How long does it take to warm up an IP address for email marketing?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that the warm-up period generally lasts from a few weeks to a month. Begin with low volume to engaged subscribers and gradually increase the volume, monitoring deliverability.
Email marketer from Reddit states that warm-up depends on the sender size. Smaller senders (under 100k emails/month) may warm up in 2-4 weeks. Larger senders need a longer period, potentially 4-8 weeks, due to higher volumes.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that there are innumerable variables if it's a varied stream. Sending two million messages to two million domains may not need as much warming as sending 2 million to one domain. Other factors also come into play depending on the targets.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that warming up to 2M in 2 weeks is possible given favorable variables such as a clean and engaged list sent daily. Gmail is often cited as the 'problem child' in IP warming, but Microsoft can be more problematic. Gmail doesn't care as much about volume if there is good engagement. Estimate a 2-4 week ramp process.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the IP address warm-up time depends on the domain(s) involved, and it will take at least 4 weeks.
Email marketer from Gmass shares focusing on strong engagement during warm-up is more important than the time. Send to your most engaged subscribers. Low engagement will negatively impact deliverability.
Email marketer from Email Geeks says that in general, 4 weeks of warming up should work. However, it depends on the quality of the database, previous engagement rates, and engagement data for segmentation. Start slow and progressively increment the number of sends.
Email marketer from HubSpot emphasizes a strategic approach to warm-up, recommending a checklist that includes defining goals, segmenting audience, creating content, and consistent monitoring.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign details the IP warm-up, with gradual volume increase, focusing on engagement metrics. Recommend starting with a small, highly engaged segment and gradually expanding.
Email marketer from Litmus says that IP warm-up requires a gradual and consistent approach. They recommend starting with your most engaged subscribers and slowly increasing the volume over several weeks.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the IP address warm-up time depends on data quality, engagement rates, and recipient domain breakdown. Gmail typically takes 6-8 weeks with pristine data and excellent engagement, while other ISPs take 4-6 weeks. It can take 10-12 weeks depending on data quality to reach a volume of 2 million, or longer unless warming more than 1 IP configured as pool.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests a 3-4 week IP warm-up. Start by sending to small, engaged segments, then gradually increasing volume over a month while monitoring deliverability.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks says it takes at least 2 weeks to warm up an IP address, more like 4 weeks.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that IP warm-up timelines depend heavily on your existing sending reputation and list quality. A good strategy involves starting small and gradually increasing volume, while monitoring engagement signals closely.
Expert from Spam Resource, Steve Jones, recommends that IP warm-up should involve a carefully planned and executed ramp-up. Start with very low volumes to your most engaged users, and then gradually increase volume over several weeks, carefully monitoring deliverability metrics and engagement.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Google offers guidance regarding sending volume thresholds and best practices. Start with a small volume to the most engaged recipients, and gradually increase it over weeks.
Documentation from SendGrid emphasizes that warm-up duration isn't fixed. It depends on sending reputation, list hygiene, and recipient engagement. They advise a gradual ramp-up, carefully monitoring deliverability metrics.
Documentation from Amazon SES highlights that the warm-up period varies but monitoring your sending reputation metrics is crucial during warm-up, especially bounce and complaint rates. The length is less important than the health of your metrics.
Documentation from Microsoft recommends using tools like their Postmaster tools to understand reputation and spam complaint rates during the IP warm-up process, informing the duration and ramp-up strategy. It's about maintaining a healthy sending reputation.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that IP warm-up typically takes several weeks. The exact duration depends on factors like sending volume, list quality, and engagement rates. Start with a small volume and gradually increase it.