What are the disadvantages and IP warm-up requirements when switching to a dedicated sending domain?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that there's a risk that the cutover process causes a blip in deliverability when switching to a dedicated sending domain because filters can take a little while to get used to the new setup. However, if you are already doing aligned DKIM signing, there is not much to worry about.
Email marketer from Litmus points out that there are direct and indirect costs associated with dedicated IPs. Besides the cost of the IP itself, time and resources are needed to manage the IP and any deliverability issues that arise.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that dedicated IPs are not suitable for senders with very low email volume because they need to send enough emails to build and maintain a positive reputation. Low volumes can lead to a negative or neutral reputation, negating the benefits.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that one disadvantage of a dedicated IP is that the sender is solely responsible for building and maintaining its reputation. Poor sending practices will directly impact deliverability, without the buffer of a shared IP's reputation.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester says that dedicated IPs are generally not needed for small businesses with low sending volumes. They are more appropriate for larger organizations that send large volumes of email regularly.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that a key disadvantage is the initial effort and time required to warm up the IP address. This requires a strategic approach and can delay immediate large-scale sending.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign notes that a disadvantage of a dedicated IP is that all deliverability issues are your own. If your sending practices aren't great, you'll see the impact directly and potentially quickly, whereas on a shared IP, the impact is lessened and shared.
Email marketer from SendPulse highlights the need for a proper IP warm-up strategy to build a positive sending reputation when switching to a dedicated IP. This involves gradually increasing sending volume over time to demonstrate responsible sending behavior to ISPs.
Email marketer from Gmass stresses the importance of sending to a clean and engaged email list during IP warm-up. Sending to unengaged or outdated addresses can lead to bounces and spam complaints, negatively impacting IP reputation.
Email marketer from DigitalMarketer emphasizes the importance of consistent sending volume for dedicated IPs. Inconsistent sending patterns can negatively impact sender reputation and deliverability, making regular email campaigns crucial.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource (John Levine) says that one should expect an IP warm-up to take several weeks to months when transitioning to a dedicated IP and to monitor reputation closely.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that whether an IP warm-up is needed when switching to a dedicated sending domain depends on the size of the email list and volume. Given the sender's subscriber count (800K) and weekly email volume (1 million), Al suggests that warming up the domain after implementing DKIM would be ideal, and if deliverability is good, wait until after the holidays to implement fully, otherwise domain warming is advisable.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) says that one of the major things to consider during the warm-up phase is to make sure that you don't experience any sudden spikes in mail volume. Try to remain steady with the amounts you send.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that you need to gradually build your sending domain's reputation, including consistent sending habits and following email authentication best practices.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Mailchimp details guidelines, including sending to engaged subscribers and using consistent 'From' information to establish credibility with ISPs during the IP warm-up period.
Documentation from Amazon SES recommends monitoring sending metrics closely during IP warm-up, especially bounce rates and complaint rates. High rates indicate potential problems with list quality or email content, requiring immediate attention to avoid damaging IP reputation.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights the necessity of actively monitoring IP reputation using tools like Postmaster Tools. This allows senders to identify and address deliverability issues promptly, preventing long-term damage to their sending reputation.
Documentation from SparkPost outlines a structured IP warm-up schedule, recommending starting with small batches of emails to the most engaged users and gradually increasing volume over several weeks to build a positive sender reputation. They provide a specific example of the daily amount that should be sent.