Deliverability Stack for Instantly
6 steps to clean domain infrastructure, warmed inboxes, a verified list, and active monitoring before your first send.
Before You Start
Prerequisites: Instantly Growth, 2-5 domains, 4 tools
Setup time: 2-4 hours. DNS propagation: up to 48 hours. Account warmup: 2-4 weeks minimum before first live campaign.
Instantly Growth plan or above. Domain registrar access to buy sending domains. Email verification tool (Bouncer, Clearout, or Emailable). GlockApps for seed testing. Unverified prospect list ready for upload.
Workflow Overview
6-step deliverability stack at a glance
| Step | Action | Tool | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register sending domains | Domain registrar | 2-5 new domains, separate from main domain |
| 2 | Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC | DNS provider / registrar panel | All three DNS records validated and resolving |
| 3 | Connect accounts and enable warmup | Instantly | All inboxes connected, warmup running |
| 4 | Verify prospect list | Bouncer / Clearout / Emailable | Invalid and risky addresses removed |
| 5 | Set per-account daily send limits | Instantly | Volume cap and ramp schedule defined |
| 6 | Run seed tests and configure monitoring | GlockApps / Mailreach | Inbox placement confirmed before first send |
Step by Step
All 6 steps: Instantly deliverability stack
- Register sending domains separate from your main company domain
Buy 2-5 brand-variant domains (e.g., getyourbrand.com), point MX to Google Workspace or M365, never your primary domain. Plan 1 domain per 30-50 sends/day, max 2-3 inboxes per domain.
- Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on every sending domain
Add SPF (include:_spf.google.com for GWS), enable DKIM in your admin panel and copy the TXT record to DNS, then add a DMARC TXT at _dmarc.[yourdomain] with p=none and a rua address. Validate all three with MXToolbox before connecting any account to Instantly.
- Connect sending accounts to Instantly and activate warmup on every inbox
Connect each inbox via Google OAuth or IMAP/SMTP, then enable Instantly's built-in warmup on each account. Run warmup at least 14 days before any live campaign and keep it active throughout sending.
- Verify your prospect list before uploading to Instantly
Run your full list through Bouncer, Clearout, or Emailable and remove all Invalid, Risky, and Unknown contacts. Target a deliverable rate above 95% before upload.
- Set per-account daily send limits and define your volume ramp schedule
Cap each account at 20-30 emails/day in week one, adding 10/week as reputation builds toward a 50/day ceiling. Use Instantly's timezone scheduling to spread sends across business hours, not a single burst.
- Run seed tests and set up recurring inbox placement monitoring
Send a GlockApps seed test before launch and target above 85% inbox placement before any real sends. Schedule recurring seed tests weekly to catch reputation drops before they hit reply rates.
Sending from a fresh inbox without adequate warmup causes reputation damage that takes weeks to recover. Keep warmup active throughout all campaigns, not just during setup.
Common Failures
4 failure points in this Instantly stack and how to fix each
Stack Tools
3 tools outside Instantly: verification, DNS check, inbox monitoring
Stack built. Now evaluate your sending platform options.
Compare deliverability-first cold email platforms to see where Instantly fits against other high-volume senders.