Mixing the two on one domain or stream means a bad campaign can block password resets. Separating them protects critical mail.
How to implement transactional email#
- Send transactional mail from a dedicated subdomain (for example mail.yourdomain.com) or separate stream.
- Send marketing from a different subdomain (news.yourdomain.com).
- Keep promotional content out of transactional messages to preserve their exemption.
- Apply DMARC to the organizational domain so both subdomains are covered.
How to verify it worked#
Send a test message to seed mailboxes at Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, then inspect the Authentication-Results and delivery headers. Repeat after any DNS or sending-platform change.
Common mistakes#
- Adding upsell banners to receipts, which reclassifies them as marketing under many laws.
- Using one shared IP pool for both streams.
Frequently asked questions#
Do transactional emails need an unsubscribe link?
Not under CAN-SPAM if purely transactional. Gmail's bulk-sender rules still expect one-click unsubscribe for anything sent at volume, so many senders include it anyway.