How should I warm up a new dedicated IP for a new insurance website?

Summary

Warming up a new dedicated IP for an insurance website requires a strategic, phased approach due to potential spam concerns in the industry. Experts recommend starting with shared IPs to build a subscriber base before transitioning to a dedicated IP. The process involves gradually increasing sending volume to engaged users, focusing on high-quality content, authenticating emails, and monitoring deliverability metrics. Confirmed opt-in (COI) helps build a higher-quality list, while frequency capping helps balance engagement and potential spam issues. A well-defined plan with consistent sending volumes is crucial for establishing a positive sender reputation and avoiding deliverability problems.

Key findings

  • IP Start: Begin with shared IPs initially, then transition to dedicated.
  • Volume Increase: Gradually increase sending volume to engaged users.
  • Content Focus: Send high-quality, relevant content.
  • Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication.
  • Metrics Tracking: Monitor deliverability, open rates, and spam complaints.
  • Confirmed Opt-In: Use confirmed opt-in to improve list quality.
  • Consistent Volume: Maintain consistent sending volumes.
  • Frequency capping: Control how many emails users receive.

Key considerations

  • Insurance Sensitivity: Insurance industry requires extra caution due to spam concerns.
  • Subscriber Engagement: Prioritize engaged subscribers for warm-up.
  • IP Plan: Develop a well-defined warm-up plan with milestones.
  • Organic Growth: Focus on organic signups and domain reputation.
  • Lead Magnets: Can be valuable, but should be of good quality to ensure positive engagement

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Warming up a new dedicated IP for an insurance website requires a strategic approach, given the industry's potential for spam complaints. Experts advise against starting with a dedicated IP immediately, suggesting leveraging shared IPs initially to build a subscriber base. Key strategies include: gradual volume increases, focusing on sending relevant content to engaged users, lead magnets for signup, authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and close monitoring of deliverability metrics. It is crucial to segment subscribers by engagement and have a detailed plan for scaling email volume. Frequency capping can also lower risks.

Key opinions

  • Initial IP Choice: Avoid starting with a dedicated IP due to potential spam issues; use shared IPs to build a base.
  • Content Relevance: Focus on sending relevant content recipients want to receive to establish sender reputation.
  • Engagement Metrics: Monitor deliverability, open, click-through, bounce rates, and spam complaints closely.
  • Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication to improve deliverability.
  • Segmentation: Segment subscribers by engagement, sending to the most engaged first.
  • Volume Scaling: Increase sending volume gradually, following a detailed schedule.
  • Lead Magnets: Consider using lead magnets (e.g., FAQs, tips) to encourage sign-ups.

Key considerations

  • Industry Sensitivity: Insurance may face higher spam complaints; plan accordingly.
  • Data Quality: Prioritize building a high-quality list of engaged subscribers.
  • Welcome Series: Leverage the welcome series to benchmark future email performance and engagement.
  • Frequency capping: Ensure frequency capping is considered to avoid over-mailing subscribers.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks advises against using a dedicated IP address for a new insurance website out of the gate, especially if the process involves an application. They anticipate spam issues due to the nature of the industry and suggest using pools until a sufficient subscriber base is established.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from NeilPatel.com shares that establishing a good sender reputation is crucial for IP warm-up. Focus on sending relevant content that recipients want to receive. Monitor bounce rates, spam complaints, and unsubscribe rates to maintain a healthy list and positive reputation.

August 2023 - NeilPatel.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains that monitoring key metrics during IP warm-up is essential. Keep a close eye on deliverability rates, open rates, and click-through rates. Use these metrics to identify and address any potential issues that could impact your sender reputation.

February 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares advice from their email marketing course for beginners about using lead magnets to encourage sign-ups. The most effective lead magnet to attract leads to your business is a one-page PDF that answers a few frequently asked questions, or be a set of 3 to 5 tips related to your business. They advise against using discounts as lead magnets, as they attract people only interested in the discount.

October 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests incentivizing initial traffic with rewards, freebies, quizzes, or engagement tactics to boost engagement, despite potentially lower lead value. He also recommends focusing on welcome series to benchmark future email performance.

November 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailerPro recommends starting the warmup with a flat increase in daily volume and mentions you can slowly raise it based on the performance of the emails. As an example: Week 1: 500 emails per day, Week 2: 1000 emails per day, Week 3: 2000 emails per day, and Week 4: 5000 emails per day.

August 2022 - MailerPro
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks seconds Tiffani's advice, saying that starting new IPs with fresh subscribers is an uphill battle. They suggest leveraging a shared IP to build an engaged audience first, then gradually transitioning to a dedicated IP with those subscribers.

August 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares to make sure you authenticate your emails by implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as this can help improve deliverability and sender reputation during IP warm-up. Also contact your ESP to ask for support.

December 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Warrior Forum recommends segmenting subscribers by engagement and sending exclusively to engaged recipients during the initial warmup phases. You need to gradually introduce less engaged subscribers as your IP's reputation grows. Suppress unengaged emails from your warmup strategy. Otherwise, you will have a harder time warming up the IP because email providers will see a low engagement rate.

August 2022 - Warrior Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that planning your IP warm-up is critical. Develop a detailed schedule for gradually increasing your sending volume. Consider factors like list size, engagement levels, and industry best practices to create an effective warm-up strategy.

October 2023 - ActiveCampaign

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Warming up a new dedicated IP effectively involves organic growth by focusing on users who actively sign up, 'priming' with initial service-related emails, and consistently monitoring the growth. Maintaining stable email volumes during the warm-up, along with implementing confirmed opt-in (COI) processes, are crucial for deliverability and reducing spam complaints. In addition, it is also important to cap the frequency of emails sent to each user, to avoid sending too many emails and decreasing email performance.

Key opinions

  • Organic Warmup: Prioritize organic growth by focusing on users who sign up and monitoring growth.
  • Consistent Volume: Maintain stable email sending volumes to avoid negatively impacting sender reputation.
  • Confirmed Opt-In: Implementing confirmed opt-in (COI) improves list quality and reduces complaints.
  • Frequency capping: Controlling the number of emails each user receives per week/month increases deliverability and lowers risk.

Key considerations

  • Domain Reputation: Start with 'priming' emails to establish domain reputation.
  • Impact of Erratic Volumes: Avoid erratic spikes or drops in volume to maintain a healthy sending reputation.
  • List Quality: A higher-quality list can positively affect deliverability and reduce complaints.
  • Revenue objective: Frequency capping is important to achieving the revenue objective of the marketing campaigns.
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource.com explains that maintaining consistent sending volumes throughout the IP warm-up process is crucial. Avoid erratic spikes or drops in volume, as this can negatively impact your sender reputation. Gradual, predictable increases are preferred.

January 2022 - SpamResource.com
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource.com explains that implementing confirmed opt-in (COI) can positively affect deliverability and reduce complaints, especially during IP warm-up. By ensuring that subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails, you're building a higher-quality list.

September 2023 - SpamResource.com
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that organic warmup is the best and advises to start with the folks who signup and to do a little bit of ‘priming’ with the servicing emails to ensure that the domain rep is established and monitor the organic growth.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Wordtothewise.com explains that one important factor that isn't discussed as much with warming up new IPs is frequency capping (aka controlling the number of emails each user receives per week/month). Most people are using far too little frequency capping, especially when subscribers have been onboarded into the database. The higher the frequency capping the lower the risk and the easier it is to achieve your revenue objective.

July 2022 - Wordtothewise.com

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Warming up a dedicated IP involves a gradual process focused on building a strong sender reputation. Key steps include: starting with low email volumes and gradually increasing them, sending primarily to the most engaged users, and continuously monitoring sender reputation to avoid spam filters. Essential technical practices include authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, sending consistent volumes, and maintaining low complaint rates.

Key findings

  • Gradual Volume: Gradually increase email sending volumes over time.
  • Engaged Users: Start by sending emails to your most engaged subscribers.
  • Sender Reputation: Closely monitor your sender reputation and adjust strategies accordingly.
  • Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails.
  • Consistent IP: Use a consistent sending IP address.
  • Low Complaints: Keep complaint rates low to maintain deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Performance Metrics: Continuously monitor performance metrics to avoid deliverability issues.
  • List Segmentation: Segment your email list to target engaged subscribers effectively.
  • Content Quality: Focus on high-quality content to minimize spam complaints.
  • Unsolicited Email: Avoid sending unsolicited emails to maintain deliverability.
Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet explains that warming up a dedicated IP involves gradually increasing sending volume. Start with your most engaged users and monitor your sender reputation closely. They recommend focusing on sending high-quality content to avoid spam complaints and maintain a good sender score.

August 2023 - Mailjet
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that it is important to authenticate your sending email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Also use a consistent sending IP address, keep complaint rates low, and don't send unsolicited email.

December 2024 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that a gradual IP warm-up is crucial for establishing a good sender reputation. Start with small volumes and gradually increase the sending rate over time, monitoring performance metrics closely to avoid triggering spam filters. Consistent volume and engagement are key.

January 2023 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid explains that warming up an IP address effectively requires segmenting your email list. Send to your most engaged subscribers first, gradually adding less engaged segments over time. This helps build a positive sending reputation and prevents deliverability issues.

January 2024 - SendGrid