Should I migrate to a dedicated IP before BFCM if my deliverability is currently good?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailGuru responds that if deliverability is currently good, switching to a dedicated IP right before BFCM is not recommended. He advises to wait until after the peak season to avoid potential issues.
Email marketer from Mailjet suggests that migrating to a dedicated IP too close to BFCM can be risky. Starting well in advance allows for proper warm-up and avoids potential deliverability issues during the high-volume period.
Email marketer from Email on Acid stresses the importance of a proper IP warm-up strategy when migrating to a dedicated IP. It’s better to start early than to risk deliverability issues during a critical period like BFCM. A good strategy includes gradually increasing email volume, monitoring engagement metrics, and segmenting your list to send to the most engaged subscribers first.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that dedicated IPs are not always necessary for good deliverability, especially if your sending volume is low. Good list hygiene and relevant content are more critical factors.
Email marketer from Gmass warns against attributing everything to IP reputation. Clean email lists, engaging content, and relevant offers are more important factors. Moving IPs alone won't solve fundamental marketing problems, especially around BFCM.
Email marketer from Litmus warns that a new IP has no established reputation. Starting from scratch can be harmful, especially during BFCM when ISPs scrutinize email traffic more heavily. It can trigger spam filters and hurt overall deliverability, regardless of previous good practices.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that a typical IP warm-up can take 4-6 weeks, allowing potential warm-up before BFCM. However, mailbox providers become more aggressive during BFCM, which may cause delivery challenges, especially when building a sending history on a new IP.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests a slight reputation dip might not warrant a new IP unless there are continual delivery issues on a shared IP. He recommends investigating practices, opt-in processes, audiences, and content for recent changes instead of just switching IPs.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks says that sending enough volume with good permission practices makes deliverability and inbox placement easier with a dedicated IP in the long term. However, IP warming can be tricky, especially during the Q4 sending season.
Expert from Email Geeks considers switching IPs risky at this point unless the problem is severe. He suggests moving cautiously. If things aren't broken, he advises waiting until after Q4 to switch.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains the importance of gradually increasing sending volume on a new IP address to establish a positive sending reputation. Proper IP warm-up is crucial before peak sending times like BFCM to ensure deliverability and avoid being flagged as spam.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that moving IPs requires you to build up new reputation, and in cases of very high volume during BFCM, you may trigger volume based blocks. Its better to manage your volume than risk deliverability problems by introducing an unknown IP.
Expert from Word to the Wise states that you need to ensure your IP is ready for an increased volume of emails. Some companies claim that domain reputation is more important than IP. However, IP reputation is still very important and a sudden change will impact deliverability if not handled carefully.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft advises caution when suddenly increasing email volume from a new IP, especially during the holiday season. This triggers filters and limits volume to ensure your recipients actually want your email. Avoid reputation issues and improve deliverability before peak times.
Documentation from SendGrid details the importance of properly warming up a dedicated IP, especially before peak sending seasons like BFCM. Gradual increases in volume are crucial to establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
Documentation from Google emphasizes regularly monitoring your IP reputation using Google Postmaster Tools. A sudden change of IP close to a peak time may negatively affect your scores, even if your current reputation is good.
Documentation from Amazon Web Services highlights the importance of maintaining a good sender reputation, especially on a dedicated IP. Sending high-quality email, honoring unsubscribe requests, and monitoring bounce rates directly impact deliverability.