How do you warm up a new sending domain on an existing warmed IP address?

Summary

Warming up a new sending domain on an existing warmed IP involves a multifaceted strategy focused on gradual reputation building and deliverability monitoring. It's crucial to treat the domain warm-up with similar care to an IP warm-up, even with a pre-existing warmed IP. Start with a small volume of engaging emails sent to highly engaged subscribers, and progressively increase the volume over time. Monitor deliverability metrics such as open rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints via tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. Implement and maintain proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, as well as a good, maintained email list. Different mailbox providers, especially Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon, have different deliverability standards, and local anti-spam systems might also be relevant depending on the recipient's location. Patience, consistent sending patterns, and proactive issue resolution are essential.

Key findings

  • Gradual Ramp-Up: Increase email volume gradually to build domain reputation.
  • Monitoring: Track deliverability metrics (opens, bounces, spam complaints) via tools such as Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • Engagement: Send engaging, relevant content to encourage positive signals from recipients.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain a clean email list by removing inactive subscribers and spam complaints.
  • Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for deliverability.
  • Provider Variation: Deliverability standards vary across mailbox providers, especially Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon.
  • Local Considerations: Be aware of local anti-spam systems depending on the recipient's location.
  • Combine Domain/IP warmups: Track warmups of IP/Domain combos, wondering if a new warm IP requires domain warmups as the pair, and that IPs/Domains need to be warmed together.

Key considerations

  • Targeted Sends: Start with sending to your most engaged subscribers for the highest chance of positive signals.
  • Consistent Volume: Maintain consistent sending patterns to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Dedicated IP: Consider using a dedicated IP for improved reputation management.
  • Patience: Domain warm-up is a gradual process that requires patience and consistent effort.
  • Feedback Loops: Monitor feedback loops and seed lists to understand reputation.
  • Clear Unsubscribe: Ensure clear unsubscribe options.
  • Prompt Action: Action promptly on any alerts about reputation issues.
  • Segment: Segment email sends to ensure you only send the most engaged, to avoid high spam scores.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Warming up a new sending domain on an existing warmed IP address involves a gradual and strategic approach to build a positive sender reputation with ISPs. It's recommended to treat the domain warm-up similarly to an IP warm-up, even with an existing warm IP. Key strategies include starting with a small volume of emails to engaged subscribers, gradually increasing the volume over time, and monitoring deliverability metrics closely. Creating engaging, relevant content and maintaining a clean email list are also crucial. Different mailbox providers have different antispam systems, meaning that you may need to warm your email differently based on country and ESP.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Volume Increase: Slowly increase sending volume to establish domain reputation.
  • Monitor Deliverability: Track open rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints to identify issues.
  • Engaged Subscribers: Start with sending to your most engaged subscribers.
  • Content Relevance: Send engaging content to encourage positive engagement signals.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain a clean email list by removing inactive or problematic addresses.
  • Monitor GPT: Monitor Google Postmaster Tools (GPT) to keep a good domain reputation.
  • Consistency in Volume: Maintain steady and consistent email volume avoiding erratic patterns.
  • Local Antispam Systems: Depending on the recipient country, be aware of local antispam systems.

Key considerations

  • Relevance: Prioritize sending relevant emails to opted-in recipients.
  • Segmentation: Segment your list to target active subscribers during warmup.
  • Dedicated IP: Consider using a dedicated IP address to isolate your reputation.
  • Real-world Examples: Use other peoples data to learn optimal send rates.
  • Monitor Deliverability Providers: Consider using deliverability monitoring to check what providers think of your reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora highlights that consistency in sending volume is key to successful domain warmup. Avoid erratic sending patterns and aim for a steady, gradual increase in volume to demonstrate trustworthiness to ISPs.

June 2024 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that warming up a domain involves gradually increasing the volume of emails sent to establish a positive reputation with ISPs. Start with small, targeted sends to engaged subscribers and monitor deliverability metrics closely. As your reputation builds, gradually increase sending volume and frequency.

June 2021 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from SparkPost explains that maintaining a clean and healthy email list is crucial for successful domain warming. Regularly remove inactive subscribers, bounce addresses, and spam complaints to improve your sender reputation and deliverability. Using a double opt-in process can help ensure subscribers are genuinely interested in receiving your emails.

October 2024 - SparkPost
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that when switching to a new sending domain on a warmed IP address, it's important to warm up and ramp up the new domain similarly to how you would warm up a new IP address. Having a warm IP can help in this process. For Gmail, monitor the new domain's performance using Google Postmaster Tools (GPT), and for other providers, track open rates per mailbox provider. Start with low sending volumes and gradually increase while monitoring performance.

December 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange advises segmenting your email list and starting the domain warmup with your most engaged subscribers. This increases the chances of positive engagement signals (opens, clicks), which helps build a positive reputation for the new domain.

June 2022 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that gradually increasing email volume when warming up a domain is crucial to avoid triggering spam filters. Start with a small batch of highly engaged recipients and progressively add more recipients, while closely monitoring deliverability. Segment your list to target active and engaged subscribers first.

May 2022 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares a real-world experience about domain warm-up, detailing how starting with 500 emails per day and gradually increasing by 100-200 emails daily over a month helped establish a solid sending reputation for a new domain on an existing IP.

July 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid emphasizes focusing on sending relevant, engaging content to opted-in recipients to build a positive sending reputation when warming up a new domain. Monitor bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement metrics (opens, clicks) to identify and address any issues promptly. Using a dedicated IP address can help isolate your sending reputation.

April 2023 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks responds that depending on the countries you are sending to, there might be local players using antispam systems that also care about domain reputation. However, by following Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon Media Group's guidelines, it should generally work fine for everything.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass shares that sending engaging emails helps with domain warmup and suggests creating personalized email campaigns with relevant content. This increases the likelihood of opens and clicks, signaling positive engagement to ISPs and improving your sending reputation.

July 2021 - GMass

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Warming up a new sending domain, even on a warmed IP, requires a gradual and strategic approach, especially for major providers like Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon. Key actions include slowly increasing volume, monitoring sending reputation using feedback loops and seed lists, ensuring dedicated IPs, and maintaining a good list. The focus should be on consistent sending, clear unsubscribe options, sending wanted mail, and diligently watching reputation metrics to take action when alerted. Understanding the interplay between IP and domain reputation, particularly the SPF/DKIM/DMARC combo is also crucial.

Key opinions

  • Provider Focus: Domain warmup is especially critical for Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon.
  • Volume Ramp-up: Gradual increase in sending volume is necessary.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Feedback loops and seed lists are important for monitoring reputation.
  • Dedicated IPs: Using dedicated IPs contributes to better reputation management.
  • List Quality: A clean and engaged email list is crucial for deliverability.
  • IP/Domain Combination: Understanding the relationship between IP and domain reputation is essential, as is ensuring DKIM, SPF, and DMARC are properly configured.

Key considerations

  • Patience: Take the time to learn the best practices for your specific organization.
  • Consistent Sending: Maintain a steady sending frequency.
  • Unsubscribe Options: Ensure clear and easy unsubscribe options are available.
  • Wanted Mail: Only send emails that recipients have explicitly opted-in to receive.
  • Alert Action: Take immediate action upon receiving alerts about reputation issues.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks asks about tracking warmups of IP/Domain combos, wondering if a new warm IP requires domain warmups as the pair, while the marketer from Email Geeks responds that they track IP and some domain-related items. Laura adds that Gmail does the IP/SPF/d= combo hence needing to warmup domains.

August 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource, Steve Jones, answers that warming up a new IP includes using dedicated IPs, a good list, sending consistently, having clear unsubscribe, sending wanted mail and watching reputation metrics and taking action when alerted.

February 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that domain warmup is fundamentally important for Gmail, Microsoft, and Verizon. Other providers may not care as much. For example, one of Laura's clients is warming up a new domain for Gmail by doing 3 sends a day over 5-6 days, reaching 1.5 million emails by the end of the process.

August 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, responds that the general approach to warming up sending infrastructure is to slowly ramp up volume and monitor your sending reputation using feedback loops and seedlists. She suggests you should be patient and take time to learn the best practices for your organization.

January 2025 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

When warming up a new sending domain, it is crucial to use monitoring tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to track your domain and IP reputation. These tools provide insights into spam rates, IP reputation, authentication status, complaint rates, and spam trap hits, enabling you to identify and address deliverability issues. Ensuring proper email authentication through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying your sender identity, preventing spoofing, and improving overall email delivery.

Key findings

  • Google Postmaster Tools: Provides insights into domain and IP reputation for Gmail users.
  • Microsoft SNDS: Allows monitoring of IP and domain reputation with Microsoft email services.
  • SPF Records: Accurate SPF records are essential for email authentication and preventing spoofing.
  • DKIM Implementation: Implementing DKIM helps verify the sender's identity and improve deliverability.
  • DMARC Configuration: DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM to specify how email receivers should handle authentication failures and provides reporting.

Key considerations

  • Monitoring Metrics: Regularly monitor metrics such as spam rates, complaint rates, and authentication status.
  • Authentication Alignment: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations are correctly aligned with your sending practices.
  • Proactive Issue Resolution: Address any identified deliverability issues promptly to maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Authentication Configuration: Confirming SPF, DKIM and DMARC are setup correctly for your domain.
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that Google Postmaster Tools provides valuable insights into your domain's reputation and deliverability to Gmail users. Monitor metrics such as spam rate, IP reputation, and authentication status to identify and address any issues that may affect your email delivery. Use this to track your domain warm up success.

April 2022 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) allows you to monitor your IP and domain reputation with Microsoft email services. Review data on complaint rates, spam trap hits, and other metrics to ensure your sending practices align with Microsoft's guidelines and maintain a positive sender reputation. Use this to track your domain warm up success.

May 2021 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org clarifies that Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication protocol that builds upon SPF and DKIM. Implementing DMARC allows you to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail authentication checks, and provides reporting on authentication results to help identify and prevent email spoofing.

November 2021 - DMARC.org
Technical article

Documentation from DKIM.org explains that DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email authentication method that helps verify the sender's identity. Implement DKIM by generating a public/private key pair, publishing the public key in your DNS records, and signing your outgoing emails with the private key. This helps improve deliverability and prevent email spoofing.

January 2025 - DKIM.org
Technical article

Documentation from RFC 7208, which defines the Sender Policy Framework (SPF), explains that creating and maintaining accurate SPF records is essential for email authentication. Ensure your SPF record includes all authorized sending sources for your domain to prevent email spoofing and improve deliverability. It also covers common mistakes when setting up your records.

February 2022 - RFC Editor