Should email sending IPs be segmented by country for deliverability?

Key findings

• Regional preferences: Some regions, such as China, have very specific requirements or preferences for emails originating from local IP addresses. US providers may also favor emails from US-based IPs.
• Language vs. IP: ISP filtering based on recipient's language preference typically occurs later in the delivery chain and is generally unrelated to the sending IP's country of origin.
• European flexibility: Within the European Union, the geographical location of sending IPs generally has less impact on deliverability, though exceptions can exist for specific networks.
• Reputable senders: Ultimately, a reputable service provider following best practices often mitigates issues, regardless of the IP's country. Learn more about out-of-country email server impact.
• Infrastructure segmentation: Larger senders may benefit from segmenting sending IPs, domains, and subdomains.

Key considerations

• ISP specific rules: Some ISPs, particularly in Germany, might have unusual or strict filtering rules, sometimes rejecting email from new or unfamiliar IP addresses.
• Target audience: Consider if your audience is predominantly in a region known for strict IP-based filtering, such as China. This could influence whether dedicated IPs improve deliverability.
• Infrastructure investment: Implementing country-specific IP segmentation can be resource-intensive. Weigh the potential benefits against the complexity and cost.
• Holistic deliverability: Focus on overall sender reputation, content relevance, and list hygiene. These factors often outweigh IP geolocation. Learn more about email deliverability issues.

Key opinions

• Initial query: Marketers frequently ask whether segmenting domains or IPs by country is a necessary best practice, especially when sending to multiple countries and languages.
• EU consideration: A common assumption among marketers is that geographical IP segmentation might be less critical for deliverability within the EU compared to other regions.
• List segmentation: Many marketers focus on segmenting email lists for targeted content, which is seen as more impactful than IP location.
• Engagement first: The key to email deliverability is often getting relevant content to engaged subscribers, rather than IP geography.

Key considerations

• Complexity vs. benefit: Marketers need to assess if the operational complexity of managing country-specific IPs justifies the potential deliverability gains, especially in regions without strong geo-filtering.
• Scalability: For growing sending volumes across many countries, a one-size-fits-all IP strategy might become inefficient. Consider multiple dedicated IPs for large lists.
• Reputation: Maintaining a positive IP and domain reputation is paramount. Whether shared or dedicated, the IP's reputation significantly impacts campaign success. Learn more about IP and domain reputation.
• Transactional vs. marketing: Many marketers weigh the pros and cons of using separate IPs or subdomains for different email types, which is often more critical than country-specific IPs.

Key opinions

• Regional advantage: Experts confirm that specific regions may indeed find it easier for mail to be accepted if sent from local IP addresses. This is not a universal rule but a noteworthy observation.
• Language irrelevance to IP: ISPs examining language preference for a recipient is a later stage filtering process and does not typically interact with the sending IP's geographic location.
• German ISP nuances: Some German ISPs are known for unique filtering decisions, including potentially rejecting email from IP addresses they have not previously accepted mail from, making a stable reputation critical.
• China's unique challenges: China is frequently cited by experts as a region where IP location and local infrastructure are particularly significant for deliverability, due to its restrictive internet policies.
• US provider preferences: Evidence suggests US providers are more likely to accept mail from US-based IP addresses, indicating a localized preference.
• European exceptions: While generally less impactful in Europe, experts advise that specific networks might still show a preference for local IPs.

Key considerations

• Target market assessment: Evaluate your primary target markets. If a significant portion of your audience is in a region like China or the US, local IP consideration might be more relevant. Learn more about server location and deliverability.
• Infrastructure segmentation: For very large senders, experts often recommend splitting sending across several IPs, domains, and subdomains to manage reputation and deliverability effectively.
• Build sender reputation: Regardless of IP location, building and maintaining a strong sender reputation is universally critical. This involves consistent good sending practices and avoiding getting on blacklists.
• ISP specific considerations: Be aware that some mail providers, regardless of their location, might have specific issues like rate limits or reputation problems that affect transactional emails. Learn why mail providers have deliverability issues.

Key findings

• Infrastructure segmentation: For high-volume senders, separating sending IPs, domains, and subdomains is a recommended practice to manage reputation across different email streams.
• Reputation is key: Many factors influence email deliverability, with IP and domain reputation management being crucial. A positive reputation signals trustworthiness to mailbox providers. Read about email deliverability factors.
• Dedicated IP setup: Properly configuring a dedicated IP address with a custom PTR record that accurately reflects your domain is a key recommendation for improving deliverability.
• SPF and authorized IPs: SPF helps identify mail servers authorized to send email for a domain by listing permitted IP addresses and domains. This is about authorization, not geography. Discover more about SPF and deliverability.

Key considerations

• Transactional vs. marketing: Documentation often advises sending transactional and marketing emails from separate IP addresses to protect the reputation of critical messages. Read more about IP vs. domain reputation.
• IP warming: New IP addresses require a warming-up period to establish a positive reputation with inbox providers, regardless of their geographical location. This is crucial before sending high volumes.
• List hygiene: Maintaining a clean email list and ensuring active engagement from subscribers is consistently highlighted as a top priority for deliverability.
• DMARC, SPF, DKIM: Proper implementation of email authentication protocols is critical for establishing sender trust. These technical standards are global and not location-dependent. Learn about DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.