How to warm up an old email list that hasn't been used in a while?

Summary

Warming up an old email list requires a comprehensive strategy encompassing list hygiene, gradual engagement, technical setup, and constant monitoring. Experts recommend defining 'old' based on mailing frequency and then focusing on those who have recently engaged with your emails. You must suppress unengaged addresses, and cleaning the list with services is crucial. Key technical aspects involve email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), monitoring sender reputation and blacklists, and adhering to SMTP standards. Gradually increasing the volume of emails sent, and sending targeted re-engagement campaigns with incentives are recommended. Setting clear expectations in initial emails and monitoring key engagement metrics like open rates are also important. Experts also suggest not sending email from your corporate domain. Running deliverability tests and checking for spam traps before the warm-up are essential.

Key findings

  • List Hygiene: Cleaning the list by removing invalid addresses, spam traps, and unengaged subscribers is critical for improving deliverability.
  • Gradual Engagement: Gradually increasing email volume avoids triggering spam filters and allows for controlled testing and adjustment.
  • Technical Setup: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and adherence to SMTP standards are fundamental for deliverability.
  • Re-engagement is Key: Sending re-engagement emails to people who want the mail gives you the best chance of warming up the list.
  • Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of sender reputation, blacklists, and engagement metrics is necessary to identify and address deliverability issues.
  • Importance of Segmentation: Segmenting your email list based on subscribers who have engaged with the emails.
  • Attrition: Email lists decay over time, approximately 30% per year.

Key considerations

  • Defining 'Old': Determine whether the list is defined as old based on length since the list was built or if the list has been actively mailed too.
  • Opt-In Clarity: Clearly remind recipients how they joined the list and provide easy opt-out options.
  • Testing: Make sure to test the list for issues before mailing. Blacklists, spam traps, etc.
  • Authentication: Set up authentication for the domain that is going to be mailing the old list.
  • Compliance with Standards: Ensure adherence to SMTP standards for optimal delivery.
  • Sending Reputation: Address bounces and bad emails quickly or this will effect your sending reputation.
  • Is it worth the risk?: Consider the risk mailing an old list, could cause more damage than it's worth.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Warming up an old email list requires a multi-faceted approach focusing on list hygiene, gradual engagement, and monitoring. Experts recommend segmenting the list based on engagement, removing invalid addresses and unengaged subscribers, and avoiding spam traps. Gradual sending, re-engagement campaigns with incentives, and setting clear expectations in initial emails are crucial. Using a non-corporate sending domain, and consistently monitoring engagement metrics like open rates and unsubscribes are also recommended.

Key opinions

  • List Hygiene: Cleaning the list by removing invalid addresses, spam traps and unengaged subscribers is critical for improving deliverability and sender reputation.
  • Gradual Engagement: Gradually increasing the volume of emails sent over time, starting with a small batch, helps avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Re-engagement Campaigns: Sending targeted re-engagement campaigns with incentives encourages subscribers to re-subscribe or update their preferences.
  • Set Expectations: Set clear expectations in initial emails, reminding subscribers why they are receiving the email and providing an easy way to unsubscribe.
  • Monitor Metrics: Consistently monitor engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates to optimize your campaigns.

Key considerations

  • Sending Domain: Consider using a sending domain separate from your corporate domain to protect your primary domain's reputation.
  • Welcome Series: Implement a welcome series for new subscribers to ensure they are legitimate and actively engaging with your emails.
  • Compliance: Always provide a clear and easy way for subscribers to unsubscribe to comply with anti-spam regulations.
  • Spam Traps: Take steps to avoid landing in spam traps when using old lists.
  • Segment Sending: Segmented sending allows you to send emails to people who actively want the emails and improve your email sender reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests checking into which domains you are sending from and that you should not use the corporate domain for sending to your lists

May 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit recommends gradually increasing the volume of emails sent to your list over time. Start with a small batch and gradually increase the number of emails sent each day to avoid triggering spam filters.

December 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign emphasizes the importance of monitoring key engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates during the warm-up process. Use this data to adjust your strategy and optimize your campaigns.

February 2025 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue recommends creating a re-engagement campaign that offers subscribers a reason to stay subscribed, such as exclusive content, discounts, or updates. Make it easy for them to unsubscribe if they're no longer interested.

October 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp suggests using an email verification service to remove invalid or inactive email addresses before sending. This will improve your sender reputation and reduce bounce rates.

May 2022 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum advises removing unengaged subscribers from your list. Focus on the subscribers that have engaged recently.

October 2022 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel recommends segmenting your list based on the last time subscribers engaged. Send targeted re-engagement campaigns to these segments, offering incentives to re-subscribe or update their preferences.

August 2021 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus advises setting clear expectations in the first few emails. Remind subscribers why they are receiving the email and give them an easy way to unsubscribe or update their preferences.

June 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass explains checking the email list for spam traps is critical. If the email enters a spam trap it will be immediately flagged and blacklisted.

October 2023 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from Hubspot recommends setting up a welcome series to new subscribers, ensure they are legitimate and that they are actively engaging with the emails that are sent. This will have a positive effect with future sending

July 2021 - HubSpot

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

Warming up an old email list presents unique challenges due to address attrition and potential deliverability issues. Experts emphasize the importance of defining 'old' based on mailing frequency, suppressing inactive addresses, and focusing on recently engaged subscribers. Cleaning the list with services like Kickbox and providing clear opt-out options in initial emails are vital to avoid spam complaints and maintain a positive sending reputation.

Key opinions

  • Address Attrition: Email addresses degrade over time, with a significant percentage becoming invalid each year, impacting deliverability.
  • Definition of 'Old': The term 'old' depends on mailing frequency; a list never mailed is 'old' regardless of collection date, and lists mailed daily are not.
  • Suppression is Key: Suppressing unengaged or potentially invalid addresses is crucial for protecting sender reputation.
  • Focus on Engaged Subscribers: Warming up efforts should prioritize subscribers who have recently interacted with your emails.
  • Cleaning Tools: Using email verification services helps identify and remove invalid addresses before sending.

Key considerations

  • Opt-Out Clarity: Clearly state how recipients provided their email address and offer a simple opt-out option to minimize spam complaints.
  • Sending Reputation: Bounces from undeliverable addresses negatively impact sender reputation; proactively manage list quality.
  • Relevance is Critical: Ensure emails are relevant to recipients who haven't been contacted in a while to increase engagement.
  • Consent: Mailing to only people who have asked for mail is more important.
  • Risk Assessment: Know the older the list the more risky sending to it is.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that attrition rates on email addresses over time are high, with approximately 30% of addresses becoming invalid within a year.

February 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests using a service like Kickbox to clean the email list. They also recommend including a clear reminder in the initial emails about how the recipient provided their email address, along with an easily accessible opt-out link, to encourage unsubscribes rather than spam complaints.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the definition of 'old' depends on the list collection. A list collected 6 months ago and never mailed to is 'old'. A list mailed to daily is never old.

October 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource shares that a 'warm-up' is best done to addresses who have said 'yes' recently. Old lists have a high rate of undeliverable addresses, and turning those into bounces is bad for your sending reputation. As it gets older, attrition from people who change addresses becomes a significant number.

June 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that suppressing the old addresses and focus on those known to be deliverable. Mailing old addresses is dangerous, as you are mailing people who didn't ask for mail. You need to mail to people who have asked for mail.

January 2025 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Warming up an old email list requires careful attention to technical details to ensure deliverability. Documentation emphasizes the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), monitoring sender reputation and blacklists, adhering to SMTP standards, and running deliverability tests before starting the warm-up process. Addressing these technical aspects helps improve deliverability and avoid damaging your sender reputation.

Key findings

  • Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for proving your identity and improving deliverability, especially to Gmail inboxes.
  • Sender Reputation: Monitoring your sender reputation and IP address for blacklisting is essential for identifying and resolving deliverability issues.
  • SMTP Standards: Adhering to SMTP standards (RFC 5321) ensures proper email formatting and delivery.
  • Deliverability Testing: Running deliverability tests helps identify potential issues before they impact your sender reputation.
  • Blacklist Checks: Checking if your IP address or domain is on any major blacklists is important to avoid deliverability problems.

Key considerations

  • Technical Expertise: Implementing email authentication and monitoring sender reputation may require technical expertise or the use of specialized tools.
  • Proactive Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation and blacklist status to detect and address issues promptly.
  • Standard Compliance: Ensure your email formatting and sending practices comply with SMTP standards.
  • Test Environment: Use a testing environment to run deliverability tests without impacting your production sending.
  • Remediation: Develop a plan for addressing any issues identified during deliverability testing or blacklist monitoring.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft stresses the importance of monitoring your sender reputation and IP address for blacklisting. Use tools like Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) to track your reputation and resolve any issues.

April 2024 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC outlines the importance of adhering to SMTP standards (RFC 5321) to ensure proper email formatting and delivery. This includes using valid headers, HELO/EHLO greetings, and message formatting.

October 2021 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Google advises bulk senders to authenticate their email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. This helps prove that you are who you say you are and improves deliverability to Gmail inboxes.

March 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from GlockApps advocates for running deliverability tests prior to warming up the list to see if there are immediate issues with the list or the sender. These tests help identify potential issues before they impact your sender reputation.

November 2024 - GlockApps
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that checking if your IP address or domain is on any major blacklists is important before beginning a warm-up campaign. Blacklisting can severely impact deliverability and sender reputation.

June 2024 - Spamhaus