Custom Tracking Domains: Why They Matter for Email Deliverability

When you add email tracking to your messages, every link gets rewritten to pass through a tracking server. By default, that server uses the tracking provider's domain. Your recipients see URLs like track.provider.com/c/abc123 instead of your own domain. That might seem like a minor detail, but it has real consequences for deliverability, trust, and brand consistency.

A custom tracking domain replaces the provider's domain with your own. Instead of track.provider.com, your links become track.yourcompany.com. Let's explore why that matters and how to set one up.

How Tracking Links Affect Deliverability

Email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo evaluate every aspect of an email when deciding whether to deliver it to the inbox or route it to spam. One of the things they check is the reputation of domains found in the email body.

The Shared Domain Problem

When you use a tracking service's default domain, you share that domain with every other customer of that service. If another customer sends spam through the same tracking domain, the domain's reputation takes a hit — and your emails get caught in the crossfire.

This is the same principle behind shared IP addresses in email sending. Your behavior might be spotless, but you're at the mercy of everyone else using the same infrastructure.

Domain Alignment

Email authentication protocols — SPF, DKIM, and DMARC — work best when all domains in an email align. If your From address is hello@yourcompany.com but your tracking links point to track.otherdomain.com, email providers see a mismatch. This doesn't automatically trigger spam filtering, but it's one more signal that can work against you.

With a custom tracking domain like track.yourcompany.com, your links align with your sending domain. Email providers see a consistent, authenticated sender — exactly what they want.

Trust and Brand Consistency

Sophisticated recipients — especially in B2B contexts — hover over links before clicking them. If they see a URL pointing to an unfamiliar tracking domain, some will hesitate to click. Others might flag it as suspicious.

A branded tracking domain eliminates this friction. When a recipient hovers over a link and sees track.yourcompany.com/pricing, it looks legitimate because it is. It's your domain, controlled by you, serving your content.

This is particularly important for:

• Enterprise sales emails — where security-conscious recipients scrutinize every URL
• Financial communications — where phishing awareness is high
• Healthcare emails — where compliance and trust are paramount
• Any email where clicking a link leads to a login or payment page

Setting Up a Custom Tracking Domain with Mailpulse

The setup process is straightforward and takes about five minutes of active work (plus waiting for DNS propagation).

Step 1: Choose Your Subdomain

Pick a subdomain that clearly indicates its purpose. Common choices:

• track.yourcompany.com
• links.yourcompany.com
• go.yourcompany.com
• email.yourcompany.com

Don't use your root domain. A subdomain keeps your tracking infrastructure separate and avoids any interference with your main website.

Step 2: Add the DNS Record

In your Mailpulse dashboard, go to Settings and navigate to the Custom Domain section. You'll be given a CNAME record to add to your DNS provider.

The record looks something like:

Type: CNAME
Name: track
Value: track.mailpulse-io.lyten.agency

Add this record through your DNS provider's control panel (Cloudflare, Route 53, Google Domains, etc.). If you're using Cloudflare, make sure the proxy is turned off (gray cloud) for this record — the CNAME needs to resolve directly.

Step 3: Verify in Mailpulse

Once the DNS record is set up, click "Verify" in your Mailpulse settings. The system checks that the CNAME resolves correctly. DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, though most changes propagate within an hour.

Once verified, all new tracking links will automatically use your custom domain. Existing links continue to work through the default domain — nothing breaks retroactively.

Common Questions

Do I need an SSL certificate?

No. Mailpulse handles SSL termination for your custom domain automatically. Your tracking links will work over HTTPS without any certificate management on your end.

Can I use the same domain for tracking and sending?

You can use the same root domain (e.g., yourcompany.com) but you should use different subdomains. For example, use track.yourcompany.com for tracking and mail.yourcompany.com for sending. This keeps the reputation of each function independent.

What if I switch tracking providers later?

Since you own the subdomain, you just update the CNAME record to point to the new provider. Your recipients never see a change because the domain stays the same.

Does this work with all email providers?

Yes. Custom tracking domains work regardless of which email service you use for sending (Gmail, SendGrid, Postmark, Amazon SES, etc.). The tracking domain is independent of the sending infrastructure.

The Impact on Your Metrics

After setting up a custom tracking domain, many senders see a modest improvement in their open rates and click-through rates. The improvement isn't dramatic — typically 2-5% — but it's consistent and it compounds over time.

More importantly, a custom domain protects you from sudden deliverability drops caused by other users of a shared tracking domain. That stability is worth far more than the marginal improvement in click rates.

When Should You Set This Up?

Honestly, as early as possible. If you're tracking emails professionally — whether through n8n workflows or direct API integration — a custom tracking domain should be part of your initial setup, not an afterthought.

Mailpulse includes custom domain support on the Pro plan and above. The setup takes minutes, the DNS propagation handles itself, and you'll have one less thing to worry about when it comes to email deliverability.

For the full list of metrics you should be monitoring alongside deliverability, check out our guide on the 7 email metrics every sender should track.