Do dedicated email domains or IPs improve deliverability in specific countries or markets?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 9 May 2025
Updated 18 Aug 2025
7 min read
When expanding into new international markets, a common question arises: do we need a dedicated email domain or IP address for each country? The intuitive thought might be that localizing our sending infrastructure would inherently improve deliverability. After all, doesn't being geographically closer or having a domain that matches the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) make us more trustworthy to local internet service providers (ISPs) and recipients?
For many years, the industry consensus has been that while there might be some minor perceived benefits, for the vast majority of markets, a single, well-maintained sending domain and IP infrastructure can serve global operations effectively. My experience working with clients sending worldwide confirms this general rule. Most email deliverability challenges aren't tied to the physical location of your servers or the specific TLD of your domain, but rather to the reputation you build through your sending practices.
However, like most rules, there are exceptions and nuances. While explicit requirements for localized infrastructure are rare, strategic reasons and specific regional idiosyncrasies can sometimes make dedicated resources a valuable consideration. Let's delve into whether dedicated email domains or IPs genuinely improve deliverability in specific countries or markets.
The foundation: domain and IP reputation
Email deliverability primarily hinges on your sender reputation, which is influenced by various factors. These factors include how recipients engage with your emails, your spam complaint rates, bounce rates, and whether your email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly set up. ISPs and mailbox providers evaluate this reputation to decide whether to place your emails in the inbox, spam folder, or reject them entirely.
Both your sending domain's reputation and your IP address's reputation contribute to this overall sender score. Your domain reputation is portable, meaning it follows your domain regardless of the IP address you send from. This makes it incredibly important. IP reputation, on the other hand, is tied to the specific IP address used for sending. If you use a shared IP, your reputation is influenced by other senders using that same IP, which can be a double-edged sword. A dedicated IP gives you full control, but also full responsibility, over its reputation.
The location of your IP address location rarely plays a significant direct role in deliverability to different countries. Most major mailbox providers, like Gmail and Outlook, operate globally and evaluate sender reputation based on behavior, not geography. What matters most is consistent, positive sending behavior to a well-engaged list, regardless of where your server is physically located.
Country-specific considerations: China is the exception
While most countries don't impose technical deliverability restrictions based on the origin of your email, there is one major exception: China. Sending emails into China's unique email environment is notoriously challenging, often requiring a local presence and adherence to specific regulations. Even then, deliverability remains complex, and a dedicated local IP address or local sending service is often recommended, if not mandatory, for reliable delivery.
Key considerations for China
Local presence: You often need a local entity or partner to ensure emails are routed and processed correctly within China's strict internet regulations.
IP warm-up: Aggressive sending from new IPs is heavily penalized. A slow and careful IP warm-up process is crucial.
Content filtering: Content is heavily filtered for keywords and topics, which can lead to blocks even with good reputation.
Authentication: While important everywhere, proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is non-negotiable for China.
Beyond China, the impact of a dedicated IP or domain for specific countries is generally minimal. For example, sending to recipients in Germany with a .de domain versus a .com domain will not inherently guarantee better deliverability from a technical standpoint if your sender reputation is solid. Mailbox providers in most regions prioritize the sender's behavior and authentication over their geographic location or domain TLD. A well-managed sending domain is portable and should perform consistently across global markets.
Strategic segmentation and risk mitigation
Even if not a technical necessity, there can be strategic benefits to using dedicated domains or segmented IPs by country. The primary reason revolves around reputation management and risk mitigation. If you have a specific market where audience engagement is consistently low, or where your spam complaint rate is higher, isolating that traffic can protect your overall sender reputation.
Centralized sending
Reputation risk: Poor performance in one market (e.g., high bounces or complaints) can degrade your single global IP or domain's reputation, impacting deliverability everywhere.
Troubleshooting: Diagnosing deliverability issues becomes harder as it's difficult to pinpoint which market or list is causing the problem.
This approach offers simplicity but can expose your entire email program to risks from underperforming segments.
Segmented sending
Reputation protection: A dedicated TLD (e.g., .de) or separate IP range for a specific country protects your main sending reputation from isolated issues.
Easier diagnostics: If deliverability drops for a specific segment, you can quickly identify the problematic list or market and take corrective action.
This provides a valuable precaution, especially if you anticipate varying list quality or engagement levels across markets. Learn more about dedicated versus shared IPs.
For high-volume senders, dedicated IPs are generally recommended globally, not just for specific markets. This is because they offer greater control over your sender reputation and help avoid issues caused by other senders on a shared IP. However, remember that a dedicated IP alone doesn't guarantee improved deliverability if your sending practices are poor. You'll need to warm it up properly and maintain good list hygiene. If you're considering multiple dedicated IPs, consider the operational overhead involved in warming and managing them.
Human perception and localization
Beyond the technical aspects, there's the human element to consider. Does a localized from address or a country-specific TLD (like .co.uk for the United Kingdom) impact how recipients perceive your emails? This is less about deliverability to the inbox and more about engagement once the email arrives.
While concrete data proving that a local TLD directly improves open rates or click-through rates is scarce due to the multitude of variables involved, it stands to reason that a localized sender identity can foster trust and relevance. If your brand has a strong local presence and the content is tailored to the local language and culture, a matching domain can enhance the recipient's overall experience.
Consider how your brand is perceived in each market. If you have distinct regional branches, using a subdomain (e.g., germany.yourcompany.com) or a specific ccTLD might align better with your local marketing efforts and build greater rapport with your audience. This is a branding and user experience decision, distinct from technical deliverability requirements. It’s about cultivating a deeper connection, which can indirectly lead to better engagement metrics, ultimately boosting your sender reputation.
Key takeaways for global sending
The decision to use dedicated email domains or IPs for specific countries or markets is multifaceted. For most global sending, a well-managed central domain and IP strategy is usually sufficient and efficient. Your sender reputation, built on consistent positive engagement and proper authentication, is the paramount factor for deliverability worldwide. While Google's guidelines and other major providers focus heavily on these behavioral and technical signals, not on the physical location of your email servers.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Maintain separate sending domains or subdomains for different types of email traffic (e.g., transactional vs. marketing) to protect reputation.
Segment your email lists by engagement levels within each country or market.
Implement strong authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for all sending domains.
Consistently monitor your sender reputation and deliverability metrics for each country.
Common pitfalls
Assuming a local IP or domain automatically guarantees better deliverability in a specific country.
Neglecting proper IP warm-up for new dedicated IPs, regardless of the country.
Failing to segment lists, allowing poor engagement in one market to affect deliverability globally.
Not understanding specific regional regulations or cultural nuances, especially for challenging markets like China.
Expert tips
Focus on the quality of your email list and the relevance of your content for each market.
Prioritize consistent sending volume and behavior over geographical IP alignment.
Consider local language, cultural relevance, and time zones for improved engagement, which indirectly boosts deliverability.
Use subdomains for different brands or types of sends within the same overarching domain structure.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that China is a unique and complex email realm where a local presence is often a necessity for reliable email delivery.
2024-06-20 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that using localized domains or dedicated IPs for specific markets acts more as a user experience enhancement and precaution than a direct mailbox provider preference.
Gmail and 
Outlook, operate globally and evaluate sender reputation based on behavior, not geography. What matters most is consistent, positive sending behavior to a well-engaged list, regardless of where your server is physically located.
global IP or domain's reputation, impacting deliverability everywhere.
