What deliverability improvement can be expected from using dedicated vs shared IPs?

Summary

The consensus is that switching to a dedicated IP address doesn't automatically guarantee improved email deliverability. While it offers more control over sender reputation and isolates you from the negative impact of other senders on a shared IP, the actual improvement depends heavily on your sending practices and ability to maintain a positive reputation. If your current shared IP isn't experiencing blocks and your sending practices are poor, a dedicated IP may not help, and could even worsen deliverability. High-volume senders with good sending habits stand to gain the most. Careful IP warming, correct DNS settings, and ongoing monitoring are crucial for success. Risk mitigation, such as using both shared and dedicated IPs, should also be considered.

Key findings

  • No Guarantee: A dedicated IP doesn't guarantee improved deliverability.
  • Control and Responsibility: Dedicated IPs offer more control, but also greater responsibility for sender reputation.
  • Existing Issues: If you're not seeing IP-related blocks, a dedicated IP might not solve any problems.
  • Good Practices Required: Improved deliverability depends on maintaining good email sending practices.
  • Warming and DNS: Proper IP warming and correct DNS settings are crucial for a successful transition.
  • High-Volume Benefit: High-volume senders are most likely to benefit from a dedicated IP.
  • Risk Mitigation: Consider using both shared and dedicated environments as a hedge.

Key considerations

  • Assess Current Reputation: Evaluate your current sender reputation and any deliverability issues on shared IPs.
  • Improve Sending Practices: Ensure your email marketing practices are solid, as a dedicated IP amplifies both good and bad habits.
  • Plan Warming Strategy: Develop a plan for gradually warming up the new IP address.
  • Verify Technical Setup: Double-check DNS settings and other technical configurations.
  • Monitor Performance: Continuously monitor IP reputation and deliverability metrics after switching.
  • Risk Assessment: Calculate the potential revenue loss from email blocking and weigh it against the cost of a dedicated IP.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

The potential deliverability improvement from using a dedicated IP versus a shared IP is complex and depends heavily on the sender's practices. While a dedicated IP provides greater control over sender reputation and isolates you from the negative impacts of other senders' poor practices, it also places the full responsibility for maintaining a good reputation on you. If you have poor sending practices, a dedicated IP can actually harm your deliverability. Several experts recommend using Google Postmaster Tools to assess your shared IP's reputation before switching. Successfully migrating to a dedicated IP requires careful planning, including IP warming and correct DNS settings. Consistent, high-volume senders who maintain good email marketing practices are most likely to benefit from dedicated IPs, but even then, improved deliverability is not guaranteed and requires active management.

Key opinions

  • Control Over Reputation: Dedicated IPs offer complete control over sender reputation, potentially leading to better deliverability.
  • No Guarantee: A dedicated IP doesn't guarantee improved deliverability; it depends on your sending practices.
  • Shared IP Risks: Shared IPs can be negatively impacted by other senders, affecting your deliverability.
  • Postmaster Tools: Google Postmaster Tools can help assess the reputation of your shared IP.
  • Warming Required: Migrating to a dedicated IP requires careful warming to avoid deliverability issues.
  • Consistent Volume: Dedicated IPs are best suited for consistent, high-volume senders.

Key considerations

  • Current Reputation: Assess your current sender reputation and any deliverability issues on shared IPs before switching.
  • Sending Practices: Ensure your email marketing practices are sound, as a dedicated IP amplifies both good and bad practices.
  • Warming Strategy: Develop a plan for warming up the new IP address gradually.
  • Technical Setup: Verify your DNS settings and other technical aspects are correctly configured.
  • Monitoring: Actively monitor your IP reputation and deliverability metrics after switching to a dedicated IP.
  • Risk Mitigation: Consider hedging your bets with both a shared and dedicated IP strategy
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that if you have your domain hooked up to google postmaster tools you should be able to see the IP reputations for your shared ips. If they are high then there is no reason so to believe you will get better delivery. If they are low or bad then it might be in your interest to start developing your own. Growing dedicated IPs is whole other operation with a lot of know how and patience involved. Rob is also a big proponent of shared and dedicated environments to hedge your bets. One bad sender can ruin the fun for everyone and one or two mistakes can tank a dedicated.

September 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that Dedicated IPs are a great way to have more control over your own reputation however it is important to remember that with that control comes responsibility. If you have poor email marketing practices, a dedicated IP can actually hurt you in the long run

October 2021 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that there is no guarantee that a dedicated IP will fix any deliverability problems and that most deliverability problems are specific to sender actions. Moving to a dedicated IP isn't a quick change, it's a project that needs to be managed, and there may be a temporary drop in inbox placement with some providers.

January 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora explains that when migrating to dedicated IPs you need to be careful about warming up your IP address and ensure your DNS settings are correct as you can actually harm your deliverability if these things aren't correct

July 2023 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that using a dedicated IP address gives you complete control over your sender reputation, leading to potentially better deliverability. If you maintain good sending practices, your deliverability rates should increase.

May 2021 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that dedicated IPs are best if you send large volumes of email consistently and maintain a good sender reputation. Improved deliverability is a potential benefit, but requires active management.

July 2021 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that a dedicated IP gives you full control over your sender reputation. You're not affected by other senders' actions, which can improve deliverability if you manage your reputation well.

April 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains that Dedicated IPs are beneficial when the sender is sending high volumes of email consistently. This enables the sender to better manage their reputation and ensure consistent deliverability

December 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit responds that switching to a dedicated IP improved deliverability significantly, as they had more control over their sender reputation and could isolate themselves from other senders' bad practices. They noted careful monitoring and warming up the IP was crucial.

September 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from CampaignMonitor explains that Dedicated IPs allow you to maintain a better sender reputation, ensure that you aren't impacted by other users and give you better insight into any delivery issues.

May 2022 - CampaignMonitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that a dedicated IP helped them avoid being blacklisted due to other users on a shared IP. They experienced a noticeable improvement in inbox placement after the switch.

October 2022 - Email Marketing Forum

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Experts agree that moving to a dedicated IP for email sending doesn't automatically guarantee improved deliverability. If you aren't experiencing blocks related to your shared IP, switching to a dedicated IP won't make a difference. The potential improvement is highly dependent on the sender's practices and their ability to maintain a positive reputation. While a dedicated IP provides control over your reputation, you also bear sole responsibility. A risk mitigation strategy that considers potential revenue loss from blocking is also a factor.

Key opinions

  • No Automatic Improvement: A dedicated IP doesn't automatically improve deliverability.
  • Existing Blocks Matter: If you're not seeing IP-related blocks, a dedicated IP won't help.
  • Sender Reputation is Key: Deliverability improvement relies on maintaining a positive sender reputation.
  • Shared IP Risk: Shared IPs carries a risk of blocks.

Key considerations

  • Assess Current Blocks: Check for existing IP-related blocks.
  • Evaluate Sending Practices: Ensure you have good email sending practices.
  • Risk Assessment: Assess potential revenue loss from email blocking.
  • Reputation Responsibility: Understand that you are solely responsible for your IP's reputation.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that while a dedicated IP provides the opportunity to establish a strong sending reputation independent of other senders, it doesn't automatically guarantee improved deliverability. The actual improvement depends entirely on the sender's practices and their ability to maintain a positive reputation.

April 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that a dedicated IP can help improve your email deliverability because you have complete control over the IP's reputation, but this also means you are solely responsible for maintaining a good sender reputation. It’s a double-edged sword.

November 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that if you’re not seeing “mail from IP blocked” then moving to a dedicated IP won’t change anything.

October 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares to consider risk mitigation. Take your average email revenue per day. What's a day of blocking at 40% of that going to cost you? That's your shared IP risk, that's what you're hedging against.

December 2021 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Documentation from Google and Microsoft suggests that dedicated IPs can improve deliverability, particularly for high-volume senders who maintain a clean sending reputation, by allowing them to build their own reputation independently. However, RFC Editor highlights that dedicated IPs can trigger different sender policies or filters. SparkPost stresses the importance of careful IP warming and correct DNS settings to avoid harming deliverability during the migration.

Key findings

  • Independent Reputation: Dedicated IPs allow senders to build their own reputation.
  • High-Volume Benefit: Google recommends dedicated IPs for high-volume senders.
  • Clean Reputation Required: Microsoft states that dedicated IPs lead to better deliverability only for senders with a clean reputation.
  • Potential Policy Differences: RFC Editor notes that dedicated IPs can trigger different sender policies.

Key considerations

  • Warming Up: Carefully warm up the IP address when migrating.
  • DNS Settings: Ensure DNS settings are correct.
  • Monitor Reputation: Continuously monitor IP reputation.
  • Email Best Practices: Adhere to email sending best practices.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft 365 Documentation states that dedicated IPs can lead to better deliverability for senders who maintain a clean sending reputation. Microsoft advises monitoring your IP reputation and following best practices to maximize the benefits.

December 2023 - Microsoft 365 Documentation
Technical article

Email marketer from SparkPost explains that when migrating to dedicated IPs you need to be careful about warming up your IP address and ensure your DNS settings are correct as you can actually harm your deliverability if these things aren't correct

November 2024 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help responds that using a dedicated IP allows senders to build their own reputation without being impacted by other senders. Google recommends dedicated IPs for high-volume senders to better manage their reputation and ensure consistent deliverability.

December 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that having a dedicated IP means that sender policies or filters may apply that would not be triggered on a shared server, whether or not those filters are beneficial.

December 2024 - RFC-Editor.org