Switch from SendGrid to GoHighLevel without losing templates, segments, or deliverability
Move from SendGrid to GoHighLevel in one week. Keep segmentation, keep suppression, rebuild automations cleanly, keep your inbox placement stable.
🏆 Start your Highlevel journey today
Who this helps
Teams using SendGrid Marketing Campaigns, lists, segments, dynamic templates, single automations, and basic ecom events, now needing a full CRM with Workflows, funnels, calendars, pipelines, and ad conversion syncing.
What you keep
- Subscribers, tags, custom fields, segments replicated as tags and Smart Lists
- Suppressions imported as Email DND, global unsubscribes, group unsubscribes, bounces, spam reports
- Template content, rebuilt in the GoHighLevel email builder, dynamic fields mapped to custom fields
- Option to keep SendGrid as your SMTP inside GoHighLevel during warmup, then switch later
What you rebuild
- Automations and single sends, recreated as GoHighLevel Workflows and Campaigns
- Forms and landing pages, moved to GoHighLevel Forms, Surveys, Funnels
- Segments, reproduced as Smart Lists using tags, fields, engagement dates, purchase fields
- Webhook based logic, replaced with Workflow triggers and actions or routed by Webhook steps
The 7 day, zero downtime plan
Day 0, domain and sending strategy
- Use a dedicated sending subdomain, for example mail.yourbrand.com
- Add SPF, DKIM, DMARC in DNS, verify in GoHighLevel
- Decide sending path, keep SendGrid as SMTP in GoHighLevel for week 1, or migrate to GoHighLevel native sending and warm gradually
Day 1, export and mapping
- From SendGrid, export contacts with custom fields, list membership, segment definitions
- Export all suppression types, global unsubscribe, group unsubscribe, bounces, blocks, spam reports
- Mapping plan, lists become tags, segments become Smart Lists, custom fields one to one
- Create needed custom fields in GoHighLevel, for example last_engaged_at, source, plan_tier
Day 2, import with suppression
- Import active contacts, map email, name, phone, custom fields, tags
- Import all suppressions as Email DND, confirm a few records by spot check
- Build Smart Lists mirroring your top segments, 90 day engaged, VIP, product owners, trial users
Day 3, forms, pages, attribution
- Rebuild SendGrid forms as GoHighLevel Forms, add hidden fields, utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, gclid, wbraid, fbclid
- Recreate top landing pages in Funnels or Sites. If needed for one day, embed the old form, then replace it
Day 4, automations to Workflows
- Rebuild, Welcome, Lead magnet, Nurture, Promo, Reactivation
- Triggers, form submitted, tag added, purchase received, email event opened or clicked
- Replace Goals with Event happened checks and Go To steps
- Build a preference center flow, update fields and toggle Email DND by choice
Day 5, templates and warmup
- Recreate email templates, header, footer, legal links, unsubscribe and preferences
- If you kept SendGrid as SMTP in GoHighLevel, send to recent clickers first, then openers, then 90 day engaged
- If you moved to GoHighLevel sending, follow the same cohort warmup, hold cold contacts for re permission
Day 6, cutover
- Swap all site forms and pages to GoHighLevel versions
- Pause SendGrid Marketing Campaigns and automations, keep the account for reporting for two to four weeks
- Turn on Google Ads offline conversions and Meta Conversions API from Workflows
Day 7, monitor and tighten
- Watch opens, clicks, replies, unsubscribes, complaints, bounce codes
- Consolidate tags, standardize naming, lock Smart Lists and core Workflows
- Document DNS, list health, template library, and send thresholds
Mapping guide, SendGrid to GoHighLevel
| SendGrid object | GoHighLevel target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lists | Tags | Prefix for clarity, list_newsletter, list_customers |
| Segments | Smart Lists | Recreate with filters on tags, fields, dates, activity |
| Custom fields | Custom fields | Keep names, normalize later |
| Automations, Single Sends | Workflows, Campaigns | Triggers, waits, conditions, goals as event checks |
| Dynamic templates | Email Templates | Replace Handlebars with merge fields and custom values |
| Suppressions, global and group | Email DND | Import as suppressed, verify samples |
| Forms | Forms, Surveys | Add hidden UTMs and click IDs |
| Webhooks, events | Workflow Webhook steps | Push or receive data as needed |
Single list strategy, one audience, Smart Lists for targeting, no duplicate lists.
About transactional email
Keep true transactional messages, receipts, OTPs, password resets, on SendGrid or your app SMTP. Run marketing, lifecycle, and sales automation from GoHighLevel. This avoids mixing high frequency transactional with promotional warmup.
Deliverability checklist
- SPF, DKIM, DMARC pass, From domain equals the authenticated domain
- Warm by cohorts, recent clickers, then openers, then 90 day engaged, complaint rate under 0.1 percent, hard bounces under 2 percent
- Use Email Events in Workflows, opened, clicked, replied filters scoped to each send
- Import all suppression types as Email DND, validate with test contacts
Common pitfalls and fixes
- Segment counts differ, align rolling windows, time zones, and last_engaged_at logic
- Opens or clicks do not trigger branches, scope Email Events to the same message or campaign and extend waits
- Template variables break, replace Handlebars with GoHighLevel merge fields and test each field with sample data
- Reputation dip after switching senders, keep SendGrid as SMTP in GoHighLevel for week 1, then move gradually
FAQ
Can I keep my segments
Yes. Recreate them as Smart Lists using tags, fields, and activity filters. Match date windows to align counts.
What do I do with global and group unsubscribes
Import all suppression types as Email DND. Test a few contacts to confirm they cannot receive mail.
Can I keep sending through SendGrid while I migrate
Yes. Connect SendGrid as a custom SMTP in GoHighLevel, send initial cohorts, then switch to native sending later if you prefer.
How do I replace my dynamic templates
Rebuild templates in GoHighLevel, map each variable to a custom field or a dynamic block, send seed tests before production.
Do I need to reconfirm my list
No, if status and suppression are imported correctly. Only new opt ins use your double opt in Workflow.