How should ESPs warm up a large number of new IPs on shared pools while avoiding Spamhaus listings?

Summary

Successfully warming up a large number of new IPs on shared pools while avoiding Spamhaus listings requires a holistic strategy focused on gradual warm-up, reputation management, and technical diligence. Key elements include: avoiding snowshoeing, targeting engaged subscribers, maintaining list hygiene, implementing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), proactively monitoring IP reputation, securing systems to prevent compromises, segmenting clients, and isolating high-volume senders. Consistent sending volume and addressing misconfigurations are also important considerations.

Key findings

  • Gradual Warm-up is Key: Slowly increase sending volume from new IPs to establish a positive sender reputation.
  • Avoid Snowshoeing: Do not spread email traffic across too many IPs, as this is a sign of malicious activity.
  • Engaged Subscribers: Prioritize sending to engaged subscribers during the initial warm-up phase.
  • List Hygiene Matters: Maintain a clean and up-to-date email list by removing inactive users and acquiring consent properly.
  • Authenticate Email: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve email deliverability and trust.
  • Monitor Reputation: Continuously monitor IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • Secure Systems: Ensure systems are secured to prevent compromises that can lead to spamhaus listings.

Key considerations

  • Address Misconfigurations: Check for and correct any misconfigurations on new IPs to avoid being listed.
  • Segment Clients: Segment clients based on sending behavior to protect the reputation of shared pools.
  • Consistent Volume: Maintain consistent sending volume to avoid erratic patterns that trigger spam filters.
  • DMARC Implementation: Implement DMARC to protect the domain from spoofing and unauthorized email sending.
  • Spam Trap Avoidance: Take steps to avoid spam traps, which can significantly damage sender reputation during warm-up.

What email marketers say
12Marketer opinions

Warming up a large number of new IPs on shared pools requires a multi-faceted approach to avoid Spamhaus listings and maintain a good sending reputation. Key strategies include gradual rollout with engaged subscribers, avoiding snowshoeing tactics, maintaining list hygiene, implementing proper email authentication, and consistent monitoring of IP reputation. Segmenting clients and isolating larger senders to dedicated IPs can further protect shared pool reputations.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Warmup: Gradually increase sending volume from new IPs to establish a positive reputation.
  • Avoid Snowshoeing: Refrain from spreading emails across numerous IPs, as it can be flagged as suspicious behavior.
  • Engaged Subscribers: Initially send emails to highly engaged subscribers who are likely to open and click.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain a clean and up-to-date email list by removing inactive subscribers and using double opt-in.
  • Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify email legitimacy and prevent spoofing.
  • Monitoring: Continuously monitor IP reputation using blocklist monitoring tools and services.
  • Segmentation: Segment clients based on sending behavior and reputation, assigning new IPs to low-risk senders first.

Key considerations

  • Spam Traps: Be aware of spam traps and take steps to avoid hitting them, as this can negatively impact your reputation.
  • Sending Volume Consistency: Maintain consistent email sending volume to avoid triggering suspicion from mailbox providers.
  • Dedicated IPs: Consider isolating large clients with high sending volumes to dedicated IPs to protect shared pools.
  • Blocklist Monitoring: Proactively monitor blocklists for IP listing to understand reputation as well as deliverability impact, if any.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares the gradual rollout strategy is critical. Start with a small percentage of your total sending volume and gradually increase it daily or weekly, while carefully watching your metrics.

March 2025 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests to try to isolate larger clients to dedicated IPs. This ensures their email marketing practices don't impact the reputation of the shared pools for other clients.

April 2024 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks advises to stop trying to warm up so many IPs at once and validates Chace's point about likely hitting spam traps, which can significantly impact reputation during IP warm-up.

November 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares the method of warming up 50 IPs at once by breaking the 50 IPs into 10 groups of 5 and warming them up with messages from 10 different senders.

December 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that IP warming involves gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new IP address to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. It's crucial for avoiding spam filters and ensuring emails reach the inbox.

October 2024 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus states that keeping the email volume relatively consistent is good. Avoid big changes or erratic sending behavior, as these fluctuations can look suspicious to mailbox providers, resulting in issues with spamhaus listings.

October 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is a MUST. This helps prove your legitimacy and avoids being flagged as a potential spam source. Ensure they are configured correctly.

March 2025 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that spreading emails over many IPs can be seen as snowshoeing by Spamhaus, especially if hitting spam traps. Suggests sending to high-quality addresses during early warmup.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests that with shared IP pools, segmenting clients based on sending behavior and reputation is key. Assigning new IPs to low-risk clients initially can help establish a positive reputation.

May 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid shares that to avoid spam traps during IP warm-up, ensure your email list is clean and up-to-date. Regularly remove inactive subscribers and use double opt-in to confirm subscriber interest.

April 2021 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Validity shares that it is very important to actively monitor the reputation of IPs using blocklist monitoring tools in order to identify deliverability issues early on. Take immediate action, or you risk getting Spamhaus or similar.

July 2022 - Validity
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that segmenting your email list and warming up IPs with your most engaged subscribers is key. These subscribers are more likely to open and click your emails, sending positive signals to mailbox providers.

June 2021 - Mailjet

What the experts say
7Expert opinions

Successfully warming up a large number of new IPs on shared pools, while avoiding Spamhaus listings, requires a focus on establishing a reputable sending behavior. This involves gradual IP warm-up using real traffic to engaged subscribers and ensuring proper system security. Furthermore, implement DMARC and actively monitor sending configurations for errors.

Key opinions

  • Blocklist Usage: Major email providers use blocklists to filter or block mail, making Spamhaus listing avoidance crucial.
  • Behavior Matters: Poor sending behaviors, such as snowshoeing, are the primary cause of blocklistings, not just spam traps.
  • Real Traffic Warmup: IP warm-up should involve real traffic to real recipients to establish a genuine sending reputation.
  • System Security: Compromised systems are a common cause of Spamhaus listings. Secure systems to prevent unauthorized spam sending.
  • Configuration Checks: Misconfigurations on new IPs can lead to listings. Regularly check configurations for issues.

Key considerations

  • DMARC Importance: Implementing DMARC is crucial to protect domain reputation and prevent unauthorized emails from being sent.
  • Gradual Approach: Avoid sudden spikes in email volume, instead gradually increase sending to maintain reputation.
  • Subscriber Engagement: Focus initial sending to engaged subscribers to positively influence IP reputation.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that Spamhaus listings often stem from compromised systems sending spam, rather than intentional spamming. Securing systems is crucial.

July 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the described behavior looks like snowshoeing and spamtraps are seldom the direct cause of the listing - it's the poor behavior. Also explains that "warmup" isn't magic, it's about introducing providers to good behavior through real traffic.

November 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares to send real traffic to real recipients at each mailbox provider to build reputation. This avoids sudden spikes that look like bot or snowshoe behaviour.

August 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise states that DMARC implementation is vital for protecting your domain reputation and ensuring that unauthorized emails are not delivered as originating from your domain. Implement this ASAP.

October 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that most of the larger providers use block lists in some fashion as part of the filter decision-making process or to block mail.

December 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks recommends checking for misconfigurations on new IPs as a cause for CSS listing, while also acknowledging that mistakes can happen. Also re-iterates that spreading a small mail stream across many IPs looks like snowshoe behaviour.

October 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a solid IP warmup strategy involves gradually increasing email volume with a focus on sending to engaged subscribers first, monitoring response and engagement rates to inform adjustments to sending patterns.

November 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Successfully warming up new IPs on shared pools, while avoiding Spamhaus listings, requires close monitoring and gradual sending practices. Monitoring tools from Google and Microsoft provide reputation insights, while Spamhaus advises securing systems and preventing misconfigurations to avoid listings. Small volume sends to engaged users initially builds reputation gradually.

Key findings

  • Gradual Warm-up: Begin with small email volumes to engaged subscribers when warming up new IPs.
  • Engagement Tracking: Closely monitor deliverability and engagement metrics to adjust the warm-up strategy.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Use Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to monitor IP reputation.
  • Proactive Issue Resolution: Identify and address deliverability issues proactively to avoid impacting sending reputation.
  • Security and Configuration: Ensure IPs are not exhibiting suspicious behavior or misconfigurations to prevent CSS listings.

Key considerations

  • System Security: Check for open relays, malware activity, and compromised systems to maintain a clean sending environment.
  • Data Insights: Leverage the data from SNDS and Postmaster Tools to gain insight into your IP's standing.
Technical article

Documentation from Amazon Web Services states that when warming up a new IP address, start by sending small volumes of email to engaged subscribers. Gradually increase the volume over time, monitoring deliverability and engagement metrics closely to adjust the warm-up strategy as needed.

December 2022 - Amazon Web Services
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that monitoring your IP reputation through tools like Postmaster Tools is crucial during IP warm-up. It allows you to identify and address any deliverability issues proactively before they impact your sending reputation.

January 2022 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft states that using Microsoft's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) can help monitor your sending reputation with Microsoft email services, providing valuable insights into deliverability issues during IP warm-up.

September 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that to avoid CSS (Composite Blocking List) listings, ensure your IPs are not exhibiting suspicious behavior or misconfigurations. Check for open relays, malware activity, and compromised systems.

July 2022 - Spamhaus