Summary
Google's reputation system assesses senders based on factors like spam complaints and engagement. IP warming builds trust with ISPs through a gradual increase in email volume sent to engaged subscribers. Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), consistent sending practices, quality content, and list management are crucial for building and maintaining a positive reputation. Segmenting lists, monitoring deliverability metrics, and understanding your audience are key considerations for successful IP warming and improved email deliverability.
Key findings
- Spam Impact: Messages marked as spam negatively affect domain reputation within Google's system.
- IP Inheritance: New IPs can inherit reputation from associated authenticated domains.
- Warmup Process: IP warmup requires carefully planned gradual increase of sending volume.
- Engagement is key: High engagement and low spam complaints during warmup are critical for building trust with ISPs.
- Authentication: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) significantly contributes to sender reputation.
- Consistent Sending: Maintaining consistent sending volumes and patterns strengthens sender reputation.
Key considerations
- List Segmentation: Segment email lists to target engaged subscribers for optimal results during IP warming.
- IP Infrastructure: Ensure proper IP configuration including contiguous IP ranges and correct FCrDNS setup.
- Gradual Ramp-up: Adhere to a gradual ramp-up schedule, allowing filters and ISPs to adapt to the new IP.
- Value-driven Content: Focus on delivering valuable content to encourage engagement and reduce spam complaints.
- Monitoring Performance: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics (bounce rates, complaints, engagement) and adjust sending practices accordingly.
- Audience Understanding: Thoroughly understand your audience and their engagement patterns for a successful warmup strategy.
- Reputation Score: Track your sender and IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools, to identify and solve potential issues.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Google's sender reputation is a crucial factor in email deliverability, influenced by engagement metrics, spam complaints, and email authentication. Warming up IPs involves gradually increasing sending volume to engaged subscribers to establish a positive reputation with ISPs. Key best practices include segmenting email lists, sending relevant content, monitoring engagement, and adhering to authentication standards.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: Sender reputation directly impacts deliverability; a good reputation leads to inbox placement, while a poor one results in spam filtering.
- Key Metrics: Spam complaints, bounce rates, and user engagement (opens, clicks) are key metrics that influence sender reputation.
- IP Warmup: IP warmup is the process of gradually increasing sending volume from a new IP address to build trust with ISPs.
- Engagement Focus: Sending relevant content to engaged subscribers is crucial during IP warmup to avoid spam complaints and boost deliverability.
- Authentication: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for verifying sender identity and improving sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Segmentation: Segment email lists to send targeted content and increase engagement, improving sender reputation.
- Gradual Increase: Increase sending volume gradually during IP warmup, monitoring deliverability metrics and adjusting as needed.
- Content Relevance: Focus on providing value to subscribers to incentivize engagement and prevent spam complaints.
- Monitoring: Closely monitor deliverability metrics (bounce rates, spam complaints, engagement) to identify and address issues promptly.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists to remove inactive subscribers and maintain a high level of engagement.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Quora explains that warming up an IP involves slowly sending email to smaller portions of your subscriber list, and increasing over time while monitoring your statistics for any signs of deliverability issues. If you're seeing a high percentage of bounces or spam complaints, scale back your sending volume until the problem clears up.
6 Aug 2023 - Quora
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that IP warmup is the process of gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new IP address to build a positive reputation with ISPs. Start with low volumes and increase over time. Consistency and engagement are key. Focus on sending relevant content to engaged subscribers to avoid spam complaints and improve deliverability.
27 Nov 2021 - SendGrid
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Google's reputation system considers spam reports when assessing sender reputation, impacting domain reputation. New IPs can benefit from association with authenticated domains. Warming IPs involves understanding your list, engagement, and carefully planning the process. Consider factors like contiguous IP ranges, FCrDNS setup, and email authentication. Gradual introduction to filters allows for adaptation. Consistent practices, quality content, and list management are vital for maintaining a strong sender reputation.
Key opinions
- Spam Impact: Messages marked as spam negatively impact associated features and the overall domain reputation.
- IP Inheritance: New IPs can inherit a good reputation by associating with authenticated domains.
- Warmup Prerequisites: Warming up IPs requires careful consideration of IP ranges, FCrDNS setup, and email authentication.
- Gradual Introduction: A slow start to IP warmup, allowing filters to adapt, is recommended.
- Reputation Building: Consistent sending practices, quality content, and list management are vital for sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Contiguous Ranges: Consider if the new IP is within a contiguous range and properly set up.
- Authentication: Ensure emails are properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
- Filter Adaptation: Allow machine learning filters time to adapt to the new IP and its sending patterns.
- List Understanding: Have a clear understanding of your mailing list and its engagement levels before warming up.
- Consistent Practices: Maintain consistent sending practices to build and maintain a positive sender reputation.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that when warming up IPs the critical consideration are if it’s inside a contiguous range, is the FcrDNS set up correctly and is it sending authenticated email. If it’s in a different /24 (or even on a different provider) then I think it’s probably not a good idea to warm it up faster.
11 Feb 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares insight from a Google employee regarding Google's reputation service, explaining that a message marked as spam negatively impacts all associated features and domain reputation. Conversely, a new IP can inherit a good reputation from an authenticated domain.
21 Jul 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Google's reputation system identifies spammers and impacts deliverability. IP warming involves gradually increasing email volume from a new IP to build a positive reputation with ISPs. Best practices include maintaining consistent sending volume, authenticating emails, avoiding unsolicited emails, starting with engaged subscribers, and monitoring deliverability metrics.
Key findings
- Google Reputation: Google uses sender reputation to differentiate spammers from legitimate senders, impacting deliverability.
- IP Warming Definition: IP warming is a gradual process of increasing email volume from a new IP to establish trust with ISPs.
- Engagement Focus: Start with sending to the most active and engaged subscribers during IP warming.
- Ramp-Up Schedule: IP warming involves a structured ramp-up schedule that considers list size and engagement.
Key considerations
- Consistent Volume: Maintain a consistent sending volume to build and maintain a positive sender reputation.
- Authentication: Authenticate emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify sender identity.
- Avoid Unsolicited Emails: Avoid sending unsolicited emails to prevent spam complaints and maintain a positive reputation.
- Deliverability Metrics: Monitor deliverability metrics and adjust sending practices based on feedback from ISPs.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that IP warmup involves gradually increasing sending volume based on a ramp-up schedule that considers your list size and engagement. They state to start by sending only to your most active and engaged subscribers and slowly expand to less engaged users over time. SparkPost's ramp-up schedule offers a structured approach to ensure your IP gains a positive reputation with ISPs.
24 Oct 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that Google uses sender reputation to identify spammers. A good reputation results in higher deliverability, while a poor reputation leads to messages being marked as spam or blocked. Maintaining a consistent sending volume, authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and avoiding sending unsolicited emails are essential for building a positive reputation.
8 Nov 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
What is a good independent guide to IP warming?
How do I warm up new IP addresses for email sending?
Does Gmail prioritize domain or IP reputation, and how does IP warming apply?
Are IP warming services effective for improving email deliverability?
How do I warm up a new IP address for transactional emails?
Does send time impact IP warmup and reputation when using a new ESP?
