Summary
Moving to a dedicated IP can cause a drop in email open rates due to a multitude of interconnected factors. Initially, a new IP lacks established sender reputation, leading to ISP distrust and filtering. Low sending volumes exacerbate this by depriving ISPs of sufficient data for reputation assessment. Authentication misconfigurations (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can also trigger rejections or spam classifications. Changes in email content can inadvertently set off spam filters, while poor list hygiene (sending to unengaged subscribers) and inconsistent sending patterns further damage deliverability. Moreover, the drop may be illusory, stemming from changes that cause Google to cease pre-fetching images, thus underreporting opens. Establishing feedback loops for complaint monitoring, segmenting lists for relevant content, actively managing engagement, and carefully warming the IP are vital. Rigorous seed list testing helps proactively identify placement problems, while continuous monitoring of reputation and deliverability enables prompt corrective action. Ultimately, a holistic strategy addressing reputation building, technical configuration, content relevance, engagement, and diligent monitoring is key to overcoming deliverability challenges after moving to a dedicated IP.
Key findings
- Lack of Reputation: A new dedicated IP begins with zero sender reputation, leading to initial filtering.
- Low Sending Volume: Insufficient sending volume hinders accurate reputation assessment by ISPs.
- Authentication Issues: Improperly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records cause deliverability failures.
- Content Triggers: Changes in email content can inadvertently activate spam filters.
- Poor List Hygiene: Sending to unengaged subscribers damages sender reputation and deliverability.
- Inconsistent Sending: Fluctuations in sending frequency or volume negatively affect deliverability.
- Reporting Inaccuracies: Decreased open rates may reflect changes in image pre-fetching rather than actual delivery problems.
- User Engagement Matters: Spam filters learn from user behaviour. Low engagement drives down deliverability.
Key considerations
- IP Warmup: Gradually warm up the dedicated IP to establish a positive sender reputation.
- Authentication: Ensure correct setup of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
- Content Review: Regularly review email content for potential spam triggers.
- List Hygiene: Maintain a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers.
- Sending Consistency: Maintain consistent sending patterns to build trust with ISPs.
- User Engagement: Encourage recipients to add the sender to their address book and interact with emails.
- Feedback Loops: Implement and monitor feedback loops to address spam complaints promptly.
- Segmentation: Segment email lists for targeted content and improved engagement.
- Monitoring & Testing: Implement rigorous seed list testing and continuously monitor IP reputation and deliverability metrics.
- Check real delivery: Verify emails are going to inbox or spam
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Moving to a dedicated IP address can lead to a drop in email open rates due to several factors. A new IP lacks a sending reputation, requiring a gradual warmup process to build trust with ISPs. Low sending volume may hinder reputation assessment, while improper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can cause deliverability issues. Changes in email content can trigger spam filters. Poor list hygiene, inconsistent sending habits, and a lack of user engagement further contribute to lower open rates. Proactive monitoring of IP reputation and deliverability metrics, along with establishing feedback loops and segmenting email lists, are crucial for addressing these issues.
Key opinions
- IP Reputation: A dedicated IP starts with no reputation, necessitating a warmup period to establish trust with ISPs.
- Sending Volume: Low sending volume on a dedicated IP may not provide ISPs with enough data to accurately assess sender reputation.
- Authentication: Improperly configured email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can lead to deliverability problems and reduced open rates.
- Content Changes: Changes in email content coinciding with the move to a dedicated IP can trigger spam filters.
- List Hygiene: Sending to unengaged or inactive subscribers can negatively impact IP reputation and open rates.
- Sending Habits: Inconsistent sending frequency or volume can affect deliverability.
- User Engagement: Low user engagement (lack of opens, clicks, or adding to address book) hurts deliverability.
Key considerations
- Warmup Strategy: Implement a gradual IP warmup strategy to build a positive sending reputation with ISPs.
- Authentication Setup: Ensure proper configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for the dedicated IP address.
- Content Review: Evaluate email content for potential spam triggers and make necessary adjustments.
- List Management: Practice good list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers and targeting active users.
- Sending Consistency: Maintain consistent sending frequency and volume to avoid deliverability issues.
- Engagement Tactics: Encourage user engagement by providing valuable content and asking subscribers to add the sender to their address book.
- Monitoring: Monitor IP reputation and deliverability metrics closely to identify and address any issues promptly.
- Feedback Loops: Set up feedback loops to receive and address spam complaints from recipients.
- Segmentation: Segment email lists and tailor content to specific audience groups to improve engagement.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid recommends ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is set up correctly on the new dedicated IP. Incorrect or missing authentication can lead to deliverability issues and reduced open rates.
26 Sep 2024 - Email on Acid
Marketer view
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign advises segmenting email lists and tailoring content to specific audience groups. This helps improve engagement and signal a higher value to ISPs, boosting deliverability and open rates.
30 Apr 2024 - ActiveCampaign
What the experts say
7 expert opinions
Moving to a dedicated IP can cause email open rates to drop due to various reasons. The drop may not always indicate a delivery problem; it could be a reporting issue caused by changes triggering Google to stop pre-fetching images. Delivery problems could arise from emails going to spam folders, especially if the sending volume is low, necessitating adherence to authentication protocols and consistent sending practices. Experts advise proactively monitoring and resolving any delivery issues which should include the following tasks. Implementing seed list testing, blocklist monitoring, establishing sender reputation from scratch, establishing and monitoring feedback loops (FBLs), evaluating email content for potential spam triggers, alerting users through various channels, and checking opens by domain for remediation pathways.
Key opinions
- Reporting vs. Delivery: Decreased open rates might be a reporting problem (image pre-fetching) rather than a true delivery issue.
- Spam Folder Placement: Emails may be landing in the spam folder due to low sending volume on a new dedicated IP.
- Authentication and Volume: Adhering to authentication protocols and maintaining consistent sending cadence are crucial for building trust.
- Seed List Testing: Rigorous seed list testing helps identify placement issues.
- Sender Reputation: A new dedicated IP requires building sender reputation from scratch.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops provide insights into spam complaints.
- Content Triggers: Changes in content can inadvertently trigger spam filters.
Key considerations
- Confirm Delivery: Verify whether emails are landing in the inbox or spam folder.
- Authentication and Cadence: Ensure all authentication checks pass and maintain a normal sending cadence.
- Potential Reversion: Consider reverting to a shared IP if dedicated IP performance is poor.
- Seed List Implementation: Implement seed list testing to identify placement issues proactively.
- Feedback Loop Monitoring: Establish and actively monitor feedback loops.
- Content Evaluation: Evaluate email content for potential spam triggers and refine it.
- User Communication: Alert users about the change through various communication channels.
- Domain Analysis: Check opens by domain to pinpoint specific issues and potential remediation pathways.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests the decrease in open rates might be a reporting problem, not a delivery problem. The change in sending IP address could be triggering Google to stop pre-fetching images, leading to lower "open rates" because open rate isn't actually opens at all. Laura advises to confirm if mail is going to inbox or spam.
21 Jan 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource recommends rigorous seed list testing after moving to a dedicated IP to identify placement issues and blocklist monitoring. This proactive approach helps diagnose deliverability problems that could impact open rates.
25 Nov 2021 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Email open rates can drop after moving to a dedicated IP due to factors related to IP reputation, user engagement, and authentication. Spam filters learn from user behavior, and negative engagement (e.g., marking emails as spam) damages sender reputation, impacting deliverability and open rates. New or unwarmed IPs face increased scrutiny and are often filtered as junk until a positive reputation is built. Properly configuring SPF records is essential, as incorrect setup can lead to recipient servers rejecting emails or marking them as spam.
Key findings
- User Behavior Impact: Spam filters learn from user behavior, leading to reputation impact from low engagement or spam reports.
- IP Scrutiny: New or unwarmed IPs face higher scrutiny and filtering as junk until a positive reputation is established.
- SPF Configuration Importance: Incorrectly configured SPF records can cause email rejection or marking as spam.
Key considerations
- Engagement Improvement: Focus on improving user engagement to avoid negative impact on sender reputation.
- IP Warmup: Implement a gradual IP warmup strategy to build a positive reputation.
- SPF Record Validation: Validate and correctly configure SPF records to authorize email sending properly.
Technical article
Documentation from Google states that spam filters learn from user behavior. If users don't engage or mark your emails as spam, your sender reputation suffers, impacting deliverability and open rates.
18 Aug 2023 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from RFC states SPF records define which IP addresses are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Incorrectly configured SPF records can cause recipient servers to reject emails or mark them as spam.
20 Feb 2023 - RFC
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