Summary
When transitioning to a new ESP with a new dedicated IP, domain reputation typically declines due to the loss of established sending history and the introduction of an IP with no prior reputation. ISPs treat new IPs with initial suspicion and closely monitor sending behavior. Factors contributing to this drop include the need for IP warm-up (gradually increasing sending volume to build trust), maintaining consistent sending habits, ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), practicing good list hygiene (removing unengaged addresses), monitoring inbox placement, and subscriber engagement. Additionally, sending too quickly during IP warm-up or neglecting SMTP configuration can negatively impact reputation. Machine learning algorithms also react negatively to changes in sending infrastructure.
Key findings
- Zero IP Reputation: New IPs start with no sending history, requiring a warm-up process to establish trust with ISPs.
- ISP Suspicion: ISPs initially view emails from new IPs as potentially unwanted and scrutinize sending practices.
- Authentication Critical: Correctly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are essential for establishing sender legitimacy.
- Engagement Impacts Reputation: Low subscriber engagement (low open rates, high spam complaints) can negatively affect sender reputation.
- Consistency is Key: Consistent sending volumes and patterns help build and maintain a positive reputation.
- Poor List Hygiene: Sending to old, unengaged addresses will negatively affect your sending reputation.
Key considerations
- Implement IP Warm-up Strategy: Gradually increase sending volume, focusing on engaged subscribers first, to build a positive sending reputation.
- Maintain Good List Hygiene: Regularly remove inactive or unengaged subscribers to improve engagement metrics.
- Configure Authentication Protocols: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly set up for the new ESP and dedicated IP.
- Monitor Inbox Placement: Track where emails land (inbox, spam folder) to identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Track key engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints to gauge subscriber response and identify potential problems.
- Follow ESP Best Practices: Adhere to your ESP's recommended warm-up plan and best practices to optimize deliverability.
- Technical Set Up: Ensure your technical setup and SMTP settings are correctly configured.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
When changing ESPs and using a new dedicated IP, domain reputation typically drops because the new IP lacks a sending history and ISPs treat it with suspicion. The positive reputation built with the previous ESP doesn't transfer. Factors influencing this drop include the need for IP warm-up (gradually increasing sending volume), maintaining consistent sending habits, ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), practicing good list hygiene, and monitoring inbox placement. Reduced subscriber engagement post-migration can also negatively impact reputation, as can sending too fast during IP warm-up. Email providers see these changes as potentially indicative of spam and adjust reputation accordingly.
Key opinions
- New IP, Zero Reputation: A new dedicated IP starts with no sending history, requiring a warm-up period to establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
- Suspicion from ISPs: Email providers initially treat mail from new IPs with suspicion until a sending pattern is established.
- Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical during ESP migration to avoid deliverability issues and damaging domain reputation.
- Engagement Matters: Decreased subscriber engagement post-migration can signal spam to ISPs, negatively affecting domain reputation.
- Consistent Volume is Key: Consistent email volume helps build and maintain a positive sender reputation.
Key considerations
- IP Warm-up: Gradually warm up the new IP by progressively increasing sending volume, targeting most engaged users first.
- List Hygiene: Maintain good list hygiene by removing old, unengaged addresses to minimize bounce rates and spam complaints.
- Authentication Setup: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured for the new ESP and dedicated IP.
- Monitor Inbox Placement: Carefully monitor where emails are landing (inbox, spam, blocked) to adjust the warm-up strategy.
- Engagement Tracking: Track subscriber engagement metrics (opens, clicks) to identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that new IP warmup starts from 0 with reputation. Ensure DNS settings are correct, send to the most active groups first to endorse your emails, then trickle in moderately active, and finally the last bit. Adding a welcome series with warmup for new signups can help because welcome series emails are highly engaging and go out randomly rather than in blasts. Warmup is a lot of wait and see.
25 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus Blog shares that ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical during an ESP migration. If these records are not correctly configured for the new ESP and dedicated IP, it can lead to authentication failures, damaging domain reputation and deliverability.
9 Dec 2023 - Litmus Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
When switching ESPs and using a new dedicated IP, domain reputation drops primarily because the new IP lacks historical data and a pre-existing reputation. ISPs treat emails from IPs with no history with suspicion and assess them based on engagement metrics and sending behavior. Machine learning filters also react negatively to changes in sending infrastructure. To mitigate the impact, a warm-up strategy focusing on engaged users is critical.
Key opinions
- Zero IP Reputation: New IPs lack a sending history, leading to an initial 'zero' reputation score.
- ISPs Suspicion: ISPs view mail from new IPs with initial suspicion, requiring a warm-up period.
- Machine Learning Sensitivity: Machine learning filters used by ISPs are sensitive to changes in sending infrastructure, negatively impacting reputation.
- Impact on Deliverability: Lack of prefetching can impact open rates, particularly at Gmail, when using new IPs.
Key considerations
- Slow and Steady Warmup: Focus on warming up the IP by gradually increasing sending volume to engaged recipients.
- Engagement Focused: Prioritize sending to users who actively engage with your emails to build positive reputation.
- Follow ESP Guidance: Adhere to your ESP's recommended warm-up plan and best practices.
- Monitor Performance: Monitor inbox placement and engagement metrics to adapt your sending strategy.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that IP reputation affects domain reputation. Lower open rates can be addressed by slowing down the warmup and focusing on engaged addresses. Follow the ESP's warmup plan, as machine learning filters are in flux. Reputation is going down because it’s coming off an IP with no reputation. Machine learning filters hate change, which causes weird things to happen to reputation. As long as mail is hitting the inbox, you're fine. Mail from new IPs doesn’t get the same level of prefetching, which could be impacting open rates at Gmail.
27 Dec 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource explains that when moving to a new dedicated IP with a new ESP, you're essentially starting from scratch. Your IP has no history, and ISPs use IP reputation as a key factor in determining whether to accept, reject, or filter your mail. The lack of a pre-existing positive reputation means your emails are more likely to be treated with suspicion initially.
8 Feb 2022 - Spamresource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Switching to a new dedicated IP with a new ESP results in a drop in domain reputation because the IP starts with zero reputation. ISPs closely monitor sending behavior from new IPs to determine trustworthiness. Proper IP warm-up, gradually increasing sending volume, is crucial to build a positive reputation and avoid being flagged as spam. Technical configuration, such as SMTP settings, also play a role in deliverability.
Key findings
- New IP = Zero Reputation: New IPs have no established reputation and are treated with caution by ISPs.
- ISPs Monitoring: ISPs closely monitor the sending behavior of new IPs to assess trustworthiness.
- Warm-up is Essential: IP warm-up is crucial for building a positive sender reputation and avoiding spam filters.
- SMTP configuration: Proper configuration of SMTP can lead to deliverability issues
Key considerations
- Implement IP Warm-up: Gradually increase sending volume over time to establish a positive sending reputation.
- Monitor Sending Behavior: Closely monitor sending metrics such as bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics.
- Technical configuration: Ensure SMTP is configured correctly
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS explains that IP reputation plays a crucial role in spam filtering. A new IP lacks the positive history that ISPs use to assess sender trustworthiness. Transitioning to a new IP without warming it up will likely result in emails being filtered as spam, thereby negatively impacting domain reputation.
29 Sep 2024 - Microsoft SNDS
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that sender reputation is negatively affected when switching to a new IP address without proper warm-up. Google uses reputation to filter spam and evaluate trustworthiness, so a new IP without a history will have a low reputation until it proves itself.
2 Jan 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
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