Does decreased weekend volume on a dedicated IP affect deliverability?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Constant Contact Blog advises to keep a consistent schedule for email sending to build trust with ISPs. They explain that inconsistent volumes can negatively affect deliverability.
Email marketer from StackExchange explains that ISPs often use volume as one factor to determine a sender's reputation. They advise that large volume reductions, even temporary ones, should be avoided when possible.
Email marketer from Email Geeks mentions that there is a cool down period similar to a warm up period and that seasonality and low volume over weekends is usually expected depending on the vertical.
Email marketer from Email on Acid advises senders to avoid significant fluctuations in email volume, including decreases on weekends. They explains that ISPs may interpret large volume drops as a sign of spamming or compromised accounts.
Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes the importance of a consistent sending schedule. They respond that unpredictable sending patterns and volume fluctuations can negatively impact deliverability and sender reputation.
Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that gradually increasing sending volume, known as IP warming, is crucial for building trust with ISPs. Decreasing volume significantly, even on weekends, can disrupt this process and potentially harm deliverability.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog emphasizes the importance of consistent sending volume for maintaining a good sender reputation. He explains that drastic volume changes, including decreases on weekends, can negatively impact deliverability as ISPs may view it as suspicious activity.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog advises senders to maintain a relatively consistent email volume to avoid triggering spam filters. They respond that ISPs often flag significant volume drops as a potential sign of spamming activity.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that while minor weekend dips are usually fine, a significant drop in volume can raise flags with ISPs. They suggest segmenting audiences and adjusting sending schedules to maintain a more consistent volume.
Email marketer from GMass explains that Gmail's spam filters are sensitive to sudden changes in sending behavior. They say that maintaining a consistent sending volume helps avoid triggering spam filters and ensure optimal deliverability with Gmail accounts.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that consistent sending patterns are more important than specific volume numbers. They explain that sudden volume drops *can* affect deliverability, but only if the drops are a sign of other issues or are coupled with other negative signals. A natural business cycle leading to weekend volume decreases is usually fine.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that volume is only one metric and the ongoing reputation of the IP, link reputation, content, bounces, engagement and past campaigns are all important. The systems are designed to penalise bad actors, not good ones for changing things up.
Expert from SpamResource advises senders that consistent volume is a key aspect of email deliverability. They respond that although a weekend decrease can cause issues, it is about maintaining a consistently good reputation and consistent volume over time.
Expert from Email Geeks responds that a 50% volume drop over the weekend is not really a cause for concern, as filters have better memory than that and will likely remember previous sending patterns.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that filters figured out volume fluctuations at least 15 years ago. They also expect filters use rolling averages and look at spikes, noting significant spikes can cause temporary failures.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft Sender Support explains that maintaining a predictable sending volume helps build a positive sender reputation with Outlook.com and other Microsoft email services. They explain that sudden volume drops can negatively affect deliverability.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools states that sudden changes in sending patterns, including volume fluctuations, can trigger spam filters. Maintaining a consistent sending cadence helps establish a positive sender reputation with Gmail.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that consistent sending habits are key to IP reputation. Drastic changes in volume can impact inbox placement rates. If a weekend volume drop is unavoidable, senders should monitor deliverability closely.
Documentation from AWS states that maintaining a consistent sending volume and avoiding sudden changes helps establish a positive sender reputation with ISPs. They respond that significant volume fluctuations may negatively impact deliverability when using Amazon SES.