Email deliverability depends widely on how you track your emails using the links you share with your audience. It affects your domain reputation and branding significantly. Therefore, setting up your custom tracking domain is essential to double down on deliverability and reputation.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you quickly understand custom tracking and implement your custom domain in Saleshandy.
What is a custom tracking domain?
A custom tracking domain is your unique domain or subdomain that you use exclusively to track open rates and clicks in your emails.
If you don't have a custom tracking domain, Saleshandy uses a shared tracking domain to track your opens and clicks. Although we take care of the hygiene of the shared domain, like many other senders might use it, too, there is always a chance that your reputation could be affected.
You need to use the same domain for custom tracking that you're going to use to send emails because two different custom tracking domains will raise suspicion among Email service provider.
Here's an example of your shared domain looks when you hover over the unsubscribe button.
When you set up a custom domain, you replace Saleshandy's generic and shared tracking domains with your domain or subdomain. So, when you hover over the unsubscribe link, it shows your custom domain.
The activity of no other user can affect your reputation, and you gain the following benefits:
First, custom tracking helps improve your email deliverability.
Second, setting up a custom domain increases your trust score among the ESPs.
Third, it helps safeguard your reputation from spammers.
Finally, it helps establish domain branding to increase trust scores from the ESPs.
How to set up a custom tracking domain?
The first step in setting up custom tracking is which domain (or a subdomain) you will pick. It's always a best practice to use existing domains and create a subdomain because it allows you to take advantage of the maintained reputation and not wait longer to get the domain warmed up.
Step 1: Pick a domain
If you don't have any existing domains, you can visit any registrar and purchase a new one.
When you’ve purchased or picked an existing domain, now, it's needed that you create a subdomain for it. For example, if you're a domain with the name examplehq.com, you can create subdomains like link.examplehq.com or go.examplehq.com using CNAME records.
(Go for cheaper options. Try different extensions other than .com, like .net, .co)
Follow these steps to create a subdomain by adding a CNAME.
Step 2: Create a CNAME record in the DNS manager
Once you've picked up a domain or registered a new one, let's proceed and set a CNAME record for your domain.
You will find this in the "DNS Settings" of your chosen registrar. (See the list below for specific instructions for the most popular domain registrars.)
2. It's easy to create a new CNAME type record using the details.
Host/Name field: You can write a host, for example "go" (you can also use any wish which is friendly and concise, "link," "track")
Value: Insert watch.saleshandy.com in the Points to/Value field.
TTL: Keep it at the 3600.
When you save it, it may take to reflect the updated records.
DNS settings and the above steps may vary depending on your hosting provider. The following articles are shared below:
When you choose a host as "go" for the domain getsaleshandy.com, your custom tracking domain would be (in our case) go.getsaleshandy.com, pointing to watch.saleshandy.com.
Next, you need to link it with your Saleshandy account.
Step 3: Link the custom tracking domain to your Saleshandy account.
As you've already added CNAME and created a custom tracking domain, the last step is to link it with your Saleshandy account.
Visit your settings and click on "Custom Tracking Domain."
Next, click on the blue button "Add Custom Domain."
It would open a dialogue box, and from there, "select" the email account you want to set custom tracking for.
Next, insert the custom tracking domain created in the previous step, like go.getsaleshandy.com.
Saleshandy will automatically trace the host.
All you need to do is to verify and save it.
You can refer to the GIF below for a tutorial.
Note: It may take up to 48 hours to propagate your CNAME record (usually, it’s propagated within a few minutes). Therefore, after setting your record in step 2, you can verify whether your DNS changes are updated.
You can take the help of https://www.whatsmydns.net/.
For any problem or further query, reach out to us via live chat.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)
Should I use the same domain for sending emails and for custom tracking?
Should I use the same domain for sending emails and for custom tracking?
Yes, it is recommended to use the same domain for both sending emails and custom tracking. This practice helps in maintaining trust with Email Service Providers (ESPs) and improves your email deliverability. Using different domains for sending and tracking within the same email can raise suspicions among ESPs, potentially affecting your email's performance.
Why does using two different domains in the same email raise suspicion among ESPs?
Why does using two different domains in the same email raise suspicion among ESPs?
Using two different domains in the same email raises suspicion among ESPs because it can be a characteristic of phishing attempts or spam emails. When the sending domain and the tracking domain are different, it might appear as though the tracking links are malicious or misleading. This inconsistency can lead to your emails being flagged as spam, negatively affecting your deliverability rates and domain reputation.