Does the location of my email server affect deliverability to different countries?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from SendPulse shares that the IP address geographic location can matter, especially for local recipients. Sending from a local IP can improve deliverability, especially in countries with strict regulations, but domain and sender reputation are vital.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that while not a major factor, some smaller ISPs might favor emails originating from local IP addresses. However, focusing on engagement and sender reputation will have a more significant impact.
Email marketer from GlockApps states that email server location is not a critical factor for deliverability. They clarify that sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and list hygiene play a much larger role in inbox placement.
Marketer from Email Geeks says that they have seen instances of ISPs blocking email traffic from outside specific regions such as the US, Russia and China.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that server location has minimal impact, but the IP reputation and sending practices associated with that server are important. They mention that a server located in a region known for spam could negatively affect deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that some US-specific mailbox providers may throttle emails from non-US IP addresses. They explain that Cox has confirmed it's better to send to US-based providers from US-based IPs. This issue can potentially be resolved by adjusting rate-limit settings on the MTA.
Email marketer from StackOverflow responds that the consensus is that it doesn't really matter where the server is located, as long as the server is properly configured and maintains a good reputation.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that while not the only factor, server location *can* influence deliverability. A server physically closer to recipients might experience lower latency, potentially improving engagement metrics that ISPs consider. However, reputation, authentication, and content are more significant.
Email marketer from Gmass believes that the location of your email sending server has a negligible effect on your deliverability rates. The server's reputation is what matters most, and that's based on its IP address and the domain it sends from.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource shares that the location of the IP address does not matter so long as it has not been blocklisted. The reputation of the IP is more important. Therefore, it does not matter where the IP address is located, as long as the IP address has a good sender reputation.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that various factors influence deliverability, including sender reputation (IP and domain), authentication, content, and engagement. They emphasize that sender reputation and authentication are more critical than the geographic location of the email server.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests segmenting the audience and tagging each segment differently to identify portions with no revenue. Mailing that segment less often will save company money and improve deliverability. He suggests that the right data will help you make more money.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that generally, the location of the sending server doesn't matter for large mailbox providers like Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon Media Group. They clarify that domain reputation is related to recipient engagement, not IP location.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the Internet's email routing system is designed to be geographically independent. Email servers will route mail based on network topology and server availability, not the sender's or recipient's location.
Documentation from Google shares that ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is more important than the location of your email server. They emphasize that a strong sender reputation will improve deliverability across different countries.
Documentation from Microsoft details that factors like IP reputation, domain reputation, authentication, list quality and feedback loops matter more than geographical server location. Microsoft recommends using Sender Reputation Data service to check the sending IP's reputation.