What are best practices for warming up new IPs for transactional emails?

Summary

Warming up new IPs for transactional emails requires a gradual approach focused on building a positive sender reputation. Experts and marketers agree on starting with low volumes to engaged users, segmenting lists, and increasing volume incrementally. Monitoring deliverability metrics such as bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement is crucial. Consistent sending habits, proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and adherence to best practices are essential. Avoid warming up too many IPs at once and keep spam rates low to ensure optimal deliverability.

Key findings

  • Gradual Increase: Gradually increase email volume and frequency to establish a positive sender reputation with ISPs.
  • Engaged Users: Start by sending emails to engaged users who actively want to receive your messages to minimize spam complaints.
  • Monitor Metrics: Closely monitor deliverability metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement during the warmup process.
  • Segmentation: Segment your email list and gradually introduce the new IP to smaller, highly engaged segments first.
  • Authentication: Ensure emails are properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to build trust with ISPs.
  • Consistent Sending: Establish consistent sending habits by scheduling emails and sticking to that schedule.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Closely monitor your sending reputation by checking blocklists, bounce rates, and complaint rates.

Key considerations

  • IP Volume: Avoid warming up too many IPs simultaneously, as it can be perceived as a sign of spamming.
  • Warmup Pace: Adopt a slow and steady approach, as starting too fast can damage your reputation and lead to deliverability issues.
  • Spam Threshold: Keep spam rates low, aiming below 0.2% to 0.3%, to maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops and address any complaints promptly.
  • New Sender Focus: New senders should especially prioritize IP warming to establish a good reputation from the start.
  • Right Mail to Right Users: Warm up IPs gradually by sending the right mail to the right users to build trust.

What email marketers say
12Marketer opinions

Warming up new IPs for transactional emails involves establishing a positive sender reputation by gradually increasing email volume to engaged users. Starting slow, monitoring deliverability metrics, and maintaining consistent sending habits are crucial. Avoid sending from too many IPs at once, and keep spam rates low.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Increase: Gradually increase email volume and frequency to build a sender reputation with ISPs.
  • Engaged Users: Focus on sending to engaged users who want to receive your messages to minimize spam complaints.
  • Monitor Metrics: Closely monitor deliverability metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement during the warmup.
  • Segment Lists: Segment your email list and introduce the new IP to smaller, highly engaged segments first.
  • Consistency: Establish consistent sending habits by scheduling emails to help ISPs recognize your sending patterns as legitimate.
  • Transactional Focus: Focus on sending transactional emails, which are generally anticipated and less likely to be marked as spam, during the initial period.
  • Spam Threshold: Keep spam rates low, aiming below 0.2%, as even a small percentage can negatively impact deliverability.

Key considerations

  • IP Volume: Avoid warming up too many IPs simultaneously, as it can be perceived as spamming behavior.
  • Warmup Schedule: Implement a gradual warmup schedule (e.g., doubling email volume every day or every other day over two weeks) to build trust.
  • New Senders: New senders should prioritize IP warming to establish a positive sender reputation from the start.
  • Slow & Steady: A slow and steady approach to IP warming is best to prevent damage to your reputation and avoid deliverability problems.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid recommends monitoring bounce rates and complaint rates closely during the warm-up process. High bounce or complaint rates indicate deliverability issues that need to be addressed immediately.

February 2025 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that using multiple IPs for the same sender can appear as obvious spam. Even if the mailings are legitimate, many sending IPs for the same content can raise suspicion.

January 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that warming up IPs involves establishing a positive sender reputation. Start with low volumes to engaged users, gradually increasing volume while monitoring deliverability metrics like bounces, spam complaints, and engagement.

August 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks advises that a 0.5% spam threshold is too high, especially for transactional emails. Aim to keep it below 0.2%, as Gmail recommends staying below 0.3%.

September 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks advises keeping IP warming slow and low, typically in the 2-10 range. Hitting the teens without prior history can trigger issues. Warming up 60 IPs all at once is likely a trigger.

July 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that a good strategy involves segmenting your email list and gradually introducing the new IP to smaller, highly engaged segments first, increasing the volume slowly over a period of weeks.

May 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow shares that focusing on sending transactional emails during the initial warming period can be beneficial because these emails are typically highly anticipated and less likely to be marked as spam.

July 2023 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass suggests a slow and steady approach is best for IP warming. Starting too fast can damage your reputation and lead to deliverability problems.

November 2024 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot shares that new senders should particularly focus on IP warming. They suggest starting with low volumes and gradually increasing sending, focusing on engagement and sender reputation to avoid deliverability issues.

October 2024 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid shares that IP warming means gradually increasing the volume and frequency of emails sent from a new IP address. This helps ISPs learn that your email is legitimate and not spam.

July 2022 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that a gradual warmup schedule (e.g., starting with 500 emails on day 1, doubling every day, or every other day, over two weeks) helps build trust with ISPs without overwhelming their systems.

November 2024 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes consistent sending habits. They suggest scheduling your emails and sticking to that schedule to establish a sending pattern that ISPs can recognize as legitimate.

February 2024 - Litmus

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Warming up new IPs effectively involves gradual and targeted email sending, focusing on reputation monitoring. Sending too many emails too quickly or using an excessive number of IPs can harm your sender reputation. Complaints should be assessed within the context of Feedback Loops (FBLs), and overall sender reputation should be closely monitored via blocklists, bounce rates, and engagement metrics.

Key opinions

  • Gradual Warmup: Gradual IP warm-up by sending the right mail to the right users.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Closely monitor your sending reputation by tracking blocklists, bounce rates, complaints, and engagement.
  • IP Volume: Warming up too many IPs at once is not advisable and can make you look like a snowshoer.
  • Complaint Context: A 4% spam rate (one complaint in 20 messages) might be acceptable for initial sendings, but only if ISPs provide Feedback Loops (FBLs).

Key considerations

  • Targeted Sending: Focus on sending the right mail to the right users during the warm-up process to build a positive reputation.
  • Monitor Sending: Be mindful of sending too many emails too quickly, potentially damaging sender reputation.
  • IP Usage: Avoid using an excessive number of IPs, as it can raise suspicion with ISPs.
  • FBLs Importance: When assessing complaints, consider whether you are receiving feedback through Feedback Loops (FBLs) for accurate measurement.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource recommends closely monitoring your sending reputation during the IP warming process. This involves checking blocklists, bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics to ensure your IP is building a positive reputation with ISPs.

October 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that warming up 60 IPs at once is not advisable. If you don't have many customers, using too many IPs can make you look like a snowshoer. You can send 1,000,000+ emails per day per IP, so warming up only 2 IPs might be sufficient. Give new large customers their own dedicated IP and let them warm it up.

May 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that one complaint within the first 20 messages results in a 4% spam rate, which may be an acceptable threshold for initial sendings. However, this is only valid if sending to ISPs that provide Feedback Loops (FBLs). Complaints alone shouldn't be the sole metric.

September 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise answers to warm up ips gradually, by sending the right mail to the right users.

February 2025 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Effective IP warming involves a gradual and strategic approach to build a positive sender reputation. All documentation highlights the importance of sending to engaged users and increasing volume incrementally. Domain authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial. Monitoring feedback loops and overall sender reputation, including bounce and complaint rates, are essential for maintaining good deliverability.

Key findings

  • Small Volumes: Start by sending small volumes of emails.
  • Engaged Users: Send emails to recipients who actively want to receive them (engaged subscribers).
  • Gradual Increase: Slowly increase email volume over time based on positive engagement.
  • Authentication: Ensure emails are authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
  • Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is critical for deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Monitoring: Monitor sending limits and metrics like bounce rates and spam complaints.
  • Feedback Loops: Monitor feedback loops to address issues and avoid being flagged as spam.
  • Best Practices: Adhere to email sending best practices.
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost details that IP warming allows you to build a sending reputation with ISPs. They advise starting with your best traffic—emails to engaged subscribers—and gradually increasing volume based on positive engagement. They also recommend tracking metrics like bounces and spam complaints.

September 2024 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Amazon Web Services emphasizes sending small volumes of emails to recipients who actively want to receive your messages. They suggest monitoring your sending limits and slowly increasing the volume of emails you send over time.

December 2022 - Amazon Web Services
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft underscores that maintaining a good sender reputation is critical for deliverability. They advise authenticating your sending domain, monitoring feedback loops, and adhering to best sending practices to avoid being flagged as spam.

December 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights the importance of a good IP reputation. To establish a positive reputation, ensure your emails are authenticated (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and that you are sending wanted mail to engaged users.

September 2024 - Google