Suped

Do transactional emails negatively impact marketing email deliverability, and is it necessary to use separate IP addresses for them?

Summary

The relationship between transactional and marketing email deliverability is a common area of confusion. While some sources suggest that transactional emails can negatively impact marketing deliverability, the prevailing expert and marketer opinion indicates this is generally incorrect. Instead, the opposite is more often true: poor marketing email practices can jeopardize the deliverability of crucial transactional communications. The decision to use separate IP addresses for these email types hinges on factors like volume, risk tolerance, and the sophistication of your email service provider.

What email marketers say

Email marketers frequently discuss the best practices for managing different email streams. Many marketers disagree with the notion that transactional emails harm marketing deliverability, often pointing to the inherent difference in recipient expectation and engagement. The consensus among practitioners tends to favor separating streams (either via IP or subdomain) as a protective measure for critical transactional communications, especially as marketing efforts scale or become more aggressive. They also highlight the increasing sophistication of email service providers in distinguishing between email types.

Marketer view

A marketer from Email Geeks questions the fundamental premise that transactional emails would negatively impact marketing email delivery, suggesting that the inverse is far more plausible. Transactional emails, by their nature, are typically highly anticipated by recipients, which usually results in strong engagement metrics beneficial to sender reputation. Marketing emails, conversely, can be perceived as less relevant and thus generate lower engagement, potentially dragging down overall deliverability.

28 Aug 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

A marketer from Email Geeks notes a common problematic assumption: that transactional emails have lower delivery and engagement rates simply because they don't require an explicit opt-in. This idea is misleading. Transactional emails are sent due to a user's action or request, which naturally leads to high engagement and therefore, good deliverability, unlike bulk marketing emails which rely on consent.

28 Aug 2019 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

Email deliverability experts generally emphasize the importance of sender reputation above all else. They understand that while transactional emails typically have a high positive impact due to strong engagement, marketing emails carry a higher inherent risk. Therefore, strategic separation of mail streams, whether by IP address or subdomain, is often a recommended practice to mitigate risks and maintain optimal deliverability for all critical communications. They stress that modern ISP filtering is sophisticated and can distinguish between various email types.

Expert view

An expert from SpamResource emphasizes that maintaining a robust sender reputation is fundamental for email deliverability. This often requires the careful separation of distinct email streams, such as transactional and marketing communications, to effectively isolate and manage potential risks to your sending reputation.

01 Jan 2024 - SpamResource

Expert view

An expert from WordToTheWise suggests that despite the increasing sophistication of ISPs in discerning between various mail streams, utilizing dedicated IPs for high-priority transactional emails still offers a significant layer of protection. This strategy helps ensure the critical delivery of these messages even if marketing efforts face challenges.

01 Jan 2024 - WordToTheWise

What the documentation says

Official documentation and technical guides from major email service providers and deliverability platforms consistently highlight the criteria mailbox providers use to evaluate email streams. This documentation generally supports the idea of segmenting email types, particularly for high-volume senders, to manage sender reputation more effectively. It also outlines the technical aspects of how dedicated IPs and subdomains contribute to a robust deliverability strategy, emphasizing the importance of consistent sending practices and proper authentication.

Technical article

DANAconnect documentation advises implementing separate IP addresses for both transactional and promotional email programs. This strategy is recommended to protect the sender's reputation and to optimize the overall efficiency and effectiveness of email delivery for distinct communication streams.

12 Mar 2024 - DANAconnect

Technical article

Mailjet documentation states that combining promotional and transactional emails can adversely affect the deliverability of transactional messages, particularly if they originate from the same domain or IP. This highlights the importance of distinguishing between these critical email types for optimal inbox placement.

25 Apr 2025 - Mailjet

15 resources

Start improving your email deliverability today

Get started