Does send time impact IP warmup and reputation when using a new ESP?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailgun Blog shares that during IP warming, send a small volume of emails to your most engaged users first. Gradually increase volume and frequency over time, monitoring deliverability metrics closely.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that it’s important to segment your list and only send to your most engaged users during the initial warmup phase. This helps to establish a positive sender reputation and avoid being flagged as spam.
Email marketer from GMass Blog shares that sending time is less important than consistency and engagement. Focus on sending valuable content to people who want to receive it, and your sending reputation will improve over time, regardless of the specific time of day.
Email marketer from Email on Acid Blog describes how IP warming is like introducing yourself slowly. Don't blast out emails immediately; build trust by gradually increasing volume and maintaining consistent sending habits.
Email marketer from SparkPost Blog advises senders to monitor their sending reputation closely during the IP warming process. Pay attention to bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement metrics to identify and address any issues promptly.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that the key to warming up a new IP is consistency. Start small, send to your most engaged subscribers, and slowly ramp up the volume. Avoid sudden spikes in sending, which can negatively impact your reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that for her clients, she has them send when they would normally send as that's when their subscribers are used to receiving their emails.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that sending at times off the hour is helpful with throughput due to senders hitting right at the top of the hour, staggering delivery by a few minutes can help with throughput.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that send time should be irrelevant to reputation calculations and are likely to be rolled up to hourly or daily calculations, not tied to a specific hour. Also confirms that when warming IPs/reputation, it can be done any time of the day.
Email marketer from Litmus Blog points out that if you're using multiple IP addresses, ensure you're warming them up individually and consistently. Don't overload one IP while neglecting others, as this can still hurt your overall reputation.
Email marketer from Email Service Provider Community mentions that gradual IP warming is crucial. Start with a small number of emails and slowly increase the volume over a period of weeks, monitoring key metrics like open rates and bounce rates.
Email marketer from SendGrid Blog suggests that you establish a consistent sending schedule. Start with a small batch of emails, and gradually increase the amount you send each day. Focus on sending to engaged subscribers first to boost your sender reputation.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise discusses the importance of understanding your audience and sending relevant content to them during the IP warmup process. They emphasize that consistent engagement is key to building a positive sender reputation, and send time is less critical than sending the right message to the right people.
Expert from Email Geeks agrees with Alex and shares about Microsoft OLC's 24 hour clock reset, guessing it's midnight pacific time.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that factors such as list quality and authentication are more crucial than the specific time of day you send your emails during IP warming. Focusing on sending to engaged recipients and ensuring proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup will have a greater impact on your reputation.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from AWS explains that warming up IP addresses involves gradually increasing the volume of email you send using a dedicated IP address. This process helps establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs and improves deliverability.
Documentation from Google explains that when starting to send from a new IP address, it's crucial to gradually increase sending volume to avoid being flagged as spam. They recommend starting with very low volumes and incrementally increasing over time.
Documentation from Microsoft details the importance of establishing a good sending reputation when using a new IP address. They recommend starting with a small volume of emails and gradually increasing over time, focusing on sending to engaged recipients.
Documentation from Mailjet highlights that a positive sender reputation is crucial for deliverability. IP warming helps build this reputation by establishing a consistent sending pattern that ISPs recognize as legitimate.
Documentation from Elastic Email states that during IP warming, focus on consistent volume and frequency. They recommend a schedule that gradually increases the number of emails sent each day, ensuring that you're monitoring deliverability rates to avoid spam filters.