Is a dedicated IP address suitable for low volume email senders, and what is the minimum volume needed?

Key findings

• Volume requirement: Most experts and documentation suggest a minimum monthly sending volume of at least 50,000 to 100,000 emails for a dedicated IP to be viable, with some recommending 200,000 to 250,000+ to truly establish a robust reputation.
• Risk for low volume: Sending volumes of 30,000 emails per month or less on a dedicated IP is generally considered too low, leaving little room for error and making it difficult to absorb any blips that could negatively impact deliverability. You can learn more about risks of volume peaks and dips.
• Reputation building: ISPs rely on consistent sending volume to profile an IP's reputation. Insufficient volume prevents the establishment of a clear sending history, potentially causing emails to be treated with suspicion or routed to spam folders.
• Shared IP benefits: For lower volumes, a shared IP can be more beneficial, as senders can leverage the collective reputation of many users. This is particularly true if the shared pool is well-maintained by the Email Service Provider (ESP).
• High-value emails: For critical, high-value transactional emails, some marketers consider using a dedicated IP even with low volume, but this requires impeccable engagement metrics and a very low complaint rate.

Key considerations

• Current deliverability issues: If you're experiencing deliverability issues on a shared IP, investigate whether the ESP can move you to a better performing shared pool before considering a dedicated IP. This often requires persistent communication with your ESP's deliverability team.
• Engagement and content quality: Regardless of IP type, strong engagement (high opens/clicks, low bounces/complaints) and valuable, opted-in content are crucial for deliverability. A dedicated IP amplifies the impact of these factors, both positive and negative.
• Growth trajectory: If your email volume is consistently growing and you anticipate reaching the recommended minimums soon, a dedicated IP might be a forward-looking investment, provided a proper IP warming plan is implemented.
• IP warming strategy: If you do move to a dedicated IP, a careful and gradual IP warming process is essential to build a positive reputation from scratch. This involves sending small, increasing volumes to your most engaged subscribers initially. Find out what is a good email sending speed and more about minimum volumes for dedicated IPs.

Key opinions

• Low volume struggles: Many marketers agree that volumes around 30K/month are too low for a dedicated IP, as it offers no buffer for mistakes and makes consistent reputation building difficult.
• Shared IP preference: For lower volumes (under 100K/month), shared IPs are often preferred because they benefit from the combined sending reputation of multiple users, which can be more stable than a low-volume dedicated IP.
• Minimum volume for dedicated IP: A common consensus among marketers suggests a bare minimum of 100K/month, with 200K+ being ideal for truly establishing and maintaining a strong reputation with most mailbox providers (MBPs).
• High-value email exception: For mission-critical transactional emails, some marketers consider a dedicated IP even with lower volumes, provided these emails have exceptionally high engagement rates and are highly valued by the client.
• ESPs and shared pools: If experiencing issues on a shared IP, marketers often advise pushing the Email Service Provider (ESP) to move to a better performing shared IP or pool, noting that sometimes a dedicated IP might be overkill in such scenarios.

Key considerations

• Client value vs. volume: When each email has a high potential revenue value, the perceived benefit of a dedicated IP might outweigh typical volume recommendations, but the deliverability risks remain.
• Organic growth: Slow, organic list growth with proper opt-in practices is crucial for building a positive sender reputation on a dedicated IP, even if the starting volume is on the lower side of recommendations.
• Split sending strategy: Consider using a dedicated IP for highly critical emails and a shared IP for lower-priority or marketing sends, if your ESP supports such a configuration. For more on this, read when to use a shared IP over dedicated.
• Operational excellence: If opting for a dedicated IP with lower volume, marketers must ensure a robust engagement strategy, clean lists, and proactive deliverability monitoring (e.g., blocklist checking) to mitigate risks.

Key opinions

• Reputation dependence on volume: Experts reiterate that a dedicated IP's reputation is directly tied to the volume and quality of emails sent from it; low volume provides insufficient data for ISPs to assess legitimacy, leading to default suspicious treatment.
• Warm-up difficulties: The process of IP warming is prolonged and less effective with low volumes, as it takes longer to establish trust with ISPs.
• Minimum monthly thresholds: Consistent recommendations from experts indicate that a dedicated IP requires at least 50,000 to 100,000 emails per month to be viable, with higher volumes (200K+) providing more stability.
• Impact of negative metrics: With low volume, even a small number of complaints or bounces can disproportionately harm a dedicated IP's reputation, potentially leading to blocklistings or spam folder placement.

Key considerations

• Shared IP optimization: If on a shared IP, experts suggest engaging with your ESP to ensure you're on a well-maintained pool or exploring options to move to a more reputable shared environment.
• Focus on content and list hygiene: Regardless of IP type, maintaining an extremely clean, engaged list and sending highly relevant content are paramount for deliverability. This is especially critical for any low-volume dedicated IP use.
• Consider multiple IPs for growth: For growing businesses, experts advise considering multiple dedicated IPs as volume scales to distribute risk and maintain reputation.
• Long-term strategy: A dedicated IP is a long-term strategy for consistent, high-volume senders. Experts at Kickbox Blog suggest evaluating current and projected sending volumes before making the switch, ensuring it aligns with overall business goals.

Key findings

• Volume thresholds: Documentation consistently cites minimum volume requirements for dedicated IPs, typically ranging from 50,000 to 150,000 emails per month, with higher volumes recommended for optimal reputation building.
• Reputation establishment: ISPs need a consistent flow of email from an IP to accurately assess its sending behavior and assign a reputation. Low volumes do not provide enough data, which can impede deliverability.
• Warm-up period: Dedicated IPs require a meticulous warm-up period, which becomes challenging and protracted with low sending volumes. This means deliverability can be unstable for longer.
• Control vs. shared benefits: While dedicated IPs offer more control, documentation often highlights that for lower volumes, the collective reputation of a well-managed shared IP pool can provide more stable and reliable deliverability than a nascent dedicated IP.

Key considerations

• ISP guidelines: Adhere to the minimum volume requirements specified by your ESP or major ISPs. For instance, Mailjet's documentation suggests 150,000 emails per month as a minimum.
• Consistent sending patterns: Even with sufficient volume, documentation stresses the importance of consistent daily or weekly sending to maintain a positive IP reputation and avoid volume peaks and dips that can trigger spam filters.
• Engagement data: Monitor engagement metrics closely if using a dedicated IP, especially for lower volumes. ISPs use these signals to assess the quality of your mail. Learn more about maintaining dedicated IP reputation.