Authenicating domain with email list

[Lynn]

So, I authenticated my domain with my email list. Then sent out an email after all was said and done a few days later.

I have never, ever, ever had a mailing with such a low open rate.

I'm not sure what this says about my domain host, but I know what I think it says.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience?

I'm seriously considering going back in and undoing the whole authentication thing. I've sent my notices for years and had a 60%+ open rate. This blows.

 

[Lynn]

So time has passed, and the open rate is still far off the mark. (The last message before the authentication wasn't too long ago and it had a very decent open rate as usual.)

I double checked everything and I seem to have done everything right with the authentication.

Have any of you ever heard of anything like this? I really don't want to un-authenticate the domain arbitrarily, but I also don't want to risk sending another message and find out the hard way that the authentication really is a problem.

My domains were verified. I just took the extra steps to authenticate them.

Anyway, any info or advice is deeply appreciated! This is driving me a little nuts. :D

[Bill Hiatt]

I have authenticated my domain with my email provider, and it didn't have the effect you describe. My open rate is drifting downhill somewhat, but that tends to happen as the list grows. I'm not seeing anything abnormal.

Different providers may handle the same issue differently. I use Mailerlite, and it has two options: authenticate all emails for me, and I'll manage my own authentication. The second one is supposed to be better and encounter the fewest problems with filters. That's the whole point of authentication in the first place. It would be odd if it had the opposite effect, and you'd expect providers to stop using it in that case.

Have you reached out to your list provider? Maybe there is some glitch on the backend that isn't visible to you but that they could locate. Though I've not had your particular issue, I have had issues in the past involving web hosting in which settings that were invisible to me were causing problems.

[Lorri Moulton]

I have authenticated my domain with my email provider, and it didn't have the effect you describe. My open rate is drifting downhill somewhat, but that tends to happen as the list grows. I'm not seeing anything abnormal.

Different providers may handle the same issue differently. I use Mailerlite, and it has two options: authenticate all emails for me, and I'll manage my own authentication. The second one is supposed to be better and encounter the fewest problems with filters. That's the whole point of authentication in the first place. It would be odd if it had the opposite effect, and you'd expect providers to stop using it in that case.

Have you reached out to your list provider? Maybe there is some glitch on the backend that isn't visible to you but that they could locate. Though I've not had your particular issue, I have had issues in the past involving web hosting in which settings that were invisible to me were causing problems.

Bill, I'm planning to use Mailerlite.  Can you explain the difference in authentication?  I'm still setting up my domain name and hope to have this up and running soon. Thank you!

[Bill Hiatt]

I have authenticated my domain with my email provider, and it didn't have the effect you describe. My open rate is drifting downhill somewhat, but that tends to happen as the list grows. I'm not seeing anything abnormal.

Different providers may handle the same issue differently. I use Mailerlite, and it has two options: authenticate all emails for me, and I'll manage my own authentication. The second one is supposed to be better and encounter the fewest problems with filters. That's the whole point of authentication in the first place. It would be odd if it had the opposite effect, and you'd expect providers to stop using it in that case.

Have you reached out to your list provider? Maybe there is some glitch on the backend that isn't visible to you but that they could locate. Though I've not had your particular issue, I have had issues in the past involving web hosting in which settings that were invisible to me were causing problems.

Bill, I'm planning to use Mailerlite.  Can you explain the difference in authentication?  I'm still setting up my domain name and hope to have this up and running soon. Thank you!

I only know what Mailerlite says, not all the mechanics behind it. Here's the guide ML has posted: http://help.mailerlite.com/article/show/29280-how-to-authenticate-my-domain Assuming you can access the DNS records for your site, which you should be able to, you shouldn't have any problems.

I like Mailerlite's approach to composing newsletters much better than Mailchimp's--easier, more features. The one thing I didn't have good luck with was sending campaigns by time zones. It sounds like a good idea, but unlike Mailchimp, Mailerlite doesn't use any location data it gets from signups. It only uses location data based on opens, which means that only people who've already opened at least one email are sure to be sent at the right time. Everyone else gets sent as if they were in my time zone. Also, that kind of distribution sometimes causes the campaign to get stuck on their servers. I had to have tech support give it a nudge the first--and only--time I tried it.

[Lorri Moulton]

Thank you, Bill.