Amazon SES Checklist: 9 Things Before Going to Production with AWS Email
I’ve seen 3 production agent deployments fail this month. All 3 made the same 5 mistakes. So, let’s get real about what you need before taking the plunge with Amazon SES. This Amazon SES checklist isn’t just fluff; it’s about ensuring your email delivery is efficient, reliable, and compliant.
1. Verify Your Domain
Why it matters: If you don’t verify your domain, your emails might land in the spam folder faster than you can say “bounce rate.” Verification proves you own the domain and helps establish trust.
aws ses verify-domain-identity --domain yourdomain.comWhat happens if you skip it: Emails sent from unverified domains can fail, leading to lost customer interactions. This can seriously hurt your brand reputation.
2. Set Up DKIM
Why it matters: DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) adds a digital signature to your emails. It prevents spoofing and improves deliverability.
aws ses put-identity-policy --identity yourdomain.com --policy "{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Principal":{"Service":"ses.amazonaws.com"},"Action":"ses:SendEmail","Resource":"*"}]} "What happens if you skip it: Without DKIM, your emails are more prone to being flagged as spam. Your open rates will tank.
3. Implement SPF Records
Why it matters: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. It’s a key part of email authentication.
v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -allWhat happens if you skip it: Your emails can be rejected or marked as spam. Again, this directly impacts your communication with users.
4. Create a Suppression List
Why it matters: A suppression list prevents you from sending emails to users who have opted out. It’s essential for maintaining your sender reputation and complying with regulations like GDPR.
aws ses create-suppression-attributes --suppression-reason "Subscribed"What happens if you skip it: Sending to unsubscribed users can lead to spam complaints. This can damage your SES account and your sending limits.
5. Monitor Bounce and Complaint Rates
Why it matters: Keeping track of bounces and complaints tells you how your emails are performing and if your list needs cleaning. Monitoring helps maintain a healthy sender score.
aws ses get-account-sending-attributesWhat happens if you skip it: High bounce and complaint rates can lead to AWS throttling your account or even suspending it. No one wants that.
6. Use Configuration Sets
Why it matters: Configuration sets help you track events such as bounces, complaints, and deliveries. It’s crucial for analyzing the performance of your campaigns.
aws ses create-configuration-set --configuration-set-name "MyConfigSet"What happens if you skip it: You miss out on critical metrics that can inform your email strategy. It’s like driving blind.
7. Set Up Event Subscriptions
Why it matters: Event subscriptions notify you about important email events. This allows you to react quickly to issues that might hinder your email operations.
aws ses create-event-destination --configuration-set-name MyConfigSet --event-destination "{"Name":"MyEventDest","CloudWatchDestination":{"DimensionConfigurations":[{"DimensionName":"Senders","DimensionValueSource":"messageTag","DefaultDimensionValue":"Unknown"}]}}" What happens if you skip it: Lack of event notifications means you won’t know about delivery problems until it’s too late. That’s not just irresponsible; it’s risky.
8. Test Sending with Sandbox
Why it matters: Before going live, you should test sending to ensure everything is set up correctly. The sandbox environment allows you to do this without affecting your email reputation.
aws ses send-email --from [email protected] --destination "[email protected]" --message "Subject={Data=Test Email},Body={Text={Data=Hello World}}" What happens if you skip it: You risk running into issues post-deployment that could have easily been resolved during testing. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
9. Review AWS Limits
Why it matters: AWS has sending limits. Knowing these helps you avoid getting throttled or blocked when you scale your operations.
aws ses get-account-sending-limitsWhat happens if you skip it: Running into limits mid-campaign can disrupt your operations and annoy your customers. This could lead to churn.
Priority Order
The most critical tasks on this Amazon SES checklist are 1 through 5. These are “do this today” items. If you don’t verify your domain or set up DKIM and SPF, you might as well be sending emails into a black hole. The last four are nice to have but should still be prioritized before you go live.
Tools Table
| Tool/Service | Description | Free Option |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon SES | Primary email sending service. | Yes (up to 62,000 emails/month) |
| Postmark | Email delivery service with tracking. | No |
| Mailgun | Transactional email API. | Yes (up to 5,000 emails/month for 3 months) |
| SendGrid | Email API platform. | Yes (up to 100 emails/day) |
| Mailchimp | Email marketing platform. | Yes (up to 500 subscribers) |
The One Thing
If you only do one thing from this Amazon SES checklist, verify your domain. No verification means your emails will likely go straight to the spam folder. It’s the foundation of all subsequent email practices. Without it, you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure. Don’t make the mistakes I did early on and think, “It’ll be fine.” Spoiler alert: it won’t.
FAQ
- What is Amazon SES?
Amazon SES is a cloud-based email sending service designed to help businesses send marketing, notification, and transactional emails. - Can I send emails without verifying my domain?
No, you cannot send emails from an unverified domain. - What are the costs associated with Amazon SES?
Amazon SES costs $0.10 per 1,000 emails sent, with the first 62,000 emails free if sent from an application hosted in Amazon EC2. - What is the difference between DKIM and SPF?
DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, while SPF lists which servers are authorized to send emails for your domain. - How can I monitor my email sending statistics?
You can use AWS SES’s monitoring features through CloudWatch to monitor metrics like bounce and complaint rates.
Data Sources
Data for this article was gathered from the official Amazon SES documentation and AWS SES site, along with community benchmarks and insights.
Last updated May 11, 2026. Data sourced from official docs and community benchmarks.
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