Moving your email marketing to a new platform is a bit like moving house; if you don't pack carefully and update your address properly, your mail won't reach you. For Australian small businesses, maintaining a high deliverability rate during a migration is critical to ensure your promotions and newsletters continue to reach your customers' inboxes rather than being flagged as spam.
Why This Matters
When you change email providers (e.g., moving from Mailchimp to Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign), mailbox providers like Gmail, BigPond, and Outlook notice a change in the technical infrastructure sending your mail. If you suddenly blast your entire list from a new IP address without 'warming' it up or configuring your DNS settings, filters will likely flag you as a spammer, damaging your sender reputation for months to come.---
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have the following:- Access to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, VentraIP, or AuDA).
- Your full subscriber list exported as a CSV file.
- Admin access to both your old and new email service providers (ESPs).
- A list of your current automated 'flows' or 'journeys'.
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Step 1: Clean Your Existing List
Before moving a single contact, you must scrub your list. Sending to inactive or 'dead' Australian email addresses from a new platform is a fast track to the junk folder.- Action: Export your 'unsubscribed' and 'bounced' lists first. You must ensure these are suppressed in your new tool so you don't accidentally email them and breach the Australian Spam Act 2003.
- Action: Filter for users who haven't opened an email in the last 6 months and consider leaving them behind.
Step 2: Set Up Technical Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
This is the most technical but most important step. You need to tell the internet that your new provider has permission to send email on your behalf.- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Update your DNS records to include the new provider’s server.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This adds a digital signature to your emails. Your new provider will give you a 'CNAME' or 'TXT' record to add to your DNS.
- DMARC: Ensure you have a DMARC policy in place to protect your domain from spoofing.
Screenshot Description: In your new ESP, look for a section labelled 'Domain Authentication' or 'Sending Domain'. You should see a table with 'Host', 'Type', and 'Value' columns ready to be copied into your DNS settings.
Step 3: Export and Import Your Data
Export your 'Clean' list from your old provider. Ensure you include custom fields like 'First Name', 'Postcode', or 'Last Purchase Date'.- Pro Tip: When importing into the new system, map your fields carefully. If you have Australian customers, ensure your 'Date' formats are set to DD/MM/YYYY to avoid confusion with US-centric defaults.
Step 4: Recreate Your Opt-in Forms
Your website likely has sign-up forms. These need to be swapped out before you turn off your old provider.- Action: Create new forms in your new ESP and embed them on your website.
- Warning: Don't forget pop-ups, footer forms, and 'link in bio' pages on Instagram or TikTok.
Step 5: Rebuild Your Automation Workflows
Automated emails (like Welcome Sequences or Abandoned Cart reminders) need to be rebuilt manually. Most platforms do not allow you to 'export' a workflow.- Action: Copy the copy and design from your old platform into the new one.
- Action: Set these to 'Draft' mode until you are ready to go live.
Step 6: The 'Warm-up' Phase (Crucial!)
You cannot send a massive blast to 10,000 people on day one. You must slowly 'warm up' your new sending IP and domain.- Days 1-3: Send only to your most engaged users (those who opened an email in the last 30 days). Keep volume low (e.g., 500-1,000 emails per day).
- Days 4-7: Gradually increase the volume by 20% each day, moving to users engaged in the last 60 days.
- Week 2: Continue increasing volume until your entire active list is covered.
Step 7: Monitor Your Metrics
During the first two weeks, keep a hawk-eye on your reports.- What to look for: If your 'Open Rates' drop significantly compared to your old provider, or if your 'Bounce Rate' exceeds 2%, pause your sending. It likely means your DNS records aren't propagating correctly or your list cleaning wasn't thorough enough.
Step 8: Sunset the Old Provider
Once you have successfully sent to your full list and your automations are running smoothly, it’s time to close the old account.- Final Check: Do one last export of any new subscribers who might have signed up via old forms during the transition period.
- Action: Cancel the subscription to avoid double-billing.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Neglecting the Unsubscribe List: Importing people who previously unsubscribed is a legal risk in Australia and will destroy your sender reputation.
- Skipping the Warm-up: Sending to your whole list at once from a 'cold' platform is the #1 reason emails end up in spam.
- Forgetting the ABN/Address: Ensure your new email footer includes your Australian Business Address and ABN to stay compliant with local regulations.
Troubleshooting
- Emails are going to Spam: Check your DKIM/SPF settings using a tool like MXToolbox. Often, a small typo in the DNS record is the culprit.
- Links aren't working: Some providers use 'click tracking' which requires an extra CNAME record (e.g., email.yourdomain.com.au). Ensure this is set up.
- Low Open Rates on Outlook/BigPond: Large Australian ISPs can be strict. Focus on sending only to 'highly engaged' users for another week to build trust.
Next Steps
Now that your migration is complete and your deliverability is stable, it's time to optimise your content for better conversions. Check out our guide on "Writing High-Converting Email Subject Lines" or learn more about "Segmenting Your List for Better ROI".Need a hand with the technical setup? Our Brisbane-based team can handle the migration for you. Contact Local Marketing Group today.