How to warm up a private IP address for a monthly newsletter send?

Summary

Warming up a private IP address for a monthly newsletter involves a multi-faceted approach focused on establishing a positive sender reputation with ISPs. The core strategy includes gradually increasing email volume over time, starting with your most engaged subscribers to minimize negative signals like spam complaints and bounces. Monitoring deliverability metrics (open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints) is crucial to identify and address any issues promptly. Maintaining consistent sending habits, ensuring high-quality content, and potentially supplementing with more frequent transactional emails can further enhance the IP's reputation. For established email programs, a more cautious, 'hands-off' approach can be taken unless deliverability issues surface, while transitioning to a shared IP pool may be considered if dedicated IPs prove problematic.

Key findings

  • Gradual Ramp-Up: Incrementally increase sending volume to establish a positive sender reputation.
  • Engaged Audience Focus: Prioritize sending to engaged subscribers initially to minimize negative feedback.
  • Deliverability Monitoring: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics and sender reputation.
  • Content Quality: Ensure content is valuable and relevant to prevent unsubscribes and spam complaints.
  • Consistency is Key: Establish and maintain a consistent sending schedule.

Key considerations

  • Established vs. New: Existing programs require less intervention than new setups.
  • Subscriber Engagement: Prioritize highly engaged subscribers.
  • Sending Frequency: Consider supplementing with transactional emails to maintain reputation.
  • Volume Spikes: Avoid sudden volume increases which can negatively impact reputation.
  • Alternative Solutions: Shared IP pools may be better for infrequent senders.
  • MX Monitoring: Regularly monitor MX records.

What email marketers say
14Marketer opinions

Warming up a private IP address for a monthly newsletter involves gradually building a positive sending reputation with ISPs. The key strategies include starting with small volumes of email sent only to the most engaged subscribers, gradually increasing volume over time, and consistently monitoring deliverability metrics like open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints. Maintaining a consistent sending schedule and supplementing with more frequent transactional emails (if possible) can also help maintain IP reputation between monthly sends. If the IP address is already established for an established email program, a hands-off approach can be considered unless there are signs of issues. If using a private IP is not possible or there are deliverability issues consider using a shared IP pool instead.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Volume Increase: Start with low volumes and gradually increase over time to build reputation.
  • Engaged Subscribers First: Initially send only to highly engaged users to minimize negative signals.
  • Consistent Monitoring: Closely monitor deliverability metrics such as open rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints.
  • Maintain Consistency: Stick to a planned sending schedule to establish a consistent sending pattern.
  • Supplement with Transactional Emails: If possible, send smaller, more frequent transactional emails to maintain IP reputation.

Key considerations

  • Established vs. New Program: For established programs, a hands-off approach may be suitable unless issues arise.
  • List Segmentation: Segment your list and target the most active users during the warm-up phase.
  • Content Quality: Ensure emails are valuable and relevant to reduce unsubscribes and spam complaints.
  • Alternative Solutions: If private IP proves problematic, consider shared IP pools or adjusting sending frequency.
  • Reputation Maintenance: Reputation must be built to minimise rate limiting, timeouts and complaints.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that if this is a review for an established program, to be hands-off unless there are indications of issues. If it is for a migration, the issue will be establishing that initial reputation and known sending pattern on a dedicated IP unless the client can be flexible with sends during warm-up. He leans towards recommending a shared IP pool to help avoid issues with zero-to-1.6MM being identified as an unexpected volume spike.

December 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares his experience that infrequent senders should be on shared IPs because if there's any issue, troubleshooting and rebuilding reputation would be almost impossible.

November 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora says that a key to warming up an IP is consistency. Plan a schedule for sending emails and stick to it. Monitor your sending reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools and adjust your strategy as needed.

May 2024 - Quora
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks advises that splitting the send over a few days would reduce the spikes significantly and may help with the risk of inactivity and the sudden volume spike.

March 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that IP warming is the process of establishing a sending reputation with ISPs. You should begin by sending small volumes of email to engaged contacts. Gradually increase the volume over time. They recommend paying close attention to bounce rates, spam complaints, and unsubscribes to avoid issues.

January 2025 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that for a monthly newsletter on a dedicated IP, you'll need to maintain some sending reputation in between sends. Consider sending smaller, more frequent emails to keep the IP warm or risk deliverability issues with each monthly blast.

October 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that when warming up an IP, segment your list and start with your most active users. Monitor open rates and click-through rates closely. Slowly increase the volume while watching for any negative signals like spam complaints.

July 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps explains that to warm up a dedicated IP address, it's crucial to start with low volumes and gradually increase them. Send to your most engaged subscribers first and monitor deliverability metrics. Maintain consistent sending habits after the initial warm-up period to preserve your reputation.

May 2022 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailerLite shares that warming up your IP address correctly is important. Start by only sending to highly engaged users. Only send valuable content and maintain a schedule. They recommend using a shorter timeframe for warming if you previously had a good reputation.

March 2022 - MailerLite
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that to start, identify your most engaged subscribers. These are the recipients who consistently open and interact with your emails. Send to these users first to build a positive reputation. A gradual process is key to long term success.

October 2022 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains that if you're transitioning to a new IP address, it's crucial to warm it up gradually. Begin with a small segment of your most engaged subscribers and slowly increase volume. They advise monitoring deliverability metrics closely and adjusting your sending practices based on the data.

September 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that so long as you build to your behavior and keep that behavior, you should be fine, especially if the quality is good. Monitor all metrics and if you find rep is dropping, dig in to see if customers are complaining after the fact, etc. Keep an eye on bounces and if you find you are getting hit by heavy rate limiting, it may increase your bounce rate due to timeouts.

April 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks agrees that warming isn't really complete until the sender has sent their true monthly cadence for a few consistent months. Monthly frequency has proven to be adequate with a sender keeping their reputation and having strong deliverability. It's crucial they don't take a month off, or more, from sending or they really lose everything they've built and maintained.

March 2025 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow advises that for infrequent sends (like a monthly newsletter), consider supplementing with transactional emails to maintain a sending reputation. If that's not possible, ensure each newsletter send is to a highly engaged list to minimize deliverability issues.

December 2024 - StackOverflow

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Warming up a private IP for a monthly newsletter involves a continuous process of sending high-quality, wanted email to engaged recipients. Monitor sends for several cycles (at least 3-6) to evaluate effectiveness, focusing on MX records. True IP warming extends beyond initial setup, requiring months to establish a solid reputation by consistently sending relevant content and protecting against negative signals.

Key opinions

  • Continuous Monitoring: Regularly monitor sending performance, focusing on MX records for detailed insights.
  • Quality Over Quantity: Prioritize sending only the best, wanted mail to maintain a positive reputation.
  • Long-Term Process: IP warming is not a one-time event but an ongoing effort to build and protect sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Time Investment: Allocate sufficient time (at least 6 months) to establish a solid IP reputation.
  • Audience Engagement: Ensure emails are highly relevant to maintain recipient engagement and minimize complaints.
  • MX Monitoring: Pay close attention to MX records for detailed deliverability data and adjust strategies accordingly.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that an IP isn't really warmed until it has had its normal traffic over it for at least half a dozen sends. Treat the next 6 months of sending to the normal volume and subscribers as warmup.

June 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that IP addresses are warmed by sending only the best mail to the best recipients. This should be over a period of time, not a single day. It is more than 'infrastructure ready to handle volume'.

January 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks advises to monitor the sends for at least 3 or 4 sends before making any decisions about using a private IP for infrequent, high volume sends. She also says there is no right answer, only an answer that works. It is important to monitor per MX, not just per domain.

May 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that IP warming is critical. They explain that warming up an IP is all about building and protecting a reputation. It is important to only send wanted mail.

May 2021 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Warming up a private IP for a monthly newsletter, according to various email service documentation, requires a gradual increase in email volume from the new IP to build a positive sender reputation with ISPs, especially crucial for dedicated IPs to avoid being marked as spam. Key steps involve starting with small email volumes to the most engaged subscribers, consistently monitoring deliverability metrics and sender reputation, and maintaining good list hygiene. Sudden volume spikes should be avoided to protect IP reputation.

Key findings

  • Gradual Volume Increase: Slowly ramp up email volume to establish a sending reputation.
  • Engaged Users First: Start sending emails to the most engaged subscribers.
  • Consistent Monitoring: Monitor deliverability and sender reputation closely.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain good list hygiene practices to ensure deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Avoid Volume Spikes: Ensure gradual increase in volume to maintain a positive reputation.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Regularly check your IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Consistent Sending: Establish a consistent sending pattern to improve deliverability.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that monitor your IP reputation to see how Google views your sending IP. A good reputation is essential for deliverability, and warming up an IP correctly can help build and maintain that reputation. Sudden spikes in volume can negatively impact your reputation.

February 2022 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that warming up an IP address is a process of gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a new IP address to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. This is particularly important for dedicated IPs to avoid being flagged as spam.

December 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet advises that to warm up a dedicated IP, begin by sending small volumes of email to your most engaged subscribers. Gradually increase the volume over several weeks, monitoring your sender reputation and deliverability metrics. Aim to establish a consistent sending pattern.

October 2023 - Mailjet
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid shares that IP warming involves gradually increasing sending volume over time. Start with your most engaged users, and monitor your deliverability closely. Sending consistently and maintaining good list hygiene are crucial during this process. They recommend starting small and doubling your volume every day or two.

November 2022 - SendGrid