How long does it take to fix a bad Gmail sender reputation and improve IP/domain rating?
Summary
What email marketers say13Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks states the only "secret" sauce for Gmail is to focus on very actives for some time to show Gmail good data.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum responds that domain reputation improvement is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about consistently proving you're a trustworthy sender by sending valuable emails to engaged users over the long term.
Marketer from Email Geeks states he's seen changes and progress with Gmail in as little as 3 weeks, as much as 3 months, but that is with frequent sending to *exclusively* engaged leads. If they are sending only twice per month, expect a longer time frame, but never commit to a time frame with Gmail. Google remembers, and as soon as they see the same contacts that never once interacted with their previous emails, they'll drop back down.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that since the well has been poisoned for so long, the user might be better off grabbing a new IP address and starting fresh with the engaged customers.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that improving deliverability after being blocked by Gmail may take 1-3 months with consistent effort to only send to engaged users, improve list hygiene, and authenticate your emails.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that rebuilding a sender reputation takes time and depends on several factors such as the extent of damage, your sending volume, list quality, and engagement rates. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to see significant improvements.
Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital responds that improving your sender reputation doesn't happen overnight. It will take time and consistent effort to build a solid reputation with ISPs like Gmail. Focus on providing value, engaging subscribers, and maintaining consistent sending habits.
Email marketer from Kickbox mentions, like with any relationship, trust is earned, not given. Once you've damaged your sender reputation, it takes time to rebuild trust with mailbox providers and subscribers. They don't provide a time frame, as every sender and circumstance is unique.
Email marketer from Reddit says to expect at least 6 weeks to improve reputation, maybe longer if your previous activity has been really bad. Focus on small sending volumes to only engaged users.
Email marketer from GlockApps shares that improving email deliverability and sender reputation is an ongoing process that can take weeks or months. They recommend consistent monitoring and adjustments to your sending practices based on deliverability tests.
Marketer from Email Geeks says he would not commit to a timeframe in any way. It has to be measured by the improving results.
Email marketer from SparkPost responds that warming up an IP address, which is a key aspect of building sender reputation, can take several weeks to months, depending on your sending volume and the responsiveness of your recipients.
Email marketer from Sender answers that repairing a sender reputation isn’t an overnight fix. It takes constant effort in the right direction. It’s not about how fast you go, but how far you go.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks says to do something grossly over estimated. Like “if you focus on sending to engaged users consistently over the course of 6 months, I would expect to see that reflected in your reputation going from bad to poor. Another 6 months, and we can expect it to go to low”.
Expert from Email Geeks says there’s no way to fix anything at Gmail sending 2 campaigns per month to unengaged leads. She suggests stopping mailing for a period of time to let the really bad reputation reset, and then focus on people who will go look in their spam folder and pull the mail out.
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that repairing your email sending reputation with Gmail is a long-term game. The focus should be on sustained good behavior and high subscriber engagement, rather than a quick fix. Building a good reputation is a process that can take many months, however, maintaining a healthy email program can ensure the sender remains in good standing.
Expert from Email Geeks states that she never commits to dates, especially with Gmail.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that recovery time from a bad Gmail sender reputation depends on factors such as the severity of the initial damage, the volume of email being sent, the quality of the email list, and the level of engagement from subscribers. It can range from several weeks to months.
Expert from Email Geeks recommends stopping mailing for at least 3-4 days, sometimes longer depending on how long they’ve been spamming. It takes at least as long to rebuild a reputation as it did to create it in the first place.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Gmail Help shares that consistent adherence to Gmail's sender guidelines is crucial for maintaining a good reputation. Google does not provide an exact timeframe, but continued compliance and positive engagement metrics are key to improvement.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that sender reputation is a key factor in determining whether your emails reach the inbox. Microsoft details how to check your reputation but does not provide a specific timeframe for improvement, focusing instead on consistent best practices.
Documentation from Postmark answers that a proper IP warmup strategy takes 30 days at a minimum. Volume is more important that speed.
Documentation from SendGrid explains that sender reputation is built over time through consistent sending habits and positive engagement. They do not offer a specific timeline, but focus on best practices for email deliverability.