Summary
IP warming is a process of gradually increasing email volume sent from a new IP address to establish a positive reputation with ISPs and mailbox providers. This involves starting with small volumes sent to highly engaged subscribers, then slowly increasing the volume over several weeks while monitoring deliverability metrics and sender reputation. Key resources include guides from Laura Atkins, Al Iverson, Kickbox, Validity, and documentation from AWS, SparkPost, Google Workspace, and Postmark. The goal is to demonstrate legitimacy and build trust by sending valuable content to recipients who want to receive it.
Key findings
- Gradual Volume: IP warming necessitates a gradual increase in sending volume over time.
- Engaged Subscribers: Begin by sending emails to highly engaged subscribers to establish initial trust.
- Reputation: Building a positive sender reputation is the primary goal of IP warming.
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics is crucial for success.
Key considerations
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to target the most active and engaged subscribers first.
- Deliverability: Regularly monitor and adjust your sending schedule based on deliverability rates.
- Content Quality: Ensure the content you send is valuable and engaging for recipients.
- Tools: Utilize tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your sender reputation and diagnose issues.
- Patience: The IP warming process takes time, so be patient and consistent.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
IP warming is the process of gradually increasing email volume from a new IP address to establish a positive reputation with ISPs. The general consensus is to start with a small segment of highly engaged subscribers and slowly increase volume over several weeks, while closely monitoring deliverability metrics and sender reputation. This involves sending to recipients who want to receive your emails and using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to track reputation. Different sources provide various independent guides to aid in this process, including resources from Laura Atkins, Al Iverson, Kickbox, and Validity.
Key opinions
- Gradual Increase: Warming an IP involves a gradual increase in sending volume rather than large-scale sends.
- Engaged Subscribers: Start by sending emails to the most engaged subscribers (those who open and click).
- Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor sender reputation and deliverability metrics.
- Consistency: Sending emails consistently helps to warm up the IP address and establish trust.
Key considerations
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to start with the most active and engaged subscribers.
- Deliverability: Continuously observe deliverability rates and adjust the warming schedule as needed.
- Content Quality: Send high-quality content that recipients want to receive.
- Tools: Utilize tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation.
- Patience: The process takes time, be patient while building a good reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that IP warming is the process of gradually increasing sending volume on a new IP address to build a positive reputation. They advise starting with your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks.
1 Jun 2022 - SendGrid
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares a Kickbox blog post: <https://blog.kickbox.com/what-is-ip-warming-why-is-it-important/>, noting it's the first in a five-part series with good information.
18 Aug 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Both experts emphasize the importance of IP warming for establishing a positive sender reputation with mailbox providers. The process involves gradually increasing email volume from a dedicated IP address over time. The goal is to demonstrate legitimacy by sending mail that recipients interact with, indicating a sender is not engaged in spam.
Key opinions
- Gradual Volume Increase: IP warming requires gradually increasing the volume of email sent.
- Reputation Building: The primary goal is to establish a positive sender reputation with mailbox providers.
- Legitimacy: IP warming helps demonstrate legitimacy to mailbox providers.
Key considerations
- Engagement: Focus on sending mail that encourages recipient interaction.
- Time: Understand that building a reputation takes time and patience.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that warming up an IP address is about showing mailbox providers that you are a legitimate sender. Atkins advises sending mail that recipients interact with, as the goal is to establish a positive reputation.
12 Sep 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that IP warming is the process of gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a dedicated IP address over time, to establish a reputation with mailbox providers.
22 Oct 2023 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
These documentation sources commonly describe IP warming as a gradual process of increasing email volume from a dedicated IP to build a positive reputation with ISPs. It's crucial to start with low volumes, targeting engaged users, and slowly increasing the volume as your reputation grows. Monitoring deliverability metrics, bounce rates, spam complaints, and feedback loops is essential to ensure emails reach the inbox and avoid being marked as spam. High-quality content is also recommended to maintain engagement.
Key findings
- Gradual Volume Increase: The volume of emails should be increased gradually.
- Reputation Building: The goal is to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs.
- Engaged Users: Start by sending to highly engaged users.
- Importance: Process is key to avoid spam detection
Key considerations
- Deliverability Monitoring: Regularly monitor deliverability metrics.
- Content Quality: Send high-quality content that recipients want.
- Feedback Loop: Pay attention to bounce rates, spam complaints, and feedback loops.
Technical article
Documentation from Amazon Web Services explains that IP warm-up involves gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a dedicated IP address to establish a positive reputation with ISPs. They recommend starting with small volumes and gradually increasing over time, monitoring deliverability metrics to ensure emails are reaching the inbox.
21 Nov 2021 - Amazon Web Services
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost details IP warming as a method for establishing a sending reputation. They recommend beginning with low volumes to engaged users and slowly increasing as reputation grows, paying close attention to bounce rates and feedback loops.
5 Jan 2025 - SparkPost
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