Summary
Consistent email volume is crucial for maintaining a positive IP reputation and ensuring optimal deliverability. While occasional fluctuations aligning with typical activity are generally acceptable, sudden spikes or drops can negatively impact sender reputation and trigger spam filters. Gradual increases are recommended, particularly when warming up a new IP, to build trust with mailbox providers. A suggested approach is to not more than double daily volume week-by-week (around 10% daily increase). Dropping volume is less of an issue, but caution is advised when increasing it again. After about 30 days of reduced volume, reputation may fade. Consistent engagement metrics, such as opens and clicks, are essential to support changes in volume. Different mailbox providers have varying tolerances for volume fluctuations; Microsoft, for example, is stricter than Gmail. A planned and steady warm-up period will establish trust with ISPs.
Key findings
- Consistency is Paramount: Maintaining consistent email volume is essential for a good sender reputation and deliverability.
- Spikes and Drops Hurt: Sudden spikes or drops in email volume can negatively impact deliverability and trigger spam filters.
- Gradual Warming Recommended: Gradually increasing volume, especially during IP warming, is crucial for building trust with ISPs and mailbox providers.
- Engagement Matters: Maintaining consistent engagement metrics (opens, clicks) is crucial for supporting changes in volume.
- Provider Tolerance Varies: Email providers have varying tolerances for volume changes; Microsoft is stricter than Gmail.
- Reputation Decay: Long period of reduced volume can lead to the deterioration of reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Volume Regularly: Continuously monitor email sending volume to avoid sudden spikes or drops.
- Plan Volume Changes Strategically: Carefully plan volume increases and decreases, especially when introducing new IPs or ramping up new email programs.
- Implement a Warming Strategy: Implement a gradual IP warming strategy for new IPs to establish trust with ISPs.
- Adhere to Provider Guidelines: Be aware of and adhere to specific sending guidelines and limitations of major mailbox providers (e.g., Google, Microsoft).
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Closely monitor engagement metrics, such as opens, clicks, and complaints, to ensure they align with volume changes and to detect potential deliverability issues.
- Consistency in Patterns: Maintain consistent sending patterns to help providers better understand the senders volume.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Maintaining consistent email volume is crucial for a positive IP reputation and optimal deliverability. Sudden increases or decreases can trigger spam filters and negatively impact sender reputation. Gradual increases, particularly when warming up a new IP, are recommended to build trust with mailbox providers. Consistent sending patterns, good engagement metrics, and adhering to provider-specific guidelines (e.g., Microsoft's strict volume requirements) are essential. Fluctuations in volume should align with engagement to ensure data accuracy.
Key opinions
- Consistency is Key: Maintaining consistent email volume helps build a positive sender reputation.
- Sudden Changes are Risky: Sudden spikes or drops in email volume can trigger spam filters and negatively impact deliverability.
- Gradual Increase is Preferred: Gradually increasing volume, especially during IP warming, is recommended to establish trust.
- Provider Tolerance Varies: Email providers have differing levels of tolerance for changes in volume; Microsoft is stricter than Gmail.
- Engagement Matters: Significant volume changes without corresponding engagement can negatively impact IP reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Volume: Continuously monitor your email sending volume to avoid sudden changes.
- Warm-Up Strategy: Implement a gradual IP warming strategy when starting with a new IP address.
- Provider Guidelines: Be aware of each email provider's specific guidelines and limitations regarding sending volume.
- List Quality: Maintain a healthy and engaged email list to support consistent volume changes.
- Engagement Metrics: Closely monitor engagement metrics to ensure they align with volume fluctuations.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that maintaining a consistent sending volume helps build a positive sender reputation and avoid triggering spam filters. Sudden spikes or drops can negatively impact deliverability.
18 Jul 2022 - Mailjet
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit says that significant changes (increases or decreases) in volume without corresponding engagement metrics can signal to mailbox providers that something is amiss. This can impact IP reputation negatively. They recommend monitoring engagement metrics closely.
7 Dec 2021 - Reddit
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Maintaining consistent email volume is crucial for IP reputation and deliverability. While changing volume doesn't directly harm reputation, significant spikes can affect deliverability, especially outside of established sending patterns. A gradual increase is recommended during IP warming, with a suggested limit of doubling volume weekly (approximately 10% daily). Dropping volume is less problematic but requires careful re-increase. After about 30 days of reduced volume, reputation can start to fade, so a consistent history with regular volume also helps.
Key opinions
- Spikes Impact Deliverability: Large, unexpected volume increases can negatively affect deliverability, particularly if they deviate from established sending patterns.
- Gradual Warming is Best: Gradually increasing sending volume during IP warming helps build trust with mailbox providers.
- Volume Drops Less Problematic: Dropping volume is generally less harmful but requires caution when increasing it again.
- Reputation Fades Over Time: After a prolonged period (around 30 days) of reduced volume, sender reputation can start to diminish.
- Consistency is Key: Maintaining a consistent volume is the best way to maintain a good email deliverability reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Volume Changes: Carefully monitor volume changes to avoid unexpected spikes.
- Implement IP Warming: Develop a strategic IP warming plan for new IPs, gradually increasing volume.
- Plan Volume Increases: Exercise caution when re-increasing volume after a drop, avoiding immediate returns to previous levels.
- Establish Sending Patterns: Be aware of previous sending patterns so volume can be appropriately warmed up.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks mentions that after 30 days of reduced volume, reputation starts to fade.
7 Oct 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that consistency is essential; large unexpected volume increases or decreases compared to previous patterns can negatively affect your sending reputation and deliverability.
29 Sep 2022 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Maintaining consistent sending patterns, including email volume, is essential for establishing a positive sender reputation and ensuring deliverability, as highlighted by Google, Microsoft, SparkPost, AWS, and RFC Editor. Unexpected volume changes, especially rapid increases, can negatively impact deliverability, potentially leading to temporary blocks or throttling by mailbox providers. A well-planned IP warming strategy with a gradual increase in volume is crucial for building trust with ISPs and avoiding being flagged as spam. Adhering to sending limits and quotas is also vital.
Key findings
- Consistency is Key: Consistent sending patterns, including volume, are essential for establishing and maintaining a good sender reputation.
- Unexpected Changes Hurt: Unexpected changes in volume can negatively affect deliverability.
- Warming Strategy Important: A well-planned IP warming strategy with gradual volume increase is crucial for new IPs.
- Rapid Increases Flagged as Spam: Rapid increases in volume can be interpreted as spamming behavior.
- Adhere to Sending Limits: Adhering to sending limits and quotas is essential for avoiding blocks and throttling.
Key considerations
- Establish Consistent Patterns: Establish consistent sending patterns to build trust with mailbox providers.
- Plan for Volume Changes: Carefully plan and execute any changes in email volume.
- Implement IP Warming: Develop a comprehensive IP warming strategy for new sending IPs.
- Monitor Volume and Deliverability: Continuously monitor sending volume and deliverability metrics to identify and address issues promptly.
- Follow Provider Guidelines: Adhere to the specific sending guidelines and recommendations of major mailbox providers like Google and Microsoft.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that consistent sending patterns, including volume, are key factors in establishing and maintaining a positive sender reputation. Unexpected changes in volume can negatively affect deliverability to Gmail users.
23 Nov 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools
Technical article
Documentation from AWS explains the daily sending quotas, and it's best to warm up slowly, so that your sending rate and sending quota gradually increase over time. The warm-up period helps you establish a reputation as a legitimate sender with ISPs.
26 Jun 2021 - Amazon Web Services
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