Summary
The consensus on the best IP warmup strategy for weekly email sends on new IPs emphasizes a gradual and consistent approach. Experts and documentation agree on starting with a small volume of high-quality emails to the most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks. Closely monitoring deliverability metrics such as bounce rates, spam complaints, and sender reputation is crucial, allowing for adjustments as needed. Maintaining consistent traffic patterns, ensuring a clean email list, and avoiding sudden bursts of email are also key. Some advocate for a faster ramp-up by doubling volumes every few days, provided that diligent monitoring enables quick adjustments. Furthermore, considerations such as throttling sends based on SMTP layer and list composition, varying send days to distribute traffic, ensuring valuable content, and addressing potential conflicts between content rules and sending schedules are highlighted.
Key findings
- Gradual Increase: Start with low sending volumes and gradually increase them over several weeks.
- Engagement Focus: Send initially to the most engaged subscribers to build a positive reputation.
- Consistent Volume: Maintain consistent sending patterns rather than erratic bursts.
- Monitoring: Closely monitor deliverability metrics (bounce rates, spam complaints, reputation).
- Clean List: Ensure a clean and up-to-date email list, free of invalid or unengaged addresses.
Key considerations
- Ramp-Up Speed: Decide on a ramp-up speed based on monitoring capacity and audience engagement.
- Throttling: Consider throttling sends based on SMTP layer and list composition.
- Send Day Variation: Vary send days to distribute traffic, if feasible.
- Content Value: Prioritize sending valuable and desired content to subscribers.
- Policy Alignment: Address potential conflicts between content rules and the IP warmup schedule.
- MTA Feedback: React to Slow Down responses from MTAs by reducing sending volumes
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
The optimal IP warmup strategy for weekly email sends on new IPs involves a gradual and consistent approach to building a positive sender reputation. Experts recommend starting with low sending volumes to only the most engaged recipients and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks, while closely monitoring deliverability metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and sender reputation. Consistent traffic patterns and clean lists are crucial. Throttling sends and adjusting based on MTA responses and list composition can also optimize deliverability. Varying send days and prioritizing valuable content are further suggested. Some advocate for a faster ramp-up doubling volumes every few days, provided monitoring allows for quick adjustments.
Key opinions
- Gradual Volume Increase: Start with a small volume of emails to engaged subscribers and gradually increase it over several weeks.
- Engagement Focus: Prioritize sending to highly engaged recipients initially to build a positive reputation.
- Monitoring is Key: Closely monitor deliverability metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and sender reputation.
- Consistent Traffic: Maintain consistent sending patterns rather than erratic bursts for improved deliverability.
- Clean List: Ensure your email list is clean and free of invalid or unengaged addresses.
Key considerations
- Ramp-Up Speed: Determine an appropriate ramp-up speed (slower vs. faster) based on your monitoring capabilities and audience engagement.
- Throttling: Consider throttling sends during warmup based on SMTP layer and list composition.
- Send Day Variation: Vary send days for different recipients to distribute traffic more evenly.
- Content Value: Ensure the content you are sending is valuable and wanted by your subscribers.
- MTA Feedback: Pay attention to 'Slow Down' responses from MTAs and adjust sending accordingly.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailOctopus shares the importance of starting with small batches of highly engaged subscribers, and gradually increasing the volume over a period of weeks. They also share the importance of monitoring bounce rates, spam complaints, and unsubscribe rates, and adjusting your sending strategy based on these metrics.
13 Dec 2022 - EmailOctopus
Marketer view
Email marketer from StackExchange advises starting small, monitoring your reputation, and ensuring you're only sending valuable content to people who want it. Ramp up slowly over weeks.
30 Oct 2023 - StackExchange
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts emphasize the importance of establishing a good sending reputation when warming up new IPs, which requires a gradual increase in sending volume to engaged recipients over several weeks. Consistent sending volumes are crucial for building a predictable and trustworthy sending pattern for mailbox providers. Potential conflicts between email content rules and sending schedules should be addressed by prioritizing policy changes with relevant parties.
Key opinions
- Reputation Building: IP warming is about establishing a good sending reputation with mailbox providers.
- Gradual Increase: Gradually increase sending volume to engaged recipients over several weeks.
- Consistent Volume: Maintain consistent sending volumes rather than erratic bursts.
Key considerations
- Policy Conflicts: Address potential conflicts between email content rules and sending schedules.
- Deliverability Issues: Monitor for any deliverability issues or negative feedback during the warm-up process.
- Recipient Engagement: Focus on sending to engaged recipients to build a positive reputation.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of consistent sending volumes during IP warming. She recommends starting with a small volume and gradually increasing it over time, aiming for a consistent level of email activity rather than erratic bursts. This helps establish a predictable sending pattern that mailbox providers can trust.
1 Mar 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource explains that IP warm-up is about establishing a good sending reputation with mailbox providers. He suggests starting with very low volumes to engaged recipients and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks, while monitoring for any deliverability issues or negative feedback.
12 Sep 2023 - Spamresource
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Official documentation consistently emphasizes a gradual IP warmup process as crucial for new IPs. This involves starting with small volumes of high-quality emails sent to engaged subscribers and progressively increasing the volume over several weeks. Monitoring sender reputation, engagement metrics, delivery issues, and bounces is essential. Avoiding sending to unengaged or purchased lists and preventing sudden bursts of email are also critical to avoid being flagged as a spammer.
Key findings
- Gradual Warmup: A gradual IP warmup is crucial, especially for new IPs.
- Engaged Subscribers: Start with a small volume of high-quality emails to engaged subscribers.
- Volume Increase: Gradually increase the volume over several weeks to establish a sending history.
- Monitoring: Monitor sender reputation, engagement metrics, delivery issues, and bounces closely.
Key considerations
- List Quality: Avoid sending to unengaged or purchased lists during the warmup phase.
- Sending Bursts: Avoid sending sudden bursts of email to avoid being flagged as a spammer.
- High-Quality Emails: Focus on sending high-quality emails to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft shares to gradually increase your sending volume and to start by sending small volumes of email to your engaged subscribers and increase the volume over time, as you establish a reputation as a legitimate sender. They share to avoid sending sudden bursts of email to avoid being flagged as a spammer.
8 Dec 2021 - Microsoft
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that a gradual IP warmup is crucial, especially for new IPs. Start with a small volume of high-quality emails to engaged subscribers, gradually increasing the volume over several weeks. Monitor sender reputation and engagement metrics closely. Avoid sending to unengaged or purchased lists during this phase.
29 Aug 2024 - SparkPost
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