Are email warm-up tools like Warmy.io effective and legal?
Summary
What email marketers say19Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailtrap states that warming up a new IP address means building an email sending reputation so your mail reaches inboxes instead of spam folders. You will need to prove to mailbox providers that you’re a responsible sender and your emails are wanted.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that most warming tools, especially those sending through individual's Gmail accounts, may violate federal law because they send mailing list emails without unsubscribe options or a physical address.
Email marketer from Reddit states that email warm-up tools are useful for new domains but stresses the importance of only sending engaging content to opted-in subscribers. They suggest focusing on building a quality list before relying heavily on warm-up tools.
Email marketer from Woodpecker.co shares that automating email warmups can improve sender reputation and increase deliverability. It is important to send realistic emails to real addresses and avoid spam filters. They recommend gradually increasing volume and analyzing results to optimize performance.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester explains that warm-up tools simulate positive engagement to improve sender reputation, but they should be used cautiously. They emphasize that these tools are not a substitute for genuine engagement and quality email practices.
Marketer from Email Geeks provides a simple FAQ: Should I use any warming tool ever? No. But what if it's one that really works? Also no.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the service caps out at 2k warm up emails a day spread across multiple platforms so you probably need to do your own warming anyway. If you have a small database you don't need them anyway.
Email marketer from StackExchange shares that warming up a server before sending email is a good idea. Gradually introduce yourself to prevent blacklisting and get a feel for the volume limitations of your server. They suggest sending internally first, then to a small group of real users, then gradually adding volume
Email marketer from G2 shares that email warm-up tools can be effective in improving sender reputation and deliverability, especially for new domains or those with low sending volumes. They caution that results vary and the tools are not a substitute for good email practices.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that a possible reason to use this would be if your new domain or IPs started off in the spam folder (this happens sometimes) and you need a little jump start so your subscribers start by getting mail in the right folder.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that these services typically email fake seed accounts to engage with emails, tricking ISPs into thinking the domain is good, but these bots won't report mailers as spam.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that email success happens when email marketers focus on building and protecting their sender reputation. Sending high-quality content to engaged subscribers, consistently authenticating their email, and carefully warming up their IP addresses are all steps they can take.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that warming tools at most work for about a week when you actually start sending and will negate any reputation made by bots.
Email marketer from Medium answers that email warmup tools automate sending to a list of real email accounts and marking them as important. The tool will also respond and mark as not spam, etc. However, some of these practices are legally questionable so should be checked.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the reputation drop-off kills the benefit of these services if you start mailing your database as normal after using them, and if you continue warming up yourself you negate the need for the service.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that they keep getting spammed by Warmy.io, indicating that this tells them everything they need to know.
Marketer from Email Geeks strongly advises against using such services, stating "No way in hell. Not a chance. Do not. Don't."
Email marketer from Reddit warns about the risks of sending too many emails too fast with a new domain. He advises starting small and manually warming up the email infrastructure to avoid spam filters. He then shares that some people use third-party services.
Marketer from Email Geeks confirms that Inboxy.io is the same concept as Warmy.io
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks simply says "#snakeoil #scam" in response to the question about Warmy.io.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that IP warming is about building a reputation over time and shares a schedule. They mention that the volume should start low and increase over time and they must have proper authentication and be sending wanted mail.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that mailbox providers don't like it when you try to fake engagement to manipulate their reputation platforms.
Expert from Spam Resource shares that understanding email deliverability is crucial, and they provide guidelines for achieving it. Email Authentication will significantly impact the acceptance of email. They share that some mailbox providers use authentication and reputation as key factors when determining whether or not to accept mail.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that maintaining a good IP address reputation is critical for high deliverability. ISPs use IP reputation as a key factor in determining whether to accept or reject incoming emails, so warming is crucial.
Documentation from Microsoft highlights the importance of warming up new IPs before sending large volumes of email. They recommend starting with small volumes and gradually increasing them over time, while monitoring deliverability rates to identify any issues.
Documentation from Google highlights the importance of establishing a consistent sending history and reputation. They recommend starting with a small sending volume and gradually increasing it over time to avoid being flagged as spam.
Documentation from Sendgrid explains that warming up an IP address involves gradually increasing sending volume to build a positive reputation with ISPs. This involves sending emails to engaged subscribers and avoiding spam traps to ensure emails reach the inbox.
Documentation from Mailjet answers that IP warming is the process of gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a dedicated IP address. The goal is to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and ESPs (Email Service Providers) by demonstrating that you are a legitimate sender who sends wanted mail.