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What is the recommended minimum monthly email send volume for a dedicated IP?

Summary

Determining the ideal minimum monthly email send volume for a dedicated IP address is not a one-size-fits-all answer. While many sources provide specific numerical ranges, the consensus among deliverability professionals highlights that consistency, engagement, and the type of email (transactional vs. marketing) often outweigh raw volume alone. Generally, a dedicated IP becomes beneficial when you send enough email to consistently build and maintain its own sender reputation, preventing your sending patterns from being diluted or negatively impacted by other senders on a shared IP.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often discuss dedicated IPs from a practical, real-world perspective, focusing on how volume interacts with their specific campaign types and business goals. While general guidelines exist, many emphasize that the nature of the email content and the recipient list's engagement are equally, if not more, important than just hitting a number. Marketers frequently face the decision of migrating from shared to dedicated IPs, often driven by factors beyond mere volume, such as compliance requirements or the desire for greater control over their sending reputation.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that the decision to move to a dedicated IP is a combination of monthly send volume and the types of email being sent, such as marketing, operational, or e-commerce. They have seen cases where even lower volumes like 75,000 emails per month on a dedicated IP are successful for critical, operational email, indicating that the nature of the email can be more important than just hitting a high number.

10 Jan 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks notes that for B2B senders, a dedicated IP has been successfully used with volumes as low as 50,000 emails per month. However, for B2C campaigns, a higher volume of at least 100,000 to 200,000 emails per month is typically recommended to establish and maintain a strong sender reputation.

10 Jan 2019 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

Experts in email deliverability emphasize that the 'minimum monthly send volume' for a dedicated IP is nuanced, extending beyond a simple numerical threshold. They underscore that while volume is a factor, consistency, sending cadence, and the quality of engagement are far more influential in building and preserving a positive sender reputation. The discussion often circles back to the core principle that a dedicated IP is a tool for reputation management, and its effectiveness hinges on responsible and predictable sending practices.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks notes that the numbers for recommended send volumes on dedicated IPs have generally increased over time. This trend is partly due to the shrinking global pool of available IPv4 addresses, which leads ESPs to be more conservative and strategic in allocating dedicated IPs.

10 Jan 2019 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks asserts that consistency and cadence in sending are likely more crucial than just the sheer volume. An example provided is sending 10 million emails once a month, which could still lead to issues on a dedicated IP, versus sending 5,000 emails daily with consistent positive results.

11 Jan 2019 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

Official documentation and industry insights from various platforms provide specific volume recommendations for dedicated IPs, often emphasizing the distinction between shared and dedicated IP usage. The core message is that a dedicated IP is best suited for senders who can maintain consistent, high-volume sending. This consistency is crucial for building and protecting a unique sender reputation. Many providers set clear thresholds, often in the hundreds of thousands of emails per month, as the minimum for dedicated IP eligibility, to ensure the sender can genuinely benefit from and sustain the reputation associated with a dedicated address.

Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet notes that a minimum required volume exists for dedicated IPs, and shared IPs are sometimes necessary when a sender does not have enough email volume to sufficiently support a dedicated IP address. This helps ensure that the dedicated IP can build a meaningful reputation.

01 Jan 2024 - Mailjet

Technical article

Documentation from Kickbox Blog states that for a dedicated IP to be effective, it should be mailing at least 100,000 to 200,000 emails per month. Sending less than this volume makes it significantly more challenging for machine learning algorithms used by mailbox providers to establish and maintain a positive sender reputation.

09 Feb 2022 - Kickbox Blog

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