Summary
Shared IPs are generally recommended for new senders, those with low sending volumes (typically under 50,000 emails per month), or those who aren't ready to send frequently and consistently. They offer lower costs, ease of setup, and a shared IP reputation, making deliverability less dependent on individual sending practices. Shared IPs also assist in initial testing, warming up new domains/IPs, and for situations where consistent sending is not possible. Conversely, using shared IPs to send content known to negatively impact deliverability or to circumvent reputation problems associated with dedicated IPs is strongly discouraged.
Key findings
- New Senders/Low Volume: Shared IPs are well-suited for users new to email sending or those with smaller email volumes who lack the capacity to build or sustain a positive reputation on a dedicated IP.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Ease: Shared IPs offer a lower cost and simplified setup, making them attractive for startups and small marketing teams.
- IP Warming and Testing: Shared IPs provide a less risky environment for initial deliverability testing and domain/IP warming before transitioning to a dedicated IP.
- Inconsistent Sending: If your sending frequency is irregular, shared IPs provide a better option to minimize harm to your email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Shared Reputation: Your deliverability can be impacted by the sending behavior of other users sharing the same IP address.
- Poor Sending Practices: Using shared IPs for content with known deliverability issues or to bypass dedicated IP reputation issues is not recommended.
- Domain Reputation: Even when using a shared IP, sending low-quality content can still negatively affect your domain's overall reputation.
- Volume Threshold: Senders exceeding a certain volume (around 50,000 emails per month) may find that a dedicated IP is more advantageous for managing their sender reputation.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Shared IPs are generally recommended for senders who are new to email marketing, have low sending volumes (under 50,000 emails per month), or are not ready to send frequently and consistently. They offer lower costs, ease of setup, and a shared IP reputation, making deliverability less dependent on individual sending practices. Shared IPs are also beneficial for warming up new domains or IPs before transitioning to a dedicated IP address. However, using shared IPs for sending content that could harm deliverability or to circumvent reputation issues associated with dedicated IPs is strongly discouraged and considered a poor practice.
Key opinions
- Low Volume: Shared IPs are suitable for senders with low email volumes who can't build or maintain a dedicated IP's reputation.
- Starting Out: Shared IPs are often recommended for new senders or businesses due to ease of setup and cost-effectiveness.
- IP Warm-up: Shared IPs provide a lower-risk environment to test deliverability and warm up new sending domains/IPs.
- Inconsistent Sending: If you can't send frequently and consistently, shared IPs are a better option to avoid hurting your deliverability.
Key considerations
- Reputation Sharing: With shared IPs, your deliverability can be affected by the sending practices of other users sharing the same IP.
- Poor Sending Practices: Using shared IPs to send content that could harm deliverability or to circumvent dedicated IP reputation issues is strongly discouraged.
- Domain Reputation Impact: Sending low quality content from a shared IP can still harm your domain's reputation.
- Volume Threshold: Senders exceeding approximately 50,000 emails per month may find a dedicated IP more suitable for managing their own reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from GMass Blog responds that if you aren't ready to send frequently and consistently, a shared IP is often a better option. If you use a dedicated IP inconsistently, your deliverability could suffer.
1 Aug 2021 - GMass Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid Blog shares that when starting with email marketing, a shared IP is useful before migrating to a dedicated IP due to the need to 'warm up' a dedicated IP slowly to build reputation.
16 Jul 2021 - SendGrid Blog
What the experts say
1 expert opinions
Shared IPs are beneficial for initial email deliverability testing without impacting your own reputation and for warming up smaller sending domains.
Key opinions
- Initial Testing: Shared IPs are useful for initial testing of email deliverability.
- Reputation Protection: Using a shared IP for testing prevents negative impacts on your own IP's reputation.
- Domain Warmup: Shared IPs aid in warming up smaller sending domains.
Key considerations
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) responds that shared IPs are useful for initial testing, allowing you to test your deliverability without impacting your own reputation. It also adds using shared IP to warm up smaller sending domains.
25 Apr 2022 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Documentation suggests shared IPs are suitable for new email senders or those with low sending volumes (below 50,000 emails/month), as ESPs often manage the reputation. When using a 3rd party ESP for bulk email, following email marketing best practices is crucial due to reliance on shared IPs.
Key findings
- New Senders: Shared IPs are recommended for users new to email sending.
- Low Volume: Shared IPs are best for senders with low email volumes (under 50,000/month).
- Managed Reputation: ESPs often manage the reputation of shared IPs.
- 3rd Party ESPs: 3rd party ESPs often use shared IPs for bulk email.
Key considerations
- Best Practices: Following email marketing best practices is critical when using shared IPs through a 3rd party ESP.
- Volume Threshold: If you are planning on sending over 50,000 emails per month, a dedicated IP will be more suitable to manage your reputation effectively.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft Documentation suggests that if you are sending bulk email, and are using a 3rd party ESP, they will likely be sending from shared IP addresses, meaning you need to adhere to best practices for email marketing.
7 Feb 2023 - Microsoft Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from AWS Documentation explains that you should use shared IP addresses if you're new to email sending or if you send a low volume of email. Amazon SES automatically manages the reputation of shared IP addresses.
20 Dec 2023 - AWS Documentation
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