What are risks during ESP migrations?
- ESP migrations carry significant risk. Understanding the dangers helps you mitigate them.
- Reputation risks:
- New IPs need warming; sending at full volume too soon damages reputation
- Domain reputation doesn't transfer if sending patterns change dramatically
- Gap between old positive signals and new signals being established
- Authentication gaps:
- DNS records not updated correctly or promptly
- SPF/DKIM failures during transition period
- DMARC alignment breaking temporarily
- Suppression list failures:
- Bounced addresses not imported; you email them again and damage reputation
- Unsubscribes missing; you email opted-out recipients (compliance issue)
- Complaints not transferred; repeat offenders complain again
- Data continuity:
- Historical engagement data lost or not transferred
- Subscriber preferences and segments not migrated correctly
- Tracking links in old emails break
- Technical disruptions:
- Automations not replicated correctly
- Integration points not updated (forms, APIs, CRM connections)
- Webhook endpoints changed
- Timeline pressure:
- Rushing due to contract deadlines
- Not allowing adequate warmup time
- Insufficient testing before go-live
- Plan for these risks with checklists, testing phases, and adequate timeline buffers.
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