Is warming up an IP address during the November to December holiday season a bad idea?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions that mail during the holidays is subject to more scrutiny and throttling due to increased volume. They recommend waiting, particularly for IP warming, as the busy period introduces extra risk and variables.
Email marketer from SendGrid Blog shares that higher volumes and recipient fatigue can make it more challenging to achieve good engagement rates during the holiday season. A new IP address will face additional scrutiny making establishing a positive reputation difficult.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the biggest deliverability issue around the holidays is senders reaching into the bottom of the segmentation barrel, leading to poorer performance. While it could affect senders on shared IPs, warming during that period isn't inherently bad.
Email marketer from GMass Blog states that the end of the year is the absolute worst time to start sending from a new IP address or domain. It is far better to wait until the new year.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign Blog explains that you need to build up sending reputation with a new IP address by warming up an IP address slowly. Avoid increasing sending volumes during periods of high sending as this could ruin your IP reputation.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that warming up an IP address during the holiday season can be risky due to increased email volume and stricter ISP scrutiny. They suggest being extra cautious and closely monitoring your sending reputation during this period.
Email marketer from StackExchange mentions that IP warmup involves establishing a positive reputation with ISPs. Given the heavy email traffic around the holidays, new IPs will likely face deliverability issues.
Marketer from Email Geeks notes that while it's not the best time, warming can be done during the holidays with thoughtful audience creation and content. Close monitoring and patience are key, especially when migration deadlines necessitate it.
Email marketer from Litmus Blog explains that in general they would not recommend starting an IP warmup during the holiday season. With the increased email volumes, warming up an IP can be difficult.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that warming up during the holidays can be tricky. With the increased competition and spam, it takes time for the IP to gain a good sending reputation.
Email marketer from Email on Acid Blog explains that while not impossible, warming up an IP during the holiday season presents unique challenges. Because ISPs are more vigilant, there is less room for errors. Careful planning and monitoring is crucial.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource answers explains that it is best to start as early as possible, and never during the busiest part of the holiday sending season.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that remediation during the holidays is tougher because postmaster teams have a larger number of requests and stats aren't as good, creating a bad combination.
Expert from Email Geeks agrees with others, stating it's not an ideal time for warmup. The goals of warmup (interaction from a small group) and holiday sending (reaching as many as possible) are different. It can work if needed, but overall sales goals may suffer.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that high email volumes can make it much harder to gain traction with your IP warming. It's better to wait until after the holiday season.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that it generally advises against starting an IP warmup during peak sending times like the holiday season (November/December). The increased email traffic and heightened spam filtering make it harder to establish a good sending reputation quickly.
Documentation from Google explains that sudden spikes in email volume can negatively impact your sender reputation. They recommend gradually increasing sending volume over time, which is difficult to manage during the holiday peak.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that gradual increases in email volume are necessary to build a positive reputation. Sending too much too soon is problematic, and the holiday season often encourages higher volume.