Summary
The decline in Google Postmaster Tools IP reputation on newsletter sending days via Mailchimp's shared IPs is a multifaceted issue. Key factors include Mailchimp's engagement-based IP pools where newsletters often go to less-engaged subscribers from different IPs, high sending volumes triggering spam filters, and the influence of other senders' practices on the shared IP. Poor list hygiene leading to bounces and spam complaints, inconsistent sending patterns, and failure to follow IP warming best practices also contribute to the problem. Ultimately, decreased IP reputation often signals that recipients are not engaging with emails or are marking them as spam.
Key findings
- Engagement-Based IPs: Mailchimp utilizes engagement-based IP pools, potentially sending newsletters to less engaged subscribers on separate IPs.
- Volume Spikes: High sending volumes, particularly on shared IPs, can trigger spam filters.
- Shared IP Influence: The sending practices of other users on shared IPs can affect your IP reputation.
- List Hygiene: Poor list hygiene, including sending to invalid or unengaged addresses, leads to bounces and spam complaints.
- Sending Patterns: Inconsistent sending patterns and sudden changes in volume raise red flags for email providers.
- IP Warming: Failure to properly warm up a new IP address can result in deliverability issues.
- Low Engagement: Low engagement rates and recipients marking emails as spam can negatively impact IP reputation.
- Recipient Actions: Lack of recipient engagement with the emails causes spam complaints and decreased IP reputation
Key considerations
- Maintain Consistent Sending: Establish and adhere to a consistent sending schedule to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Improve List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list by removing invalid addresses and unengaged subscribers.
- Segment Your Audience: Segment your audience based on engagement levels to send more targeted and relevant content.
- Monitor IP Reputation: Regularly monitor your IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Follow IP Warming Best Practices: If transitioning to a dedicated IP, follow recommended IP warming procedures.
- Enhance Email Content: Create engaging and valuable email content that encourages recipients to interact with your messages.
- Monitor Engagement: Track subscriber engagement to identify and address issues impacting IP reputation.
- Consider Dedicated IP: If deliverability issues persist, consider switching to a dedicated IP address to have more control over your sending reputation.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
The IP reputation observed in Google Postmaster Tools can decrease on newsletter sending days via Mailchimp shared IPs due to several interconnected factors. Mailchimp's system uses engagement-based IP pools, so newsletters are often sent from IPs with lower engagement subscribers, which can lower IP reputation. High sending volumes on shared IPs are viewed with suspicion by spam filters, affecting deliverability. Inconsistent sending patterns and less-than-ideal list hygiene compound the problem, as does the sending volume from other users on the shared IP. Consistently sending high volumes to less-engaged subscribers also damages IP reputation.
Key opinions
- Engagement-Based IPs: Mailchimp uses separate IP pools based on subscriber engagement. Newsletters often go to less engaged users via different IPs.
- Volume Spikes: High sending volumes trigger spam filters on shared IPs.
- List Hygiene: Poor list hygiene leads to bounces and spam complaints, hurting IP reputation.
- Sending Patterns: Inconsistent sending patterns raise red flags for email providers.
- Shared IP Influence: The sending practices of other users on shared IPs affect your deliverability.
- Low engagement rates: Newsletters that subscribers do not find useful lead to decreased IP reputation
Key considerations
- Consistent Sending: Maintain consistent sending patterns to avoid triggering spam filters.
- List Hygiene Practices: Regularly clean your email list to remove unengaged subscribers.
- Monitor Engagement: Track subscriber engagement to identify and address issues impacting IP reputation.
- Warm-up IP: If moving to a dedicated IP, gradually warm it up to establish a positive reputation.
- Shared IP Limitations: Understand that shared IPs are influenced by other users' sending habits.
- Email Content: Ensure that emails are useful to subscribers, so that they are not marked as spam
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital explains that sending large volumes of emails on specific days can negatively impact IP reputation, especially on shared IPs, as it can trigger spam filters. Consistent sending patterns and gradual increases in volume are recommended.
26 Apr 2024 - Neil Patel Digital
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that a yellow reputation in Google Postmaster Tools isn't necessarily bad, as it's labeled as 'good'. Also, if Mailchimp uses separate IPs for engaged and unengaged contacts, lower reputation on IPs sending to unengaged contacts is expected.
8 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Google Postmaster Tools IP reputation decreases when newsletters are sent via Mailchimp shared IPs due to high sending volumes to less engaged recipients and general spikes in email volume. Consistent high volume to low-engagement recipients damages IP reputation due to low engagement and low-quality contacts. Email volume spikes compared to regular volume, particularly on shared IPs, also negatively impact IP reputation.
Key opinions
- High volume to less engaged recipients: Consistently sending to less engaged users damages IP reputation.
- Spikes in Email Volume: Sudden increases in sending volume can harm IP reputation.
- Shared IP Addresses: Volume spikes are more detrimental on shared IP addresses.
Key considerations
- Improve Engagement: Focus on increasing engagement rates with your email campaigns.
- Maintain Consistent Volume: Avoid large spikes in email sending volume by gradually scaling campaigns.
- Segment Contacts: Segment your email list to target engaged users and remove less engaged ones.
- Monitor Reputation: Monitor IP reputation via Google Postmaster Tools to detect and address issues promptly.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that consistently high sending volumes to less engaged recipients will likely damage the sender's IP reputation. This can be a result of low engagement rates and low-quality contacts.
24 Sep 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that spikes in email volume (when compared to your regular sending volume) can damage your IP reputation, particularly if you're on shared IP addresses.
13 Aug 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Google Postmaster Tools IP reputation decreases on newsletter sending days via Mailchimp shared IPs due to several factors. These factors include spam complaints, sending to invalid email addresses, sudden spikes in email volume, and sending newsletters to unengaged users. Sender reputation is vital for deliverability to Outlook and Hotmail users, and large sending volumes from new or low-reputation IPs are filtered more aggressively. Also, email servers perform reverse DNS lookups on sending IPs, and failures can negatively affect IP reputation. When starting to send from a new IP, IP warming is a must; otherwise, a high volume of emails will be marked as spam.
Key findings
- Spam Complaints and Invalid Addresses: Spam complaints and sending to invalid addresses harm IP reputation.
- Volume Spikes: Sudden spikes in email volume negatively impact IP reputation.
- Unengaged Users: Sending newsletters to unengaged users damages IP reputation.
- Sender Reputation Importance: Sender reputation is critical for deliverability to Outlook and Hotmail users.
- Aggressive Filtering: Large sending volumes from new or low-reputation IPs are filtered more aggressively.
- Reverse DNS Lookups: Failed reverse DNS lookups negatively affect IP reputation.
- IP Warming Necessity: IP warming is required when starting to send from a new IP.
Key considerations
- Reduce Spam Complaints: Implement strategies to reduce spam complaints, such as improving email content and targeting.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid email addresses and unengaged users.
- Control Volume: Avoid sudden spikes in email volume by gradually increasing sending volume.
- Implement IP Warming: When starting to send from a new IP, follow IP warming best practices.
- Check DNS Records: Ensure that your sending IPs have valid reverse DNS records.
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that IP reputation is affected by factors such as spam complaints, sending to invalid email addresses, and sudden spikes in email volume. Sending newsletters to unengaged users can harm IP reputation.
12 Jan 2023 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains that sender reputation is critical for deliverability to Outlook and Hotmail users. Large sending volumes from new or low reputation IPs are filtered more aggressively. Gradual warm-up is necessary.
12 Jun 2022 - Microsoft
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