Summary
Determining a good email sending speed and the minimum volume for a dedicated IP is multifaceted, influenced by sender reputation, platform policies, and audience engagement. While technical limits exist (e.g., 230/second/per IP), policy and sender reputation are more significant. Consistent frequency, tailored to the audience and industry, is key. Testing sending cadences and monitoring metrics like open rates and unsubscribes are crucial. A dedicated IP is not always necessary and might even be detrimental for low-volume senders; shared IPs are often sufficient. Dedicated IPs become beneficial for high-volume senders (potentially around 750K/day or at least 5,000 emails per week) who need greater control over their reputation. Maintaining a good sender reputation, adhering to platform-specific limits, and gradually warming up new IPs are essential for optimal deliverability.
Key findings
- Reputation Matters Most: Sender reputation significantly impacts deliverability, overshadowing technical sending speeds.
- Frequency is Audience-Dependent: Optimal email frequency varies based on audience, industry, and content type.
- Testing is Essential: Testing various sending frequencies and analyzing performance metrics is critical to success.
- Dedicated IP for Volume: A dedicated IP is most beneficial for high-volume senders (typically > 5,000 emails per week or potentially around 750K/day).
- Shared IPs Can Be Effective: Shared IPs managed by ESPs are often suitable for low-volume senders.
- Policy Driven: Sending speed is determined more by policy and reputation than any hard technical limit
Key considerations
- Target Audience: Understand your audience and tailor your sending frequency and content to their preferences.
- Sending Cadence: Experiment with different sending cadences and monitor metrics to find the optimal frequency.
- Sending Reputation Management: Actively manage your sending reputation by following email best practices (authentication, list hygiene).
- IP Warm-up: If using a dedicated IP, gradually warm it up by slowly increasing sending volume.
- Platform Limits: Be aware of and adhere to the sending limits imposed by your email platform and mailbox providers.
- Email service provider capabilities: When using shared IPs - consider the email service provider's (ESP) capabilities with shared IPs and reputation management.
What email marketers say
7 marketer opinions
Determining a good email sending speed and the minimum volume for a dedicated IP depends heavily on various factors. There's no one-size-fits-all answer for email frequency, as it's influenced by industry, audience, content relevance, and engagement levels. Testing different cadences and analyzing metrics such as open rates and unsubscribes are crucial for finding the optimal frequency. While sending too often can lead to unsubscribes, sending too infrequently can cause subscribers to forget about you. A dedicated IP is generally recommended for consistent sending volumes (e.g., over 5,000 emails per week) and maintaining a good sending reputation, offering greater control over deliverability. Ultimately, tailoring the sending frequency and strategy to your specific audience and content type is key to success.
Key opinions
- Frequency Varies: Optimal email sending frequency depends on the industry, audience, and content.
- Testing is Crucial: Testing different sending cadences and analyzing metrics like open rates and unsubscribes is vital.
- Consistency Matters: Consistency in sending frequency is important for maintaining engagement.
- Dedicated IP Threshold: A dedicated IP is generally recommended for sending volumes exceeding 5,000 emails per week.
- Reputation is Key: Maintaining a good sending reputation is essential for deliverability.
Key considerations
- Audience Segmentation: Segment your audience and tailor sending frequency based on different groups' preferences.
- Content Relevance: Ensure that the content you send is relevant and valuable to your audience.
- Engagement Levels: Monitor audience engagement levels (open rates, click-through rates) to adjust sending frequency.
- Industry Benchmarks: Consider industry benchmarks for email sending frequency as a starting point.
- Sending Reputation: Monitor sending reputation and take steps to improve it, such as authenticating your emails.
Marketer view
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains a dedicated IP is a good idea if you’re sending consistent volume (more than 5,000 emails per week), and maintaining a good sending reputation. It gives you more control over your deliverability.
15 Sep 2024 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus responds that there's no one-size-fits-all answer for how often to send emails. It depends on your industry, audience, and the type of content you're sending. If you’re sharing valuable information and your subscribers are engaged, you may be able to send more frequently. If you’re just sending promotional emails, you may need to send less often.
21 Oct 2023 - Litmus
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Determining the right email sending speed and the need for a dedicated IP involves several factors. Sending speed is more influenced by policy and sender reputation than technical limitations, with theoretical maximums far exceeding typical sending volumes. While a dedicated IP can offer greater control, it's not always necessary or beneficial. For low sending volumes, shared IPs managed by email service providers might be more effective. Dedicated IPs become more relevant for high-volume senders (potentially nearing 750K/day) where maintaining a distinct reputation is crucial, though older recommendations of 50,000 emails 3x/week are less relevant now due to improved filtering.
Key opinions
- Policy over Tech: Sending speed is primarily determined by policy and sender reputation, not just technical limits.
- Dedicated IP Not Always Best: A dedicated IP isn't always better and can even be detrimental for low-volume senders.
- Shared IPs Can Suffice: Shared IPs are effective for low-volume senders, with ESPs managing reputation.
- High Volume Justifies Dedicated: Dedicated IPs become more relevant for high-volume senders (e.g., potentially around 750K/day).
- Reputation Matters Most: Sender reputation is a key factor influencing deliverability, regardless of IP type.
Key considerations
- Sending Volume: Assess your email sending volume to determine if a dedicated IP is necessary.
- Sender Reputation: Monitor and maintain a good sender reputation to ensure deliverability.
- ESP Capabilities: Consider the capabilities of your email service provider in managing shared IP reputation.
- Mailbox Provider Filtering: Be aware of how mailbox providers filter email based on IP address and sender reputation.
- Policy Compliance: Adhere to email sending policies and best practices to avoid limitations.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that you can't really measure how much 'better' a dedicated IP is because there are a lot of things that go into reputation. Shared IPs now have a pretty good and well-earned reputation so a dedicated IP is not always better.
4 Sep 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that if you aren't sending a lot of volume, you don't need a dedicated IP, your email service provider should be handling reputation and deliverability.
28 Jun 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Email sending speed and dedicated IP needs are dictated by platform-specific policies, sender reputation, and email volume. Gmail enforces sending limits to curb spam, varying by account type and recipient domain. Mailjet's limits tie to pricing plans and reputation, emphasizing adherence to best practices and gradual volume increases. AWS highlights dedicated IPs for reputation control and deliverability at scale. SparkPost stresses the importance of 'warming up' dedicated IPs by gradually increasing volume, indicating a slow ramp-up is essential for establishing a positive sending reputation and ensuring proper deliverability.
Key findings
- Platform Limits: Gmail, Mailjet, and other platforms enforce sending limits to prevent spam and abuse.
- Reputation Crucial: Maintaining a good sender reputation is essential for avoiding sending limits and ensuring deliverability across platforms.
- Dedicated IPs for Volume: AWS suggests dedicated IPs for high-volume sending to maintain reputation control.
- IP Warm-up Essential: SparkPost emphasizes the importance of gradually warming up dedicated IPs to establish a positive reputation.
Key considerations
- Account Type: Consider your Gmail account type (personal, Workspace) as it affects sending limits.
- Pricing Plan: Be aware that Mailjet's sending limits depend on your pricing plan.
- Sender Reputation Management: Actively manage and monitor your sender reputation to avoid deliverability issues.
- Gradual Ramp-up: If using a dedicated IP, gradually increase sending volume to warm it up and establish a positive reputation.
- Email Best Practices: Adhere to email sending best practices (authentication, list hygiene) to maintain a good reputation.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains the process of warming up dedicated IPs to establish a positive sending reputation. It is important to gradually increase sending volume over time and monitor performance metrics to ensure deliverability.
2 May 2024 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from AWS explains the benefits of dedicated IP addresses for sending email, including enhanced control over sender reputation and improved deliverability. AWS recommends using dedicated IPs when sending a significant volume of email to maintain a consistent sending reputation.
1 May 2025 - AWS
Do ESPs charge for dedicated IPs and how much do dedicated IPs cost?
How do ESPs manage IP pools and how does it affect deliverability?
How many emails can I send per dedicated IP address before needing another one?
Is a dedicated IP address needed for sending 150K-200K emails per month?
Is a dedicated IP address suitable for low volume email senders, and what is the minimum volume needed?
Is IP warming necessary for low volume email senders with a dedicated IP?
