How to Build Email Reputation Fast
Recruiters send a lot of emails. But if you start firing off hundreds or thousands from a brand-new domain or email address, don’t be surprised when your messages land straight in spam (or worse—get blocked completely).
Email providers don’t trust new senders until they’ve proven they’re legitimate. That’s where warming up your domain comes in. It’s like stretching before a run—you need to ease into it to avoid getting hurt.
So, how do you warm up your email properly? Let’s break it down.
Why Email Warm-Up Matters
Imagine a random person sends you a message out of nowhere, asking for a job or pitching a service. You’d be suspicious, right? Email providers think the same way.
🚨 Sudden spikes in email volume = Red flag
🚨 Emails from a new domain with no history = Red flag
🚨 Low engagement rates (no replies, deletions, or spam complaints) = Red flag
If you trip any of these alarms, your email reputation takes a hit, and your messages get filtered as spam.
A proper warm-up plan:
✅ Builds trust with email providers
✅ Increases your sending limit over time
✅ Improves inbox placement (instead of spam folder placement)
Step 1: Get Your Domain and Email Set Up Properly
Before sending any emails, make sure your domain has the right authentication records:
✔ SPF – Controls who can send emails on your behalf
✔ DKIM – Adds a digital signature to prove your emails are legit
✔ DMARC – Protects your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks
👉 Check your setup using tools like MXToolbox or Google’s Check MX Tool.
If your authentication isn’t correct, fix it first—or your warm-up will fail before it even starts.
Step 2: Start Small (Week 1-2)
📌 Send 10-20 emails per day to warm contacts
📌 Use a mix of internal and trusted recipients
📌 Aim for 80%+ open rates and some replies
Your first emails should go to:
- Colleagues and employees (ask them to open and reply)
- Existing clients or candidates (people who expect to hear from you)
- Friends and professional connections (warm leads who won’t ignore you)
The goal is to show email providers that people trust you. If your emails get opened, read, and replied to, your reputation improves fast.
Step 3: Gradually Increase Volume (Week 3-4)
Once your first batch of emails is consistently delivered, increase your daily send count:
📌 Week 3: 50-100 emails per day
📌 Week 4: 200+ emails per day
But don’t just send random cold emails. Keep a balance:
✅ 80% warm emails (people who expect to hear from you)
✅ 20% cold emails (new candidates, new business prospects)
If too many cold emails bounce or get ignored, your reputation will drop. Keep engagement high before scaling up.
Step 4: Monitor Your Deliverability
Even if you follow the rules, things can go wrong. Watch out for:
🚨 High bounce rates (5%+ is a problem)
🚨 Spam complaints (1-2% can hurt your reputation fast)
🚨 Low open rates (below 30% means people aren’t engaging)
Use tools like:
📊 Google Postmaster Tools – Checks Gmail reputation
📊 Microsoft SNDS – Checks Outlook reputation
📊 Mail-tester.com – Tests email spam scores
If things start going wrong, slow down your sending and focus on engagement (more replies, fewer cold emails).
Step 5: Maintain a Healthy Email Reputation
Warming up isn’t a one-time thing. If you suddenly double your email volume overnight, your reputation could crash again.
Here’s how to keep things stable:
✔ Keep sending a mix of warm and cold emails
✔ Regularly clean your contact list (remove bounces, unengaged users)
✔ Encourage replies (conversations improve deliverability)
✔ Avoid spam triggers (salesy language, too many links, all-caps subjects)
If you’re sending 1,000+ emails per day, consider rotating domains or using a dedicated sending service to protect your main domain’s reputation.
Final Thoughts
Recruiters can’t afford email failures—if your messages aren’t reaching inboxes, you’re missing out on candidates and clients.
✅ Start small and scale gradually
✅ Focus on warm contacts first before sending cold emails
✅ Keep engagement high to boost your reputation
✅ Monitor deliverability and adjust if things go wrong
Follow this plan, and your emails will land where they should—not in spam. 🚀
Need help warming up your domain? Let’s talk. 😉
