What is the difference between IP reputation and domain reputation?

IP reputation refers to the trustworthiness of the IP address sending emails, influenced by all senders using it. Domain reputation, on the other hand, is the trustworthiness of your specific sending domain. Google prioritizes domain reputation more heavily for inbox placement.

How much does a low shared IP reputation affect deliverability if my domain reputation is high?

If your domain reputation is High or Medium in Google Postmaster Tools, a low shared IP reputation might not significantly impact your deliverability. Google tends to trust a reputable domain even if one of its shared IPs shows minor fluctuations, as the IP's score is affected by other users. However, if your domain reputation also drops , then it's a more serious concern.

Can Mailgun help me fix a low shared IP reputation?

Since it's a shared IP, Mailgun's support team can provide insights into overall IP health but generally cannot "fix" the reputation of a single shared IP for one user. They manage the reputation of their IP pools. Your best approach is to focus on improving your sending practices to maintain your domain's positive standing. If problems persist, discuss options like a dedicated IP with Mailgun.

What actions can I take to improve my sending habits on a shared IP?

You should focus on email list hygiene, sending only to engaged recipients, providing clear unsubscribe options, and ensuring your email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is correctly configured. These practices directly influence your domain reputation, which is the primary factor Google considers.

Is Google Postmaster Tools always accurate regarding reputation?

Google Postmaster Tools is a valuable resource, but its data, especially for shared IPs, can sometimes be misleading or delayed. It reflects trends and general health. Always cross-reference with your own sending analytics (e.g., in Mailgun) and observe actual inbox placement. If your domain reputation is high and other metrics are good, a temporary dip in a shared IP's reputation is likely not a false positive, but rather a reflection of other senders' practices on that IP, with minimal impact on your mail.

What should I do if my Mailgun shared IP has a low reputation in Google Postmaster Tools? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

Discovering a low IP reputation for your Mailgun shared IP in Google Postmaster Tools can be concerning. It often appears as a red indicator, suggesting your emails might be at risk of landing in spam folders. While alarming, it's crucial to understand the context, especially when dealing with shared IPs and Google's emphasis on domain reputation.

This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to assess the situation, mitigate potential issues, and improve your email deliverability. The key is not to panic, but to methodically investigate and implement best practices for your sending behavior.

Understanding shared IP reputation

When you use a Mailgun shared IP, you are sending emails from an IP address that is also used by many other Mailgun customers. This means the IP's reputation in tools like Google Postmaster Tools (GPT) is an aggregate of the sending behaviors of all users on that IP. If another user on the same shared IP engages in spammy behavior or has poor sending practices, it can negatively affect the overall IP reputation, even if your sending is perfectly legitimate.

It's important to differentiate between IP reputation and domain reputation. While IP reputation is certainly a factor, Google typically places more weight on your domain reputation, especially for inbox placement decisions. If your domain reputation is high, a single low IP reputation for a shared IP might not be as detrimental as it seems.

A common reason for a low IP reputation on shared IPs, particularly for transactional emails or notifications, is low engagement from recipients. If the emails are not opened or interacted with by the recipients, Google's algorithms might interpret this lack of engagement as a sign of undesirable mail, contributing to a lower reputation for the sending IP. This is often the case with notifications that recipients don't actively read.

Diagnosing the impact on your domain

The very first step is to verify your domain reputation in Google Postmaster Tools. Navigate to the Domain Reputation dashboard. If your domain reputation is High or Medium, a low IP Reputation on a shared IP is often not an immediate cause for alarm, as Google's algorithms will prioritize your domain's positive standing. You can find more details in our ultimate guide to Google Postmaster Tools.

Next, examine other metrics in Google Postmaster Tools. Pay close attention to your spam rate and bounce rate. A consistently high spam rate, even if your domain reputation is okay, can eventually drag down your overall sender standing. Similarly, high bounce rates indicate an unhealthy mailing list, which can signal poor list hygiene and negatively impact your deliverability. These are usually more direct indicators of issues you can control than a fluctuating shared IP reputation.

Also, consider if the low IP reputation is a persistent issue or a temporary fluctuation. Google Postmaster Tools can sometimes present data that may not fully reflect your specific sending impact, especially with shared resources. Minor dips are common, but a sustained low reputation warrants a closer look at your own email practices.

Strategic actions for a shared IP

Since you have limited control over the shared IP itself, the focus must shift to your own sending practices. Implementing and maintaining email best practices is the most effective way to safeguard your domain reputation, which in turn helps to offset any negative impact from a shared IP with a temporary low reputation.

List Hygiene: Regularly clean your mailing lists to remove inactive users, bounces, and potential spam traps. Sending to unengaged or invalid addresses signals poor sending practices.
Engagement Focus: For product notifications, consider if every notification is truly necessary or if the frequency is too high. Higher engagement from your recipients positively impacts your sending reputation.
Authentication: Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured. These authentication methods verify your identity and protect against spoofing, which is crucial for maintaining a good reputation.
Unsubscribe Options: Provide clear and easy unsubscribe options. If users can't easily opt out, they are more likely to mark your emails as spam, which directly harms your reputation.

Immediate actions

Check domain health: Verify your domain reputation is good in Google Postmaster Tools. This is often more critical than a single shared IP's standing.
Review sending content: Analyze your transactional and notification email content for clarity and relevance. Reduce unnecessary sends that might lead to low engagement.
Monitor key metrics: Keep an eye on spam rates and bounce rates within GPT. These indicate direct user feedback and list health.

If, despite your best efforts, the shared IP reputation remains persistently low and you observe significant negative impacts on your deliverability, you might consider migrating to a dedicated IP address. This gives you full control over your sending reputation, but it comes with the responsibility of proper IP warming and consistent, healthy sending volumes. Mailgun (or any ESP) generally offers this as an upgrade option for higher sending volumes or specific deliverability needs.

Long-term reputation management

Maintaining a strong email sender reputation is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. Regularly review your Mailgun sending analytics in addition to Google Postmaster Tools for any spikes in complaints, bounces, or unsubscribe rates. These metrics provide early warning signs of potential issues that could affect your domain reputation. Addressing them promptly can prevent a temporary low IP reputation from escalating into a more widespread deliverability problem.

By focusing on nurturing a healthy sending relationship with your recipients, you build trust with mailbox providers like Gmail. This proactive approach to email deliverability ensures that even if a shared IP experiences reputation fluctuations, your well-maintained domain reputation acts as a shield, helping your emails consistently reach the inbox.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Actively monitor your domain's reputation in Google Postmaster Tools, as it's Google's primary reputation factor.

Regularly clean your email lists to remove inactive users and invalid addresses, reducing bounce and spam complaint rates.

Ensure all transactional and notification emails are highly engaging to recipients, minimizing ignored messages.

Common pitfalls

Overreacting to a low shared IP reputation if your domain reputation remains healthy.

Failing to review Mailgun's internal sending analytics for performance insights.

Sending unnecessary or overly frequent notifications that lead to low recipient engagement.

Expert tips

If the low IP reputation is persistent and impacting deliverability, consider upgrading to a dedicated IP address.

Educate internal teams about the importance of email engagement for transactional sends.

Understand that shared IPs can fluctuate due to other users, so focus on what you can control: your domain's health.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says if emails are all product notifications and not marketing, low engagement is likely the cause of the low IP reputation.

2020-05-20 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says if it's a shared Mailgun IP, there's little that can be done directly, and it's not uncommon for a shared IP to have a bad reputation in Google Postmaster Tools while the domain reputation is fine.

2020-05-20 - Email Geeks

Maintaining your sending health

Seeing a low reputation for a Mailgun shared IP in Google Postmaster Tools is a common occurrence and doesn't always signal a crisis. The crucial takeaway is to prioritize your domain reputation, as Google places significant weight on it for deliverability decisions. As long as your domain reputation remains healthy, the impact of a single shared IP's low standing is likely minimal.

Focus on the aspects you can control, such as maintaining a clean email list, ensuring strong email authentication, and optimizing the relevance and engagement of your messages. Continuous monitoring of your sender metrics in Google Postmaster Tools and Mailgun's analytics will empower you to react quickly to any genuine threats to your email deliverability. Remember, consistency and good sending habits are your best defense.