Summary
When Google Postmaster Tools indicates a good domain reputation alongside a bad IP reputation, it means that while Google generally trusts your brand, content, and overall sending history, the specific server, or IP address, used for sending your emails has been flagged for issues. This distinction highlights that your brand's identity is perceived positively by Google due to consistent, engaging email practices. However, the IP address itself is associated with problematic mail, which can stem from factors like being a shared IP with other spammers, sudden and unusual volume spikes, or other suspicious activity originating from that particular address, potentially causing deliverability challenges.
Key findings
- Brand vs. Server: A good domain reputation signifies Google's trust in your brand's overall sending practices, content, and recipient engagement across all mail sources.
- IP's Specific Role: IP reputation, on the other hand, is specific to the particular server or IP address from which your emails are being sent, reflecting its individual sending history and quality.
- Common Discrepancy Causes: This discrepancy often arises when using shared IP addresses where other senders' poor practices affect the IP, or when there are sudden, unusual volume changes or suspicious activity from that specific IP.
- Deliverability Impact: Despite a trusted domain, a poor IP reputation can still lead to your emails being filtered, delayed, or outright blocked by Google, as the system flags the sending infrastructure as problematic.
- Actionable Insight: The situation indicates that while your brand identity is solid, the immediate pathway your emails take is compromised, necessitating investigation and remediation at the IP level rather than content or audience issues.
Key considerations
- Shared IP Review: If you are on shared IP addresses, investigate whether other senders are contributing to the poor IP reputation, as their practices directly impact the IP you share.
- Volume & Pattern Analysis: Analyze your sending logs for the specific IP address to identify any sudden, unusual spikes in volume or changes in sending patterns that could have negatively affected its reputation.
- Infrastructure Security: Verify your sending infrastructure's security. A compromised system sending spam from your IP can quickly damage its reputation, regardless of your domain's standing.
- Dedicated IP Consideration: For high-volume senders or those consistently impacted by shared IP issues, consider moving to a dedicated IP address to gain more direct control over your sending reputation.
- Consistent Monitoring: Regularly monitor your Google Postmaster Tools data for both domain and IP reputation. Early detection of a declining IP reputation allows for quicker intervention.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
A good domain reputation coupled with a poor IP reputation in Google Postmaster Tools signals a nuanced situation for email senders. It signifies that Google recognizes and trusts your brand and content, reflecting consistent positive engagement and low complaint rates. However, the specific IP address from which your emails are sent is considered problematic, often due to issues such as shared IP pools with other senders exhibiting poor practices, sudden and uncharacteristic volume spikes, or potential compromises in the sending infrastructure. This means that while your brand's standing is strong, the deliverability of your emails can still be negatively affected by the IP's poor standing, potentially leading to filtering or blocking.
Key opinions
- Domain's Positive Standing: A good domain reputation means Google recognizes your brand as a legitimate sender, trusting your content and overall email practices due to positive engagement.
- IP's Negative History: The poor IP reputation indicates that the specific server from which your emails originate has been flagged for suspicious, high-volume, or unwanted mail.
- Shared IP Risks: This discrepancy frequently arises from using shared IP addresses where other senders' problematic behavior negatively impacts the shared IP's reputation.
- Volume Changes as Factor: Sudden, uncharacteristic spikes in sending volume from an IP address can trigger Google's spam filters, contributing to a poor IP reputation.
- Potential System Compromise: A compromised sending infrastructure or a misconfiguration can lead to your IP being associated with spam, even if your domain is trusted.
- Filtering Likelihood: Despite a good domain reputation, emails sent from an IP with a poor reputation are at a higher risk of being filtered, delayed, or blocked by recipient inboxes.
Key considerations
- Examine Shared IP Usage: If you are on shared IP addresses, investigate the sending behavior of other users on that IP, as their actions directly influence its reputation.
- Review Sending Volume: Analyze your own sending logs for the specific IP address to detect any sudden or unusual spikes in email volume or significant changes in sending patterns.
- Assess Infrastructure Security: Conduct a thorough security audit of your sending infrastructure to ensure it hasn't been compromised and is not sending mail without your authorization.
- Explore Dedicated IP Option: For senders experiencing persistent issues on shared IPs, or those with high sending volumes, consider migrating to a dedicated IP address for greater control over reputation.
- Continuous Monitoring: Regularly check Google Postmaster Tools for both domain and IP reputation metrics. Early detection of a declining IP reputation allows for proactive intervention.
- Validate Configurations: Ensure all email authentication protocols-SPF, DKIM, DMARC-are correctly implemented for your domain and IP address to reinforce sender legitimacy.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that a bad IP reputation likely means you will have problems delivering mail to Gmail from that address.
3 Oct 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailchimp Blog explains that if your domain reputation is good but your IP reputation is poor in Google Postmaster Tools, it means Google trusts your brand and content, but the specific server (IP address) used for sending has been associated with unwanted mail, often due to shared IP issues or sudden volume changes.
11 Jun 2023 - Mailchimp Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
A good domain reputation paired with a bad IP reputation within Google Postmaster Tools indicates that Gmail perceives your overall brand, content, and sending practices as highly trustworthy. This positive domain standing means your emails generally receive good engagement. Conversely, the poor IP reputation signifies that the specific sending server, or IP address, has been associated with problematic sending. This is a common occurrence with shared IP addresses, where the activities of other senders can negatively impact the IP's standing, even if your domain maintains excellent sending habits. Essentially, Google differentiates between the sender's brand trustworthiness and the reputation of the infrastructure delivering the mail.
Key opinions
- Distinct Metrics: Google Postmaster Tools provides separate reputation scores for your domain and the specific IP addresses used for sending mail.
- Domain Trust: A good domain reputation signifies Gmail's trust in your brand, email content, sender practices, and overall positive recipient engagement.
- IP-Specific Issues: A bad IP reputation indicates that the particular sending server has been associated with problematic mail, either historically or due to current activity.
- Gmail's Differentiation: Gmail is capable of differentiating between the trustworthiness of your domain and the reputation of the underlying sending infrastructure.
- Shared IP Commonality: This discrepancy often arises when using shared IP addresses, where the poor sending practices of other users can negatively impact the shared IP's standing.
- Potential Deliverability Impact: Despite a strong domain reputation, a poor IP reputation can still lead to your emails being filtered, delayed, or blocked by recipient inboxes.
Key considerations
- Shared IP Evaluation: If you are on shared IP addresses, investigate whether other senders are contributing to the negative IP reputation, as their actions directly influence its standing.
- Historical IP Activity: Review the sending history and patterns associated with the problematic IP address to identify any sudden volume spikes or unusual sending behavior.
- Continuous Monitoring: Regularly check Google Postmaster Tools to track both your domain and IP reputation trends, allowing for proactive intervention if issues arise.
- Dedicated IP Option: For high-volume senders or those consistently impacted by shared IP issues, consider migrating to a dedicated IP address for greater control over your sending reputation.
- Sending Practice Reinforcement: While your domain is well-regarded, ensure your own sending practices, list hygiene, and recipient engagement strategies remain optimal to further protect your domain's positive standing.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that domain reputation is about all your mail from all sources.
17 Aug 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that a bad IP reputation combined with a good domain reputation, as observed on platforms like Google Postmaster, signifies that while the specific sending server (IP address) might be associated with problematic sending (possibly due to it being a shared IP used by other senders, or historical issues), your specific domain is still perceived as trustworthy by Gmail. This indicates that the mail sent from your domain generally receives positive engagement, and Gmail differentiates between the sending infrastructure's reputation and the sender's own domain reputation.
18 Sep 2022 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
When Google Postmaster Tools displays a good domain reputation alongside a poor IP reputation, it highlights Google's ability to distinguish between your brand's overall trustworthiness and the specific delivery mechanism. It means that while your domain-representing your brand, content, and consistent sending history-is recognized as legitimate and trusted, the particular IP address used to send your emails is associated with problematic activity. This often points to issues originating from the server or network path, such as being shared with senders of unwanted mail, experiencing unusual volume spikes, or having been compromised.
Key findings
- Distinct Reputations: Google Postmaster Tools evaluates domain and IP reputations independently, assessing different aspects of your email sending.
- Domain Trust: A strong domain reputation indicates Google's confidence in your brand's overall sending practices and the quality of your mail, based on consistent history and engagement.
- IP-Specific Issues: A poor IP reputation signifies that the particular IP address itself has been involved in problematic sending, regardless of the domain it is sending for.
- Problematic IP Sources: Issues with IP reputation can stem from being on shared IP addresses with spammers, experiencing sudden increases in sending volume, or having a compromised sending server.
- Deliverability Risk: Despite a trusted domain, emails from a low-reputation IP are at higher risk of being filtered, delayed, or blocked by recipient inboxes.
Key considerations
- Investigate IP Source: Determine if you are on a dedicated or shared IP address. If shared, understand that other senders' actions can impact your IP reputation.
- Analyze Sending Patterns: Review the specific IP's sending logs for any abnormal volume spikes, unusual mail types, or uncharacteristic sending behavior.
- Assess Infrastructure Security: Conduct a security audit to ensure your sending server or platform has not been compromised, potentially sending unauthorized or malicious mail.
- Consider Dedicated IP: For high-volume senders or those persistently affected by shared IP issues, migrating to a dedicated IP can provide more control over reputation.
- Maintain Domain Health: Continue to uphold excellent email sending practices-list hygiene, relevant content, authentication-to reinforce your domain's positive standing and mitigate some IP-level risks.
- Monitor Postmaster Tools: Regularly check both domain and IP reputation metrics in Google Postmaster Tools for early detection and proactive resolution of issues.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that a good domain reputation indicates a consistent, trusted sending history for your brand, while a bad IP reputation suggests issues at the server level, possibly due to shared IP space with spammers or recent abnormal sending patterns from that specific IP address.
3 Jan 2022 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools FAQ clarifies that IP reputation is based on the volume and quality of mail from a specific IP address, whereas domain reputation reflects the overall perception of emails from your domain. A good domain with a bad IP implies the domain is trusted, but the IP has sent problematic mail.
20 Oct 2021 - Google Postmaster Tools FAQ
How does domain reputation affect email deliverability compared to IP reputation?
How does Google Postmaster Tools IP reputation affect deliverability when open rates are stable?
What is the difference between IP and domain reputation in email deliverability?
What should I do if I see bad reputation foreign IPs associated with my domain in Google Postmaster Tools but no other issues?
What should I do if my Mailgun shared IP has a low reputation in Google Postmaster Tools?
Why is Google Postmaster Tools not showing domain or IP reputation?
