Migrating email subscribers during a platform change

Migrations
1

Moving from Mailchimp to ConvertKit as part of a larger platform migration. We have 25,000 email subscribers. The data export is easy but I am worried about deliverability on the new platform.

Do email providers treat imported lists differently than organically grown lists? Any best practices?

2

Yes, imported lists can trigger spam filters if you blast 25,000 emails from a new sending domain/IP on day one. Best practice is to warm up the new sending infrastructure:

  1. Start by sending to your most engaged subscribers first (opened in last 30 days).
  2. Gradually increase volume over 2-3 weeks.
  3. Clean the list before importing - remove bounces, unsubscribes, and anyone who has not opened in 12+ months.
  4. Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on your sending domain before the first email.

ConvertKit handles most of this well but the gradual volume increase is on you to manage.

3

from a compliance perspective, make sure you have proper consent records for every subscriber you import. If you are sending from a new platform, some interpretations of GDPR suggest you need to reconfirm consent since the data processor has changed.

At minimum, send a migration notice to the list explaining the platform change and giving an easy unsubscribe option.