delete the SMTP credential, kindly click on the "Delete" button located in the pop-up modal.

Email Pricing

We charge $0.675 for 1,000 emails for all plans at a lower cost than most major SMTP providers, compared to $0.80/1,000 with Mailgun.

Account view > Billing > Credits:
All incoming and outgoing emails (To, CC, and BCC) will be charged.

Where Can I Find My IMAP Settings?

IMAP is used to retrieve messages, and SMTP is for sending data.

Note: Since the platform does not host mailboxes, we do not offer support for POP or IMAP protocols. You cannot use the SMTP credentials in IMAP settings.

You can find your IMAP settings with your email provider.

Example:

If you are using Google, you need to generate an app password in Google:

• Username: Your Email Address
• Password: Your App Password
• IMAP Host: imap.gmail.com
• IMAP Port: 993

Here are the support pages of some email providers that will guide you on obtaining the IMAP hostnames:

• Amazon AWS
• Hostgator
• Ionos
• Kinghost
• Rackspace
• TransIP
• Bluehost
• Titan
• Dreamhost
• InMotion

Verizon

• IMAP Host: imap.verizon.net
• IMAP Port: 995

AOL

• IMAP Host: imap.aol.com
• IMAP Port: 993

If your provider is not listed here, we recommend reaching out to your email service provider for IMAP settings.

When recipients open your email, it's generally more advantageous to display your company name instead of "Sent by Mailgun" or another third-party service. By configuring reverse DNS (rDNS), mailbox providers can be directed to present your company name in the "From" or "Sender" field. This approach not only elevates the professionalism of your email communications but also strengthens your brand identity.

Furthermore, featuring your company name in the "From" field rather than a third-party service yields enhanced deliverability and tracking benefits. It fosters trust with recipients, diminishes the chance of your emails being flagged as spam, and assures consistent branding across your email campaigns.

In summary, applying your company name via reverse DNS settings presents a more positive, brand-centric method for email communications, enhancing both deliverability and tracking.

What is reverse DNS (rDNS)?

Reverse DNS (rDNS) is essentially the reverse of a standard DNS query. Instead of mapping a domain name to an IP address, rDNS translates an IP address to its associated hostname. This process is applicable to both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and verifies the authenticity of the sending email server.

In practical applications, rDNS converts the IP address of the sending email server into its corresponding hostname (e.g., example.com). This verification affirms that the IP address relates to a legitimate domain. In email marketing, this allows you to use services like email providers to display your company as the sender, rather than "Sent by Mailgun.com".

To clarify, this is distinct from masking the CNAME of mailgun.org in your DNS settings. Here, we're focusing on rDNS configuration for your dedicated IP used for emailing. Proper rDNS setup improves your email deliverability and branding by ensuring your company name is showcased as the sender in recipients' inboxes.

Common rDNS mistakes

Setting rDNS records accurately is vital for email deliverability and upholding a reputable sender status. Some frequent rDNS pitfalls include:

• Incorrect PTR Record: One common mistake is not having a valid PTR (Pointer) record associated with your IP address. A PTR record is essential for verifying that the sending mail server matches the IP address claimed in the email message. Ensure that your PTR record is set up correctly and returns a hostname for the IP address being queried.

• Mismatched Hostname: The hostname returned by the PTR record should resolve back to the same IP address. This means that the IP address should point to the hostname, and the hostname should point back to the same IP address. If there's a mismatch, it can lead to rDNS lookup failures. For example, if your PTR record is set to return "mail.yourwebsite.com" for IP address 8.8.8.8, it's crucial that when you perform an rDNS lookup for "mail.yourwebsite.com," it resolves to 8.8.8.8.

• Hostname Resolution Failure: In some cases, the hostname specified in the PTR record may not resolve at all. This is a significant problem as it can lead to delivery issues and a lack of trust with email providers. To resolve this issue, ensure that the specified hostname resolves to the correct IP address.

In summary, rDNS is a critical component of email authentication and deliverability. To avoid common rDNS mistakes, make sure your PTR records are set up correctly and that the hostname returned by the PTR record accurately maps to the associated IP address. This alignment helps establish trust with email providers and improves the chances of your emails reaching recipients' inboxes.

How to set up rDNS?

It's important to note that setting up reverse DNS (rDNS) with multiple hostnames can only be done when using a dedicated IP. Shared IPs do not support this functionality, as rDNS can resolve to only one hostname per IP address. Utilizing a dedicated IP for this purpose adds a professional touch to your email communications and can positively influence your reputation with inbox providers.

To set up rDNS with multiple hostnames on your dedicated IP, follow the steps below:

1. Input the “A record” into your zone file at your hosting provider. An “A record” will look something like this: A, mail.customer.com, 123.45.67.89

2. Navigate to your account settings -> email service.

3. In the SMTP service tab, click on the Dedicated Domain and IP section.

4. Go to the dedicated IP section, click on the three dots in dedicated IP, and click on Reverse DNS (PTR).

5. Provide the same A record that you have added in the input, and we’ll update the PTR record on our end to match the hostname you’re using.

Introduction
This guide is designed to give users everything they need to know to avoid the SPAM folder and land their emails into the Inbox. Below you will find a detailed guide on how to get sending emails in the platform.

Caution: Ignoring this guide can result in emails going to SPAM. We want your emails to arrive in the inbox and not in the SPAM folder. Please learn and apply this guide to your Email Sending Practices.

Who is this guide for?
While this guide is for anyone sending emails in the platform... It is specifically designed for those utilizing Email services and Email Dedicated Domain Features. Those utilizing a Custom SMTP Provider will need to consult their provider. Our team will be limited on how much we can assist in some of the email compliance and best practices as they are not managed by us.

Email Best Practices
Now that your new sending domain is set up, it is critical for you to set yourself up for a successful landing into people’s inboxes and NOT their spam folder. Before you get started sending, ensure you have set up and followed these necessary best practices.

1. Set Up a Dedicated Email Sending Domain
What is it? Your Sending Domain is how the internet routes emails. Rather than sharing the domain provided for all users, a dedicated email domain is a single private domain you use to send and receive emails. Within the platform, when you are using the platform's Email service, you have the ability to create your own dedicated domain. If you are using a non-platform Email (or SMTP Provider), you will not have this ability in-app.

Why it matters? Not having a Dedicated Email Sending Domain often results in your emails going into SPAM despite good emailing practices. When you set up a Dedicated Email Sending Domain, you can gain full control of your reputation and email deliverability. This means you can work your way into all emails going into the inbox while avoiding that SPAM folder.

How to Set it Up? If you haven't already, it is highly recommended to have your own Dedicated Domain for sending emails. To set up your Dedicated Email Sending Domain, check out this step-by-step guide.

What if I already have a Dedicated Email Sending Domain and my Emails are going to SPAM? If this describes you, please click here to learn more.

2. Set Up a Dedicated Sending IP Address
What is it? Dedicated IPs offer a distinct advantage by sending your email messages from a unique, exclusive IP address. Email service providers (ESPs) closely monitor the reputation and behavior of an IP address to determine the deliverability of emails linked to specific domains associated with that IP.

Getting a dedicated IP address provides your organization with exclusive ownership, giving you full control over the management of the email sender's reputation and deliverability tied to that IP. Learn more here: What is a Dedicated Sending IP Address?

Why it matters? If you have a platform Email Dedicated Sending Domain (see point 1 above), you share the same Sending IP Address with all other users on the platform. Mailbox providers give a reputation to IP addresses, so this could negatively impact your sending, especially at high volume. A dedicated sending IP address helps you control more of your email-sending health to build your own IP reputation. This becomes more important when sending high-volume, especially 200k emails or more.

How to Set it Up? While everyone can benefit from a Dedicated Sending IP, businesses sending more than 200,000 emails a week will benefit the most from this service. To set up and learn more about Dedicated Sending IP Address, check out this guide.

What are the Costs? $59 per month per IP. The amount is billed to the billing card on file. You can set up rebilling to cover this cost by rebilling the client this amount. Learn more about the pricing here.

3. Enable Email Validation
What is it? Email Validation will check if the email you are sending is valid or not. Sending to an invalid email can negatively impact your email deliverability.

Why it matters? If you send emails that do not exist or are not valid, it harms your domain reputation leading to poor email deliverability. This means emails will go to spam or not be accepted into the mailbox at all.

How to enable it? We’ve actually made it as easy as possible to validate your emails; it is a setting in your account's settings.

Enabling Email Verification for your account:

• Account View > Business Profile > Scroll to the “Verify Email Address when the first email is sent to a new contact” checkbox.
• Email Validation every 90 days: Account View > Accounts > Click on the account name > Scroll down to “Enable Re-validation for 90 days.”

Learn more here: How to enable and rebill platform Email Validation.

What are the Costs? We charge $2.50 for 1,000 Email Validations, which is a lower cost than most major providers (compared to $12/1,000 with MailGun, which is 79% cheaper). See How to enable and rebill platform Email Validation.

4. Enable “Mark Email Invalid from Hard Bounce.”
What is it? An email bounce occurs when an email is not delivered or rejected by the recipient's email provider. There are two types of bounces:

• A hard bounce occurs when an email address does not exist.
• A soft bounce is a temporary failure, like the recipient servers being down or the mailbox being full.

Why it matters? Too many bounced emails will harm your domain reputation, leading to emails going to SPAM. This is why marking hard-bounced emails as invalid is important to enable.

How to enable it? You can choose to mark emails as invalid if they bounce from within your account settings.

Enabling Email Verification for the account:

• Account View > Business Profile > Scroll to the “Mark Emails as invalid due to Hard Bounce” checkbox.

Learn more here: What is email Bounce Suspension, and how to avoid it.

5. Add Your DMARC Record
What is it? A DMARC Record provides instructions to receiving servers about how to handle incoming mail. In order to get delivered, messages need to pass DKIM and SPF alignment checks according to the requirements set by the DMARC policy. Messages that do not pass DMARC checks can be rejected, reported back to the domain owner, or placed in the spam folder.

Why Add it? Not having a DMARC Record can negatively impact your domain reputation and email deliverability. Often, mailbox providers count it against you when DMARC Records are not set up properly, resulting in emails going to SPAM.

How to Add it? To add a DMARC record, you must log into your DNS provider and add the following TXT record:

• Type: “TXT”
• Name: “_dmarc”
• Content: “v=DMARC1; p=reject"

To confirm your DMARC Record is applied correctly, you can use this DMARC Checker.

6. Use the Proper “From Email”
What is it? The “From Email” is the email a recipient will see when receiving an email. For example, your Sending Domain might be “mail.yourplatformdomain.com” however, you can send your From Email as “test@yourplatformdomain.com” or as “test@mail.yourplatformdomain.com.”

Why it matters? Using a “From Email” that does not match the primary domain you are sending from can result in poor email deliverability.

How to Set It Up? Whenever you are sending from the platform, be sure your “From Email” has your primary domain in the “From Email.” So if you set up "replies.company.com" as the sending domain, you can then send from sender_name@company.com because the root domains match. Do not set the "From Email" with an email that does not contain the root domain, which in this case is "company.com."

For example, if I have a sending domain of “mail.yourplatformdomain.com” – My From Email needs to have “yourplatformdomain.com” in the email address, such as “user-test@yourplatformdomain.com.” Any other record will result in poor email deliverability.

See more information here: Masking Sender Emails - From Name & Address.

7. Add Unsubscribe Links
What is it? An unsubscribe link allows your users to “unsubscribe” from receiving emails from you in the future.

Why it matters? Not having an unsubscribe link will severely harm your email deliverability rates.

How to Set It Up? We make it as easy as possible to add an unsubscribe link to all of your emails. Within the email builder, use the “Footer” element. Be sure to use this or edit and create your own.

You have two options: you can use the default unsubscribe link we’ve automatically set up for you, or you can create your own!

• Default Unsubscribe Link Set Up: If you are using the platform Email service, it’s quick and easy to use the default unsubscribe links. This will not work for non-platform Email users. Refer to the next point for non-platform Email users.

• Custom Unsubscribe Link Set Up: Make the best possible unsubscribe link and process, giving you full control. Get started here with this Custom Unsubscribe Link Set Up Help Doc.

8. Use Double Opt-In
What is it? A Double Opt-In is when you ask subscribers to opt-in twice. For example, they fill out a form and then “verify” their email address by clicking a link to “Verify” their email. Only after someone has double opted-in will you start sending them emails. This is in contrast to a single opt-in, which will start sending emails to recipients right after the first opt-in.

Why it matters? Double opt-ins are highly beneficial to your domain reputation and email deliverability. This is because users have double opt-in to receive emails from you. Think about it… the act of a recipient receiving their first email from you, then opening and clicking on a link within this email, looks really good for your domain. In addition, it ensures your list knows and wants to receive emails from you. This is invaluable when list building.

How to Set It Up? To set up a Double Opt-In Email Flow, some quick building is required in the platform. See how to build a Double Opt-In Flow here: How To Build A Double Opt-In Flow.

9. Stop Sending to Unengaged Emails
What is it? As simple as it sounds… When sending to your email list, do not send to unengaged emails. Meaning if they do not take the action to open or perform the next step in your campaign, stop sending to them.

Why does it matter? When you send to a more engaged group of people, your emails go into the inbox more often. Fewer open or links clicked (engagement) will result in emails going to spam.

How do I do this? If you have been sending to the same person who has taken no action for weeks, send to them less frequently or not at all.

While it hurts to trim the list, it’ll hurt more to ruin your email deliverability due to unengaged recipients. It just isn’t worth it, and there are no hard feelings for users not wanting to engage with you. Focus your efforts on those that ARE engaging with you.

It is better to stop sending to an unengaged recipient than it is to have them "unsubscribe" or "mark as SPAM."

10. Send Regularly… Just Not Too Regularly
What is it? Another large factor in your sending domain's reputation is how often you send emails. If you only send out an email blast to your list once a month or once every couple of weeks, it can negatively impact your reputation. In contrast, if you send it every day or multiple times a day, it is just as bad. Especially if in the past you didn’t send it like this.

Why does it matter? Thus, it is important to consider how often you send. When someone has opted in and is engaging (opening emails, clicking on links in those emails), then you can send a bit more. But after they are not engaged, slow it down to weekly. And as covered above, if users are unengaged, stop sending them altogether. How often you send and how engaged your recipients are can play a huge role in ensuring emails arrive in the inbox.

How do I do this? There are many opinions out there on how often to send and when to send. In general, we've found success in only sending to opt-in (preferably double opt-in) recipients. After they have signed up, we send them about an email a day for the first 5 days, then we slow down to a couple a week. This continues until they take the action we want. If they take no action after 20 days, we only send weekly emails until we have another planned promotion.

Email Warm-Up
Mailbox providers will often flag emails from new dedicated email domains as SPAM. This makes sense because anyone can make a new sending domain (like a spammer, for example) and start sending. Utilizing the Email Best Practices above and the Email Sending Recommendations below will greatly improve your chances of landing in the inbox and converting those leads! 

Email Sending Recommendations
When sending your first emails to warm up your domain, you should only send to emails that have opted-in. Further, you need to follow the “Email Sending Recommendations” below to ensure you aren’t sending too many emails within a single day or hour.

What this reveals is how many emails you can send within a single day or a single hour. So for the first emails I send, I should send no more than 100 per hour and 1,000 in that day. When I go to send my next emails, I move into stage two. In stage two, I can now send 300 per hour with a total of 2,500 emails in a day. It’s important to remember that the stage isn’t just how long you’ve had the domain; it is the current stage or time in which you go to send emails.

Pro Tips for Sending Your First Warm-Up Emails

• Follow the Email Best Practices above.
• Follow the Email Sending Recommendations above.
• Send fewer emails per day or hour if you can at the beginning.
• Send only to opted-in emails with higher chances of engagement.
• Cold emailing, or emailing to people who haven’t opted-in, needs to go through a list-cleaning process. It is not recommended to do cold emailing during the early processes of warm-up. Cold emailing tends to result in poor email deliverability. Learn more about Cold Emailing below.
• Keep the content of your emails short and to the point.
• Add an appropriate image if you can.
• Do not use a Public Link Shortener like bit.ly or tiny.url.

Email Tools
Are you wanting to test, track, or monitor your email domain? Below you will find several powerful tools for troubleshooting and monitoring your email sending and health.

1. Test the Spammyness of Your Emails
The content of your email can impact its deliverability. For example, too much text or using a URL shortener can greatly impact how mailbox providers rate your emails. If an email seems too “SPAM”-like, the mailbox provider will flag the email as SPAM.

You can see how “spammy” your emails are by utilizing this free tool: https://www.mail-tester.com/.

• Copy the email provided.
• Create a new contact in the platform with this new email address you copied.
• Send your email to this new contact email address.
• Navigate back to Mail-Tester and click “Then check my score.”
• Review the score and make adjustments.

If you are worried or seeing emails go to SPAM, this can be a helpful tool in seeing if your content is to blame. Make adjustments based on the feedback you receive.

2. Review Your “Email Health Report”
To quickly check for errors in your domain, such as if it is blacklisted, missing a DMARC, etc., you can paste your sending domain into this “Email Health Report” tool: https://mxtoolbox.com/emailhealth. This will show any number of potential issues with your domain and is a great place to begin troubleshooting or checking your domain reputation.

3. Advanced: Use Postmaster Tools to Monitor Outgoing Email
Utilizing the information of every Google mailbox user you send to from your domain, the Google Postmaster tool will monitor and return valuable information on how your ongoing emails are performing. Complete with:

• Spam rate
• IP Reputation
• Domain Reputation
• Feedback Loop
• Authentication
• Encryption
• Delivery errors

This information is invaluable when trying to see what is impacting your sending email deliverability. Just use the tool to add a record to your sending domain to see how you are doing today!

Please note: it can take up to two days or more for Google to get the data for some of your reports. Refresh your page and clear the cache or use an incognito window to ensure it is not a caching issue.

See more information on how to use the Google Postmaster Tool here.

Troubleshooting
Remember, there are many reasons why emails can go to spam. For example, did you know using URL shorteners results in a much higher chance of going to SPAM? Email sending can be a complicated process, which is why this guide was created. As you review why emails are going to spam, you can follow this guide above as well as review the questions below.

In the event of your emails going to SPAM, it’s best to check the following:

1. Check how long you have been sending emails.
   It can take up to 4 weeks for a domain to be fully warmed up.
   If it is less than four weeks, stay focused on the Email Best Practices & Email Sending Recommendations noted above.
   In addition, use the “Email Tools” section above to monitor and improve your email sending.

2. Check Your MX Records
   Confirm your MX records are installed correctly.
   See the "Review Your Email Health Report" section above.

3. Ensure Your DMARC is Set Up
   Confirm your DMARC records are installed correctly.
   See the "Add Your DMARC Record" section above.

4. Reach out to Support
   If after confirming the top three steps (and the content above), you still need assistance, reach out to Support for further help.

FAQs

What about Cold Email Outreach?
Cold emailing is sending to a list of emails that you purchased or received without the recipient having opted-in to receive messages from you. It is not recommended to send emails to those who have not opted-in. This is especially true when warming up a new Dedicated Sending domain. If you choose to cold email, we have included a number of pro tips and even some additional third-party services you can try in combination with your platform.

Cold Email Outreach Pro Tips:

• Follow the Best Email Practices above, especially...
  • Ensure Email Validation is enabled.
  • Ensure “Mark Email Invalid from Hard Bounce” is enabled.
  • Follow Email Sending Recommendations.
• Send Low Volume.
  When you go to send your cold emails, drip them out slower than you think.
• Only send cold emails after your domain is warmed up. For example, if possible, send cold emails only after your domain has been properly warmed up.
• Don’t send cold emails using your primary sending domain. It is encouraged to not use your primary sending domain for cold email outreach as it could ruin all of your other emails.
• Creating a separate account and Dedicated Domain is encouraged to ensure you protect your primary domain.

Third-Party Cold Email Services:
Some clients have found success using third-party cold email tools. Then, after they are confirmed engaged leads on these third-party tools, they bring them into the platform (such as via an API call or by a .CSV Upload). This way their main sending domain is protected while their third-party tool works the cold emails in the best way possible.

Please note: the following third-party cold email links are unaffiliated with us. We have heard many of our clients suggesting them, however, they are not affiliated with us. We do not support these tools in-app, and our team may have little knowledge of them. We simply hope these links help get you another step closer to your goals.

• https://instantly.ai
• https://smartlead.ai

What if I already have a Dedicated Email Sending Domain and my Emails are going to SPAM?
If you are just sending your first emails with your new domain, it is normal for them to go to SPAM at first. Follow the steps in this guide, and it will improve.

If you have had your Dedicated Domain for a while and/or you have already sent hundreds or thousands of emails, it is generally best to create a new dedicated sending domain rather than attempting to fix your current one. Making a new sending domain is easy; you just need to add a new Sub-Domain—no need to purchase an entirely new domain. After creating your new one, follow these steps in detail.

Should I Share the Same Dedicated Sending Domain Across Multiple Accounts?
No, it is not recommended to share a sending domain across multiple accounts. When you share your sending domain, the differences in content and usage across accounts can harm your sending. It’s best to have a unique sending domain per account.

In addition, it is actually better to split up your sending when sending one-to-one, via bulk actions/workflows, and for notifications. This will give you further control and assistance in isolating issues and maintaining healthy email deliverability.

What is Email Warm-Up?
We will first need to “Warm Up” your email domain. As this is a NEW Dedicated Sending Domain, it does not have any reputation—good or bad. However, mailbox providers will often flag emails from new domains as SPAM. This makes sense because anyone can make a new sending domain (like a spammer, for example) and start sending. 

What is Email Deliverability?
In short, “Email Deliverability” refers to how well your emails are placed in the inbox (not the spam or promotions or another place). For simplicity, you can think of email deliverability as your ability to send an email and have it arrive in the Inbox and not SPAM.

Email deliverability is super complex, consisting of dozens of unique factors. The most common ones are Sender Reputation, Subscriber Engagement, List Health, Consistency, and even your email content… When a mailbox receives an email, it considers all of these factors when choosing where to place the inbound email.

What is Domain Reputation?
Domain reputation is the rating or score given to your domain. The internet and mailbox providers rate your domain, giving it a reputation or trust score that helps determine if they should accept emails from your sending domain into the mailbox and whether to place them in spam or promotions.

Domain Reputation, just like Email Deliverability, is complex. What is important is that both will determine how successful you are at landing outgoing emails into an inbox and NOT into the SPAM folder.

Poor Domain Reputation = Poor Email Deliverability
That’s why we’ve outlined your Email Best Practices, Warm Up Sending Recommendations, and some FAQs to help make this complex process as clear as possible.

How Long Until a Domain is Warmed Up?
It can take up to four weeks for your domain to be fully warmed up with no emails going into spam. Ensure you confirm you are practicing all of the Email Best Practices above, and check out our “Email Tools” section above for ways to troubleshoot, monitor, and improve your email deliverability. 

What happens if I want to send more than the recommended amount?
If you skip or do not follow the Email Best Practices or Bulk Email Sending Recommendations, your email deliverability and domain reputation will likely decrease, resulting in emails going to SPAM. In later stages, you will be blacklisted, and emails will not even be accepted by mailbox providers. 

What are the Differences Between platform Email and a Custom SMTP Provider?
It is important to note the difference between the platform Email service and a Custom SMTP Provider. The platform Email is a service created for users, allowing you to create your own custom domain for improved email deliverability.

This is in contrast to Custom SMTP Provider users, who have decided to use their own custom email settings. This option limits how much the platform team can assist in email deliverability as the advanced settings are now managed fully by the user's custom email settings. While our team will try to assist as best we can, many of the advanced settings listed will not be available to you, and you will need to consult your Custom SMTP Provider to set these settings up yourself.

It is recommended to use the platform’s Email Service as it includes a number of proactive steps toward making email sending easier and more effective. You will notice features and settings that are only available on the platform Email service.

What is a Dedicated Domain?
When you sign up for the platform’s Email service, you gain access to a shared domain to send emails from. However, this is shared by all users and is not optimal for email deliverability. When you think about it, this makes sense, as all users share this domain.

With a dedicated domain, you can have greater control over your email deliverability.

How to Send Emails in Drip Mode? (Hourly and Daily Sending)
When sending your emails, it is always wise to use “drip mode” to send your emails out over a period of time rather than all at once. To do so, you can follow the instructions in this article to learn how to perform a “Bulk Action” on the platform. In short, a Bulk action will give you the option to perform a task (like sending an email) over a period of time. This works for Workflows as well.

See Bulk Actions for Contacts & Smartlists.

What is an Email Bounce?
An email bounce occurs when an email is not delivered or rejected by the recipient's email provider. There are two types of bounces:

• A hard bounce occurs when an email address does not exist.
• A soft bounce is a temporary failure, such as the recipient servers being down or the mailbox being full.

The Risk Assessment feature is designed to optimize your email marketing campaigns. Harnessing the power of Bulk Verification, it analyzes your imported contact list, offering detailed insights into deliverability and risk levels. Elevate your email strategy by minimizing bounce rates and enhancing overall deliverability.

Please Note:

Covered in this Article:

What is this feature?

• Risk Categories
• Usage Cases
  
  

How to use this feature?

• Body of the Email that will be sent (Example data)
• Risk Assessment tab

What is this feature?

Our innovative Risk Assessment feature is invaluable for your email marketing endeavors. It scrutinizes your imported contact list, providing a comprehensive overview of email deliverability and potential risks.

Delving into the specifics, it uses our internal Bulk Verification technology to dissect the email list, dividing addresses into categories such as 'deliverable,' 'undeliverable,' 'catch-all,' and 'unknown'. It further segments these categories by risk level: 'high', 'low,' 'medium,' and 'unknown'. This granular insight enables a clearer understanding of your contact list's deliverability prospects.

But it doesn't stop at merely providing data. It enhances your email strategy by helping reduce bounce rates and unnecessary blocks on your email-sending capabilities. It also prompts enabling the email verification feature for those not using it, further improving the overall success rate of your email campaigns.

In essence, this feature is your strategic partner in optimizing the deliverability and effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns, helping you reach your audience more consistently and efficiently.

Risk Categories

Usage Cases:

Bulk email validation is a powerful tool for businesses and organizations of all sizes, and it is used in several practical scenarios. Here are some examples:

Email Marketing Campaigns: Businesses regularly email marketing campaigns, sending newsletters, promotional emails, or updates to their customers. Using a list of unverified emails can lead to high bounce rates, negatively affecting the sender's reputation and deliverability. Bulk email validation helps businesses clean their email lists and ensure they reach their intended audience.

User Registration Validation: When users sign up for a service, they often provide an email address. However, they might make a typo, use an email address that doesn't exist, or provide a fake one. Bulk email validation can help to verify that these emails are valid before they are added to the company's database, ensuring that the company can communicate effectively with its users.

CRM Data Cleaning: Over time, email addresses in a company's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can become outdated. People may leave jobs, change their email addresses, or abandon old accounts. Regularly validating these email addresses in bulk ensures the company's CRM data remains up to date.

E-commerce Platforms: Online retailers must communicate with customers about orders, shipping, and other related issues. Bulk email validation ensures that transactional emails (like order confirmations) and marketing emails reach the customers' inboxes.

Community Updates: Non-profit organizations, clubs, or communities often must send updates to their members. Bulk email validation ensures that these emails don't bounce back and the information reaches all intended recipients.

Education Institutes: Universities, colleges, and schools often communicate with students, parents, or staff through email. Whether it's fee updates, event announcements, or educational material distribution, these institutions must ensure that their emails are not sent to invalid addresses.

Research and Surveys: Many researchers and companies rely on email to distribute surveys and gather responses. They need to be sure that they're sending these critical communications to valid email addresses to get accurate and reliable data.

Job Portals and Recruitment Companies: They often communicate with job seekers and employers via email, sending job notifications, interview schedules, and more. Bulk email validation can help these companies maintain effective communication.

How to use this feature?

Upon importing a CSV to the CRM, if your account is on the LC Email SMTP and you have not enabled the individual Email Validation feature, your imported CSV will be analyzed in the backend. Then, a popup will be displayed and an Email sent to the team members about the risk analysis of that CSV import's Email Addresses. The Email and Popup will encourage users to enable Email Verification.

Body of the Email that will be sent (Example data):

Subject line: Email content for list of high risk

Hi [Friendly Business Name],

We scanned your latest Contact Import and found the following with the email addresses:

Deliverable: 71.84%

High Risk: 17.81%

Activating native email validation can eliminate potential risks by ensuring that you don't send to non-valid email addresses. Once activated, the system will not attempt to send to any email address marked as invalid.

Support article link: support article link here.

If you have any further questions or need assistance managing your email list, please feel free to contact our support team using the blue check mark in-app. We are here to help!

Best regards,

[Admin name]

[Company Name]

Risk Assessment tab:

The Risk Assessment tab in Settings > Email Services > Risk Assessment will keep track of historical data for the imports regarding Email Addresses Risk Assessment.

The Risk Assessment tab provides a comprehensive overview of your email verifications and their results. Here's a breakdown of the user interface:

Records: This shows how many bulk email verification records or jobs are displayed.

Date Range: The date range provided at the top indicates the time frame for the email verification records displayed.

Import Name: This column lists the name of each email verification job. It fetches the name of the Bulk Import action from Bulk Actions. Each name should be unique, as that helps you identify and track the respective job.

Created at: This column displays the exact date and time each job was created. It's formatted in the pattern "Day Month Date Year Time Zone."

No. of Emails: This column shows the total number of email addresses included in each job for verification.

Deliverable (%): This column indicates the percentage of email addresses in the job verified and found to be deliverable or valid.

Undeliverable (%): This column shows the percentage of email addresses in the job that were verified and found to be undeliverable or invalid.

Unknown (%): This column displays the percentage of email addresses in the job that could not be conclusively verified, meaning their deliverability status remains unknown.

FAQs:

What does the Deliverable percentage in the Risk Assessment tab mean? The Deliverable percentage indicates the proportion of email addresses verified and found valid and reachable in a given job. This percentage is calculated by dividing the number of deliverable email addresses by the total number of email addresses in the job, then multiplying the result by 100.

How is the Undeliverable percentage calculated in the Risk Assessment tab? The Undeliverable percentage represents the proportion of email addresses in a specific job verified and found invalid or unreachable. This percentage is determined by dividing the number of undeliverable email addresses by the total number of email addresses in the job, then multiplying the result by 100.

What does the Unknown percentage in the Risk Assessment tab signify? The Unknown percentage shows the proportion of email addresses in a particular job that could not be definitively verified. This means that their deliverability status is unclear. It is calculated by dividing the number of emails with unknown status by the total number of emails in the job, then multiplying the result by 100.

What is the "Import Name" in the Risk Assessment tab? The "Import Name" is a unique identifier for each job or batch of email addresses you submit for verification. It allows you to track and manage each job separately.

Why might the date and time in the "Created at" column be important? The date and time information in the "Created at" column helps you understand when each email verification job was initiated. This can be particularly useful for tracking progress over time or determining the order in which jobs were processed.

Why isn’t every email verified? Not all email addresses can be verified for various reasons, such as server restrictions, privacy settings, or network issues. These email addresses are categorized as 'Unknown.'

What happens if the email server doesn't respond in time? If the email server doesn't respond in a timely manner, the verification system may categorize the email address as 'Unknown.' The system could not determine whether the email address is deliverable or undeliverable.

What do I do if my email list has a high percentage of undeliverable addresses? If your email list contains many undeliverable addresses, it's crucial to clean your list. You can either remove those addresses manually or take advantage of our native email validation feature, which helps prevent sending emails to undeliverable addresses automatically.

Email Validation is a process that checks if an email address is deliverable. In other words, this tool determines if it’s possible to deliver mail to that email address before you send an email.

Please Note:

How to enable Email Validation 

• Navigate to the settings page and click Email Services.
  
• Open the Location Settings Tab
  
• Enable the Email Validation Switch for your account.
  Users of accounts now have the ability to enable or disable email verification. (only for LC Email)

When email verification is enabled by an account user, a notification will be sent to all active admins and the company's registered email address - ATTN: Email Verification Enabled in Account (only for LC Email)

Enable Email Validation Re-billing & Re-verification for 90 days

1. If the account isn't in SaaS Mode already
   Once you are in the view, click on Accounts > Search by account
   
2. Click the three dots icon and select "Switch to SaaS"
3. Click on the account Name OR click on the three dots at the bottom right to Manage Client
4. Scroll down to find the LC Email Verification section.
   Use the slider to set the amount of markup you like to make and hit save!
5. Enable Re-verification for 90 days
   Email does go valid or invalid from time to time due to the MX records changing/not valid, etc. So enabling re-validation for 90 days helps to refresh email validation status. You may set that here:

Please Note:

Email Validation Pricing

We charge $2.5 for 1000 Email Validations for all the plans at a lower cost than most major providers compared to $12/1000 with MailGun, which is 79% cheaper.

Transactions to show what the email charges look like:

Account view > Billing > Credits

How Email Validation works

• All the emails will be validated before sending the email if it's not validated before. There was an option to re-validate the email in 90 days. Before email sending, the validated date will be checked; if it is validated before 90 days, re-validation will happen.
  
  
  On the contact detail page, the user can manually check:
  

• Navigate into the contact record > scroll down the right side > click the envelope icon.

	Red = Invalid or Previously bounced. The error would specify why the email is invalid.
	Green = Verified
	Yellow = Verified

How to Auto-enable Email Validation for new accounts

• Navigate to the settings page and click Email Services.
  
• Open the Advanced Settings Tab
  
• Enable Automatically enable email verification for new accounts

FAQ

What does Email Validation check for?

• The email address syntax is correct.
• The domain is set up to receive email.
• The email address exists.
• The email address isn’t a high-risk address.
• The email address isn’t role-based, such as info@domain.com or admin@domain.com.

Why is Email Validation important?

Email Validation is important because it:

• Boosts your delivery rate by removing invalid email addresses.
• Maintains your mailing list hygiene by keeping your email list up-to-date.
• Improves your email marketing metrics like click-through rate (CTR), open rate, and click-to-open ratio (CTOR).
• Protects your sender's reputation.

How does Email Validation impact my email deliverability?

Email deliverability is highly impacted by bounced emails. Decrease email bounces by performing email Validation ahead of time.
Your IP address and domain reputation take a hit when your email service provider (ESP) can’t place your email into a subscriber’s inbox. This impacts future deliverability because email clients rely on IP and sender reputations to determine whether or not to deliver your messages. If you have a bad sender or IP reputation, email clients may decide to place emails sent from your domain name in your subscriber’s spam folder. Or, they may not deliver them at all.

Why does my account have automatic email validation enabled?

The account has automatic email validation enabled because it was created within the last 30 days, and the deliverability rate of the imported email list fell below 90%. This feature is designed to ensure the accuracy and deliverability of email addresses, helping to maintain high deliverability rates and effective emails.

When should I validate my email list?

If you’ve bought a mailing list (which we highly recommend that you don’t) or if you’ve inherited a mailing list you’re unfamiliar with. It’s a great idea to use an email verifier.
In addition, if your list has grown or it’s been some time since you last verified your email addresses, we recommend giving your mailing list a health check today.

Where can I see my client's email usage?

You can see the client's email usage by navigating to

• Account Settings -> Billing -> See Details (under Credits)

How can I bill my clients for usage?

If you are on the Pro-plan, you can rebill your clients and save the time & effort needed to bill them manually.

SSL certificates (Secure Sockets Layer) ensure that any links included in the email are secure and accessible by encrypting tracking URLs, open URLs, and click URLs in your emails. Without an SSL certificate, links in your emails will break, resulting in recipients encountering errors when trying to open them. When a dedicated domain is added and verified in the email system, an SSL certificate is issued automatically. There are three possible SSL statuses for your domain:

1. SSL Issued: The SSL certificate has been successfully created.
2. SSL Pending: The SSL certificate is in the process of being generated.
3. SSL Unknown: The SSL certificate has not been generated or issued.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?

Without a valid SSL certificate, recipients may see broken links or security warnings, which could harm your sender reputation and reduce engagement with your emails. Ensuring the SSL is issued and valid is critical to successful email campaigns and maintaining a secure digital presence.

• Prevent Broken Links: SSL certificates ensure links in your emails are functional and prevent the dreaded "This site can’t provide a secure connection" error.
• Enhance Security: They secure communication between your domain and the recipient, ensuring encrypted links that inspire trust.
• Maintain Engagement: Preventing errors means higher engagement with your email campaigns, as users can easily access your content without security warnings or disruptions.

Where to See SSL Certificates
To access SSL management for your custom email domain, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Location Settings.
2. Select Email Services.
3. On the right side, click the Dedicated Domain And IP button.

This will bring up the domain management screen, where you can check the status of your SSL certificate and take action if needed.

How To Setup SSL Certificates For LC Email Domains

Setting up or resolving SSL issues for your custom domain is straightforward. Below are the steps to ensure your SSL certificate is issued or reissued. By following these steps, you ensure that your custom domain and email campaigns are secure, functional, and trustworthy.

Step 1: Verify the Domain

• Navigate to Settings > Email Services > Dedicated Domain And IP.
  

• Click the Verify Now button next to your domain.
  

• You will be redirected to your domain DNS page. Ensure all DNS records are correctly set up and verified.

DNS Instructions for Common DNS Providers:

• GoDaddy
• Google Domains
• Hostgator
• Hover
• Namecheap
• Squarespace
• AWS
• Cloudflare
• Bluehost
• Hostinger
• InMotion
• Hostwinds

• Once your DNS records are verified, click the Verify domain button to issue or reissue your SSL certificate.

Step 2: Check SSL Status

• SSL Issued: No further action is required; your domain is secured.

• SSL Pending: Reverify the domain by following the steps above. This ensures the SSL certificate is generated successfully.

• SSL Unknown: Follow the domain verification process again. If SSL remains unknown after verification, review your DNS records and retry issuing the SSL certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I do if my email link URL gets broken?
Go to your domain's settings and verify the domain again to reissue the SSL certificate.

Q: What does "This site can’t provide a secure connection" mean?
This error indicates that the SSL certificate for your domain is not properly issued. You should verify the domain again to resolve the issue.

Q: What should I do when the SSL is Pending or Unknown?
Reverify the domain by following the domain verification steps. This will prompt the system to generate a new SSL certificate if it has not been issued or if there’s an error in the process.

What is DMARC?

DMARC, or Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance, is a technical tool that verifies emails by combining SPF and DKIM methods. It's free to use and helps prevent email fraud like phishing. Introduced in 2012, it enables domain owners to specify how unauthorized use of their email domains should be managed through a policy in the DMARC record (p=).

What is DMARC Record?

A DMARC record, housed in a TXT-type DNS entry named _dmarc, outlines policies and preferences for email servers. It's composed of tags assigned with values separated by semicolons.

Here are the key tags used in setting up a DMARC record:

• v (DMARC Version):

  • Default: DMARC1
  • Translation: Denotes the DMARC protocol version. Must always be set as "DMARC1". If missing or incorrect, the entire DMARC record is ignored.

• p (Policy):

  • Default: none
  • Translation: Specifies the action for emails failing DMARC checks.
    • none: Collects feedback without impacting existing flows.
    • quarantine: Treats suspicious emails, often directed to the spam folder.
    • reject: Rejects all failing emails outright.

• adkim (DKIM Alignment Mode):

  • Default: r
  • Translation: Specifies the alignment mode for DKIM signatures.
    • "r" (Relaxed Mode): Allows DKIM domains sharing a common Organizational Domain to pass.
    • "s" (Strict Mode): Requires an exact match between DKIM and email header-From domains.

• aspf (SPF Alignment Mode):

  • Default: r
  • Translation: Similar to adkim but for SPF authentication.
    • "r" (Relaxed Mode): Allows SPF domains sharing a common Organizational Domain to pass.
    • "s" (Strict Mode): Requires an exact match between SPF and email header-From domains.

• sp (Sub-domain Policy):

  • Default: p= value
  • Translation: Allows explicit publishing of a policy for sub-domains under this DMARC record.

• fo (Forensic Reporting Options):

  • Default: 0
  • Translation: Determines conditions for generating forensic reports.
    • "0": Generates reports if all underlying authentication mechanisms fail to produce a DMARC pass result.
    • "1": Generates reports if any mechanisms fail.
    • "d": Generates reports if DKIM signature fails.
    • "s": Generates reports if SPF fails.

• ruf (URI for Forensic Reports):

  • Default: none
  • Translation: Specifies where to send Forensic reports (URIs in the form of "mailto@example.org").

• rua (URI for XML Feedback):

  • Default: none
  • Translation: Specifies where to send XML feedback reports (URIs in the form of "mailto@example.org").

• rf (Reporting Format for Forensic Reports):

  • Default: afrf
  • Translation: Determines the reporting format for individual Forensic reports.

• pct (Percentage):

  • Default: 100
  • Translation: Specifies the percentage of email failures for which the policy should be applied. The policy must be "quarantine" or "reject" for the percentage tag to be applied.

• ri (Reporting Interval):

  • Default: 86400
  • Translation: Sets the frequency of receiving aggregate XML reports.

Each tag serves a specific role in defining DMARC policies and mechanisms for authentication and feedback, ensuring email security and proper handling of failed checks.

For assistance in creating a DMARC record, utilizing a DMARC generator tool is recommended.

How does DMARC work?

Authentication:

• SPF/DKIM Check:
  
  • Receiving servers verify SPF or DKIM authentication methods.
• Domain Alignment:
  
  • Validates if the SPF domain (Return-Path) or DKIM domain (d=) aligns with the "From" domain in the email header.
• DMARC Policy:
  
  • Extracts and enforces the DMARC policy from the DNS record of the "From" domain.

Alignment Modes:

• Relaxed (r) Mode:
  
  • Allows subdomains in SPF/DKIM checks, comparing them to the "From" domain.
• Strict (s) Mode:
  
  • Requires exact matching of SPF/DKIM domains with the "From" domain.

Reporting:

• Aggregate Reports:
  
  • Include pass/fail results in periodic aggregate reports sent via specified email addresses using the rua tag.
• Forensic Reports:
  
  • Detailed failure reports sent to specified addresses (ruf), but many providers avoid sending these due to sensitive information concerns.
• Reporting Interval (ri):
  
  • Determines the frequency of sending aggregate XML reports.

Conformance (Policy):

• DMARC Policy (p):
  
  • Defines how servers handle failed DMARC checks.
• Percentage (pct):
  
  • Specifies the percentage of message traffic subject to DMARC verification.

Each configuration serves to authenticate emails and define policies for handling failures while allowing flexibility in reporting and enforcement levels based on the sender's requirements and verification stages.

Resolving DMARC Email Failures for Users on LC Email Shared Domains

When you switched to the LC email system or did not configure your own mailgun / SMTP, all your email will be sent through the LC shared domain.

The error message says:

"The domain in your from address (kate@gosoftware.com) has a p=reject DMARC policy. Without a dedicated sending domain configured, most inbox providers will reject your messages, resulting in elevated bounces. To avoid elevated bounces, use company emails."

Your actual DMARC record is:
v=DMARC1; p=reject

To fix the issue, temporarily change your DMARC record with your DNS to have a p=none policy.

The DMARC error message above has a p=reject or p=quarantine. This will prevent emails that fail DMARC from being sent to the Inbox folder. To make sure messages are delivered even if DMARC fails, you will want to change the policy in your DMARC to p=none with your DNS provider. Moving to a more relaxed policy is not recommended, so this change should be temporary.

Email sending will be suspended for having a high hard bounce rate. Email providers and anti-spam networks monitor bounce rates for every email you send and use that information to suspend email sending for your accounts with high bounce rates. High bounce rates will impact your email deliverability.

In this article, you will learn about

1. Bounce
2. Causes an account suspension
3. Fix the hard bounce and activate the account

What are bounces?
A bounce occurs when an email is not delivered or rejected by the recipient's email provider.

There are two types of bounces.

1. A hard bounce occurs when an email address does not exist.
2. A soft bounce is a temporary failure, and some more reasons, like the recipient servers being down or the mailbox being full.

What causes an account suspension

We have thresholds in place to monitor bounce rates, and if a bounce rate exceeds the industry threshold (below 5%), we temporarily suspend the email sending for the account.

A high bounce rate indicates that the account is sending emails to contacts that are invalid emails. This may also mean that external spam filters are refusing to deliver emails due to bad sending behavior in the past. A good bounce rate is typically in the range of 0 - 3%.

During the email-sending suspension, only email-sending will be disabled. All other features will be working.

How long will email sending be blocked?

A temporary block of 12 hours will be enforced. Users can quickly resume sending by enabling email validation. If this happens for the third time in seven days, email sending will be blocked permanently until the email validation feature is enabled.

What should you do now?

When an account/location is suspended, you will receive an email to the account/location account's email address to do the below step:

1. Cleanse your contacts with Email Validation Service to eliminate addresses that are invalid/non-existent and ultimately bounce.
2. If the account is a client, please discuss this with your client and advise them not to send bulk communication or cold email campaigns until this issue is resolved.

Not following the recommended remediation measures may result in restrictions on email capabilities for this location. Please note if your Complaint, Unsubscribe, and/or Hard Bounce rates continue to deteriorate, this account may get blocked.

How to prevent future account suspension:

The location should be able to send emails 24 hours after you receive the non-compliant email notification.

Right now, we don't have any way to easily locate the remaining people that didn’t get the email before it was blocked.

The only workaround would be to export the email statistics and then reupload to tag the leads, then use smart lists to filter to the leads without that tag to resend again: Learn more about Email Statistics

If you don't want to receive these emails, please change the user role to a user instead of an account admin.

Email Best Practices:

1. Email Validation
   Since we are not showing any reporting on which contacts are bounced. If those contacts were uploaded from previous options, we highly recommend validating all existing contacts before sending them.

        Once you are in the account view > your account > Click on the account name > Scroll down to             Enable Re-validation for 90 days.

        The bounce emails will be marked as invalid emails, so you don't need to tag them as invalid                 emails will not be picked in the campaign/bulk/workflow.

2. Set up your dedicated domain

        How to Set Up a Dedicated Sending Domain (LC Email)

3. Configure the sender email that matches the dedicated domain you set up
   Masking Sender Emails - From Name & Address

        Email Authentication - DMARC

        So if you set up replies.yourcompany.com, you can send from sender_name@company.com

4. Schedule the emails in little batches
   Bulk Actions For Contacts & SmartLists
   
   
   

5. Set up double opt-in
   To set up double opt-in for future setup, please include a checkbox to ensure the lead gives consent when filling out the form if that's where the leads opt-in:

You can set up a checkbox like this:

By providing your name and contact information, you are expressly consenting to receive communications from COMPANY_NAME or one of their licensed agents, which may include phone calls (including to any wireless number that you provide), including automatic telephone dialing systems or by artificial/pre-recorded messages, text messages, and/or emails for marketing insurance products and services including health, Medicare, and life insurance plans. By providing your information, you understand that your consent is not a condition of the purchase of any product or services, and carrier messaging and data rates may apply. You may revoke this consent at any time by calling us at 1-800-000-000 or emailing us at EMAIL_HERE to be placed on our do-not-call list.

The article provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up unsubscribe links for email campaigns in the platform. It emphasizes the importance of including these links to comply with anti-spam regulations and to maintain a positive relationship with subscribers. The process involves accessing the email campaign settings, inserting the unsubscribe link into your email template, and ensuring it functions correctly. The guide also offers tips on best practices for managing subscriber preferences effectively.

An unsubscribe link is a link within your email that allows recipients to opt-out from receiving any email newsletters for your products or services. Maintaining a clean and legitimate email list and including an unsubscribe link in the email footer is the best practice.

How to enable/disable the default unsubscribe link:

Navigate to Settings -> Business Profile. Under the "General Section," you can find the settings.

Check/uncheck to enable and disable the settings.

Note:

Customize the default unsubscribe link:

Navigate to Settings -> Business Profile. Under the "General section," you can find the settings to control unsubscribing. Click Customize.

Ways to add the unsubscribe link:

1. Directly add an unsubscribe tag in the email template.
   

2. Enable the global unsubscribe option without adding an unsubscribe tag in each email.
   
   

Why You Need To (& Should) Have An Unsubscribe Link In Your Emails

Digital laws might differ from country to country, but almost every country states that you must have an unsubscribe link in your email. The most popularly referenced law is -- US’s CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing) legislation enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

In May 2018, GDPR became a compulsory rule for any brand with subscribers in the EU.

According to article 17 of GDPR, ‘Right to erasure,’ data subjects (subscribers) have the right to ask for their data to be deleted. In that case, data controllers have to comply with it. They have to delete any data when it’s no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected or the data holder/subjects withdraw consent for it to be used.

If a contact unsubscribes from an email list, they are exercising their 'Right to erasure', and the data controller (the email list owner) has to unsubscribe them and delete their data.

Non-compliance with GDPR can lead to a fine amounting to €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher.

Benefits of including an email unsubscribe link:

1. Shun customer frustration: Many subscribers consent to newsletters without knowing what they will deliver. After receiving the email copy, they realized it was irrelevant to them. Then if they want to unsubscribe from the newsletter and fail to find the link. You know how frustrating it is when you can’t see the unsubscribe link inside the email. Marketers need to understand the interests and preferences of different subscribers and allow them to opt-out of the email list. It improves the email marketing strategy’s outcome as you are allowing inactive subscribers to leave the contact list.

2. Collect feedback: You can collect valuable feedback from those subscribers who are no longer part of your contact list. You can use that feedback to understand the loopholes and optimize the email communications to meet your subscribers’ needs.

3. Enter into the inbox: Unsubscribe links increase the possibility of entering the subscribers’ inbox rather than going into the spam folders. If people search for an unsubscribe link and don’t find it, they will put that email in the spam folder. Your account can be suspended if your spam rate exceeds the open rate.

4. Adapt anti-spam legislation: While including the unsubscribe link, every country has its law and order. It is compulsory in anti-spam legislation to give a predefined law for email marketers.
   
   
   

How to remove the default unsubscribe link added at the footer?

Go to your account -> Settings -> Business Profile -> General, where you can customize the opt-out message. Below is the screenshot for reference:

What happens if my email already has an unsubscribe link?

In case the message already has an unsubscribe link, an unsubscribe link will be added from our side.

Does this feature apply to manual Email?

This option was not applicable for test emails and one-to-one conversation emails.

What is LC Email?

LC Email acts as an email service provider hosted by the CRM, which has industry-leading deliverability, error monitoring, and compliance, so your emails are much more likely to be delivered. It's also considerably less expensive when compared to other email service providers in the market.

Why was this feature built?

LC Email is designed to help users avoid the hassle of setting up and managing third-party email service providers like Mailgun or Sendgrid.

As such, we built LC Email to work out-of-the-box with minimal setup and configuration required by an agency or an account. In short, we wanted to provide an email service that "just works."

LC Email Pricing

Pricing is $0.675 for 1,000 emails for all the plans, and the transactions will be detailed at the agency level:

To view them, go to "Agency View" > "Billing" > "Credits"

Note: All incoming and outgoing emails (To, CC, and BCC) will incur charges.

LC Email Verification Pricing

You can turn on email verification, which will help to ensure you are sending emails to valid addresses. This service is charged at $2.50 per 1,000 email verifications.

Ramp-Up Model:

• Every new account on the LC Email system will follow the "Ramp Up Model." 
• The reason for utilizing this approach is to build the reputation of a sending domain gradually so your emails will be much more likely to avoid spam filters. 
• The email limits are multiplied each day by the number of days (until the 8th day) the account has been active.
• Starting the 8th day:
  • Accounts with a shared domain will have a limit set to 15,000 emails per day.
  • Accounts with a dedicated domain will have a limit set to 450,000 emails per day.

Please Note:

Extend Sending Limit:

Please note: It's important to validate the account activity and make sure it is not a spam account.

1. The limit for shared domain email sending is 250 to 15,000 (To increase, you must set up a dedicated sending domain for the account).

2. The limit for dedicated domain email sending is 250 to 450,000 (To increase this limit, please contact our support team).

Go to the account detail page by navigating to "Agency View" > "Accounts" > Search and click on the account name and scroll down to the "Additional Settings" section to increase the limit.

Shared domain:

Dedicated domain:

How Does This Impact Affiliates?

LC Email eliminates one of the two major hurdles to getting up and running with the CRM, which means your new affiliates will likely find success and stick.

FAQ

What About Agencies Who Want To Integrate Their SMTP?

No problem! All new accounts will, by default, use LC Email, but a third-party SMTP provider can be integrated anytime.

Where can I see my client's email usage?

You can see the client's email usage by navigating to:

• Agency Settings -> Billing -> See Details (under Credits)

What About Existing Accounts?

Agencies will have the ability to seamlessly migrate to LC Email for existing accounts!

How can I bill my clients for usage?

If you are on the Pro plan, you can rebill your clients and save the time & effort needed to bill them manually.

Will Email rebilling work with ISV?

Absolutely! All agencies on the Pro Plan will continue to have the ability to rebill email usage while using LC Email or a connected third-party SMTP. With the lower cost, there's even more margin for your agency!

Is LC Email HIPAA compliant?

Yes, we have a signed BAA with Twilio for HIPAA compliance. As long as you have our HIPAA compliance package, you should be good to go!

Why does my account only have a 15,000 email limit?

An account without a dedicated domain will be considered a shared domain even if the agency has a dedicated domain. To resolve this, add a dedicated domain to the account.

Email Tracking for LC Email

Tracking email engagement is crucial for tailoring your email marketing strategy. In this article, you’ll learn how to enable or disable open and click tracking for your emails, ensuring that your email campaigns align with your specific needs. We’ll guide you through the simple steps to adjust these settings within your account, allowing you to customize tracking for each dedicated domain.

What is Email Tracking?

Email tracking refers to the ability to monitor and record specific actions recipients take when they interact with your emails. This includes tracking when an email is opened (open tracking) and when links within the email are clicked (click tracking).

By enabling these features, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your email campaigns, such as understanding recipient engagement and optimizing your marketing strategies based on real-time data.

Why You Should Use Email Tracking

You should use email tracking because it provides valuable insights into how your audience engages with your emails, allowing you to refine your marketing strategies and improve your overall campaign performance.

By tracking opens and clicks, you can identify which content resonates most with your audience, optimize your messaging, and increase conversions.

Imagine you’re running an email campaign to promote a new product launch:

By using email tracking, you can see which recipients opened your email and clicked on the product link.

Now, suppose you notice that a significant number of people clicked on the link but didn’t complete the purchase. This data could prompt you to follow up with a targeted email offering a limited-time discount or additional information, ultimately driving more sales.

Without email tracking, you’d be left guessing about your audience’s behavior, missing out on opportunities to optimize your campaign.

Where To Find Email Tracking

Email tracking is found in the account settings under the EMAIL SERVICES navigation tab.

How To Setup Email Tracking

Setting up your email tracking is as easy as clicking a few buttons! Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to enable or disable open and click tracking for your emails within the platform. This guide will help you ensure that your email campaigns are properly tracked, providing you with essential data to optimize your marketing efforts.

PLEASE NOTE: To set up email tracking, you'll need to have already configured a dedicated email sending domain.

Step 1: Go To Email Settings

Navigate to the EMAIL SERVICES tab in your account settings, make sure you have your email selected, then click the button that reads DEDICATED DOMAIN AND IP.

Step 2: Open Domain Settings

You'll see a small button with three dots located in the top left corner of your dedicated email sending domain. Click that button to see some different options related to your dedicated email sending domain. The option you'll need to select is titled DOMAIN SETTINGS.

Step 3: Enable or Disable Email Tracking

Once you click on DOMAIN SETTINGS, you'll see a popup on the screen with the option to enable or disable email tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What type of data is collected when tracking email activity?
The platform collects engagement data and attributes that data to contacts in your account records. So for example, if you send Jane Doe an email, she will appear in the email tracking analytics so you know if she engaged with the email in any way. Within email tracking analytics, you'll see the following data:

• Email Sent
• Email Delivered
• Email Opened
• Email Clicked (link inside the email)
• Email Bounced
• Complained (marked as spam)
• Unsubscribed
• Email Failed to Send

Q: Can I track email activity if I am using Mailgun to send emails?

No, you cannot. Email tracking analytics is only available if you are using your email as your SMTP provider when sending emails out of your account.

Q: Can I track emails sent from my Gmail email address?

No. You need to send emails from a dedicated email sending domain to be able to track the email activity and engagement. You can still use your Gmail address as a "From Name" when sending emails, but you cannot use email tracking if Google is your SMTP provider.

Q: What happens if we turn off email tracking?

If you turn off email tracking, you will no longer have visibility into the data provided such as emails that were successfully sent, opened, clicked, etc. We recommend that you keep email tracking on in order to have full visibility into which prospects and customers are engaging with your email campaigns.

Email marketing is a great way to reach customers and increase sales. But if you're not careful, you could end up in trouble. A dedicated sending domain gives you control over what appears to be coming from your business. That means you can avoid spam filters and other issues that might get your messages caught by unwanted mail servers.

Don't let your email marketing efforts go unnoticed! Get started right away with a dedicated sending domain.

Here are instructions for common DNS providers:

Dedicated Sending Domain Setup on Godaddy (LC Email)

What is a Dedicated Sending Domain?

A dedicated sending domain allows you to send emails that appear to be coming from your brand, which can help you maintain a better reputation with email services. Any account or user can create a dedicated sending domain, and it's quick and easy.

By default, all emails sent from the platform will show the name of the email-sending servers in the "sent on behalf of" or "sent via" email headers:

If your sending domain is listed below, you are using the email system's default domains:

• mg.yourdomain.org
• mg.yourdomain.net
• replies001.yourdomain.com
• replies.yourdomain.com
• replies000.yourdomain.com
• ec1.yourdomain.org
• ec1.yourdomain.net

When you set up your own custom mail server domain, you will see a different "mailed-by," "sent on behalf," or "sent via" field.

How to Create a Dedicated Sending Domain

You can create multiple sending domains under your account and make one active.

1. Navigate to Settings → Email Settings → Email Services.
2. If you are in the email system, you can find the Dedicated Domain button. Please switch to the email system to create a custom sending domain.
3. Click the Dedicated Domain button.
   
   

   4. Add your domain details.
   
   

   Here are instructions for common DNS providers:

   Dedicated Sending Domain Setup on Godaddy (LC Email)

   GoDaddy Google Domains Hostgator Hover Namecheap Squarespace

   AWS Cloudflare Bluehost Hostinger InMotionHostwinds

5. Verify Domain

Apply your new DNS records to your company’s DNS provider’s platform to activate the sending domain. Every domain host will have a slightly different method of doing this.

How to set up a dedicated sending domain for notification emails?

Navigate to Settings - >  Email settings - >  Email Services

If you are in the LC email system, you can find the Dedicated domain button. Please switch to the LC email system to create a custom sending domain.

Click the 'Dedicated domain' button.

Here are instructions for common DNS providers:

Dedicated Sending Domain Setup on Godaddy (LC Email)

Note: 

Verify Domain

Apply your new DNS records to your company’s DNS provider’s platform to activate the sending domain. Every domain host will have a slightly different method of doing this.

How to set up set up specific sending sub-domains for Workflows, Bulk Actions, Email Campaigns, etc.

If you'd like to use different sending sub-domains for things like Workflows, Email Campaigns, Bulk Action Emails, and Manual 1-to-1 emails, you can configure that by navigating to Sub-account Settings - Email Service -> SMTP Service -> Dedicated Domain and IP -> Domain Configuration

Frequency Settings(This feature is recommended for high-volume senders)

Navigate to Sub-account Settings - Email Service -> SMTP Service -> Dedicated Domain and IP -> Set headers under dedicated domain.

FAQ

How to choose a sending domain name for my account?
It is best to use a unique subdomain that is not used for any other purpose. A subdomain is a secondary part of your root domain. For example, if your dedicated sending domain is hello@mg.yourbrand.com, your subdomain would be the “mg” portion.

I've added a domain that is not verified at the time, and some records are not verified. How do I generate an SSL Certificate for Dedicated Sending Domain (LC - Email)?

1. Navigate to Settings → Email settings → Domain services.
2. All the unverified domains will be in an inactive state.
3. You will be able to see the same records and unverified records. Once you have added all the records, click the Verify button again, and this will generate an SSL certificate.
   
   

How to delete a domain?

1. Navigate to Settings → Email settings → Domain services.
2. Click on the three-dot menu and select the Delete button.

How to move sending domain from Mailgun to LeadConnector?

It’s simple: delete the domain from Mailgun and create the same in LeadConnector.

1. Go to Sending → Domain Settings and ensure the correct domain is selected in the top right dropdown.
2. Scroll down to the bottom and click Delete.

How to set a dedicated domain as active/default?

Check the checkbox to mark it as active/default.

While trying to add a dedicated domain, it says the domain is already pointing: 'Domain already pointing to email server!'
We can look up the domain MX and SPF records using https://mxtoolbox.com/supertool3 .Any MX or SPF records will cause the system to reject the domain, even if they are our records, so we will need to remove them.