Deliverability stance
Cold email sequencing for real Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 inboxes.
MailSequence is not positioned around disposable SMTP blasting. Authorize Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailbox synchronization, verify the separate SMTP sending path, or purchase configured business inboxes in-product, then operate with conservative limits and monitoring.
Need provider-specific setup detail? Read the Google Workspace integration or Microsoft 365 integration page.
Why this stance
The sender rules are written down now.
Google and Yahoo publish additional authentication, alignment, complaint-rate, and unsubscribe requirements for qualifying bulk traffic. Microsoft enforces mailbox and tenant sending limits, outbound-spam controls, and states that Exchange Online is not designed for bulk-mailing scenarios.
That's why MailSequence uses authenticated business inboxes, keeps warmup on by default, verifies contacts, and enforces conservative per-inbox limits. Reputation is the asset; the software's job is to protect it.
Requirements
What you need before setup.
- An owned business domain: consider a separate outbound domain to protect your main product domain.
- Business inboxes brought through Google/Microsoft OAuth or purchased in-product.
- Access to DNS or nameserver configuration for authentication records.
- Lead list and suppression list hygiene: verified addresses, honored unsubscribes.
- Willingness to warm up and ramp volume gradually.
Principles
Safe sending, as defaults.
Real business inboxes
OAuth-connected Google/Microsoft accounts or configured inboxes purchased in-product.
Warm up carefully
Progressive ramp-up before a new mailbox carries outbound volume.
Rotate, don't overload
Spread volume across a sending pool instead of pushing one sender.
Respect daily limits
Set conservative per-inbox caps and let the platform enforce them.
Monitor bounces & complaints
Hard bounces suppress automatically; risk signals surface early.
Pause risky campaigns early
Stopping a campaign for a day is cheaper than burning a domain.
Boundaries
Unsupported sending methods.
- Free Gmail, Yahoo, or consumer Outlook accounts.
- Cheap disposable SMTP blasting.
- Instant high-volume sending with no warmup.
- Mailbox infrastructure presented as "free" or consequence-free.
If that is the setup you want, MailSequence is the wrong tool. Provider limits and authentication do not turn an unsuitable audience or deceptive message into responsible outreach.
Primary sources
Check the current provider rules.
- Google: Email sender guidelines
Requirements for all senders and additional requirements for approximately 5,000 or more daily messages to personal Gmail accounts. - Google: Email sender guidelines FAQ
Bulk-sender classification, enforcement, spam-rate guidance, authentication, and one-click unsubscribe. - Yahoo Sender Hub: Sender best practices
Authentication, DMARC alignment, complaint-rate, and unsubscribe requirements for Yahoo-hosted consumer mail. - Microsoft: Outbound spam protection
Exchange Online anti-abuse controls and Microsoft's bulk-mailing guidance.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the domain my company already sends from?
You can, but we recommend a separate outbound domain so cold email volume never risks the domain your product and team run on.
How long does warmup take?
It depends on inbox age, history, provider responses, and sending changes. MailSequence has a configurable warmup profile with a 14-day fallback ramp. Readiness can still take more or less time.
How does the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup path work?
The Cloudflare-based workflow coordinates nameserver delegation and authentication-record setup. Confirm the resulting live records independently before sending.
What sending volume can I expect per inbox?
Safe volume varies by mailbox and domain. Start below current provider ceilings and include all other traffic in the limit. Increase only while authentication, provider responses, bounces, complaints, and health remain stable.
How does MailSequence send from connected inboxes?
OAuth authorizes mailbox synchronization and reply handling. Sending uses separately supplied SMTP credentials that must pass a connection test before an inbox becomes campaign-eligible. MailSequence does not position generic disposable SMTP infrastructure as a supported operating model.
Set up outbound the way the rules expect.
Connect real inboxes, authenticate your domain, warm up, and launch with limits that protect your reputation.