Summary
The consensus from email marketing experts, technical documentation, and community discussions indicates that warming up an IP address during the November to December holiday season is generally a bad idea. The primary reasons are the increased email volume, heightened spam filtering by ISPs, and recipient fatigue, which collectively make it significantly more challenging to establish a positive sending reputation for a new IP. Although some suggest it's possible with careful planning, audience segmentation, and close monitoring, the prevailing advice is to either begin IP warming well before the holiday season or postpone it until after. Trying to establish your IP reputation during this period will most likely lead to deliverability issues and possibly negatively impact your overall sales goals.
Key findings
- Increased Email Volume: Email volume spikes dramatically during the holiday season, leading to more scrutiny from ISPs.
- Heightened Spam Filtering: ISPs implement stricter spam filters to manage the increased volume, making it harder for new IPs to break through.
- Recipient Fatigue: Recipients experience inbox overload, resulting in lower engagement rates.
- Difficult Reputation Building: It's significantly more challenging to build a positive sending reputation for a new IP address amidst the holiday chaos.
- Remediation is Tougher: Postmaster teams are swamped with requests during the holidays, making it harder to resolve deliverability issues.
- Sudden Spikes Impact Reputation: Documentation shows Sudden spikes in email volume can negatively impact your sender reputation.
- Worst Time of Year: The end of the year is the worst time of year to start using a new IP address or domain to send emails.
Key considerations
- Audience Segmentation: If you must warm up an IP during the holidays, segment your audience carefully and target highly engaged recipients.
- Careful Planning and Content: Is critical during this period
- Monitor Reputation Closely: Track your sending reputation and engagement metrics diligently to identify and address any issues promptly.
- Gradual Ramp-Up: Follow a gradual ramp-up schedule to increase your sending volume slowly and steadily.
- Consider Delaying: Weigh the potential risks and benefits carefully and consider postponing IP warming until after the holiday season.
- Sales Goals: Be aware that it can negatively impact your overall sales goals.
- Start Early (If Possible): If unavoidable, ensure you start the process as early as possible.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Warming up an IP address during the November to December holiday season is generally considered a risky strategy due to increased email volume, stricter ISP scrutiny, and recipient fatigue. While some experts suggest it's possible with careful planning, thoughtful audience segmentation, and close monitoring, most advise against it. The competition for inbox placement intensifies, making it harder for a new IP to establish a positive sending reputation. Waiting until after the holiday season is often recommended for a smoother IP warmup process.
Key opinions
- Increased Volume: Holiday season email volume spikes, leading to more scrutiny and throttling from ISPs.
- Tougher Reputation Building: It's more difficult for a new IP to build a positive sending reputation amidst increased competition and spam.
- Recipient Fatigue: Higher email volumes lead to recipient fatigue, reducing engagement rates.
- Risky Deliverability: New IPs face increased risk of deliverability issues due to heavy traffic.
- Worst Time of Year: The end of the year is the worst time of year to start using a new IP address or domain to send emails.
Key considerations
- Audience Segmentation: If IP warming is unavoidable during the holidays, thoughtful audience creation is key.
- Careful Planning: Careful planning and content strategy is crucial.
- Close Monitoring: Close monitoring of sending reputation is essential to avoid any problems.
- Patience: Patience is needed to warm up an IP address slowly.
- Is Waiting An Option: It is often recommended waiting until after the holiday season for a smoother IP warmup process
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions that mail during the holidays is subject to more scrutiny and throttling due to increased volume. They recommend waiting, particularly for IP warming, as the busy period introduces extra risk and variables.
1 Sep 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid Blog shares that higher volumes and recipient fatigue can make it more challenging to achieve good engagement rates during the holiday season. A new IP address will face additional scrutiny making establishing a positive reputation difficult.
1 Apr 2025 - SendGrid Blog
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts generally advise against warming up an IP address during the November to December holiday season due to the challenges posed by increased email volumes, strained postmaster resources, and diluted engagement. They suggest the conflicting goals of IP warming (targeted interaction) and holiday sending (mass outreach) make it a less effective time to establish a positive sending reputation. It's recommended to start as early as possible or postpone IP warming until after the holiday period.
Key opinions
- Strained Resources: Postmaster teams are overwhelmed during the holidays, making remediation tougher.
- Diluted Engagement: High email volumes make it harder to achieve meaningful engagement for IP warming purposes.
- Conflicting Goals: The goals of IP warming and holiday sending are fundamentally different.
- Difficult Traction: High email volumes make it much harder to gain traction with IP warming.
- Best Time To Avoid: Never do IP warming during the busiest part of the holiday sending season.
Key considerations
- Start Early: If possible, begin IP warming well before the holiday season.
- Delay Until After: Consider delaying IP warming until after the holiday period for better results.
- Potential Sales Impact: Be aware that attempting IP warming during the holidays could negatively impact overall sales goals.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource answers explains that it is best to start as early as possible, and never during the busiest part of the holiday sending season.
23 Feb 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that remediation during the holidays is tougher because postmaster teams have a larger number of requests and stats aren't as good, creating a bad combination.
24 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Technical documentation from SparkPost, Google, and Microsoft generally advises against initiating an IP warmup during peak sending times like the November/December holiday season. The core concern is that increased email traffic and heightened spam filtering during this period make it significantly more challenging to establish a good sending reputation quickly. Sudden spikes in email volume, common during the holidays, can negatively impact sender reputation, as gradual increases are necessary to build trust with ISPs.
Key findings
- Discouraged Warmup: Generally advises against starting an IP warmup during peak sending times like the holiday season.
- Increased Traffic & Spam: Increased email traffic and heightened spam filtering make it harder to establish a good sending reputation quickly.
- Negative Impact: Sudden spikes in email volume can negatively impact your sender reputation.
- Gradual Increases: Gradual increases in email volume are necessary to build a positive reputation.
Key considerations
- Time Management: Is it possible to manage a gradual increase in sending volume over time during the holiday peak?
- Traffic & Filtering: Heightened spam filtering requires additional precautions.
- Reputation Impact: Monitor sender reputation closely to mitigate potential negative impacts of holiday sending practices.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that it generally advises against starting an IP warmup during peak sending times like the holiday season (November/December). The increased email traffic and heightened spam filtering make it harder to establish a good sending reputation quickly.
3 Nov 2023 - SparkPost Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that sudden spikes in email volume can negatively impact your sender reputation. They recommend gradually increasing sending volume over time, which is difficult to manage during the holiday peak.
14 Aug 2023 - Google Documentation
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