What is the best IP warm-up strategy after an ESP server migration?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit explains that a typical warm-up schedule might involve sending a few hundred emails on day one, increasing to a few thousand by the end of the first week, and then continuing to scale up gradually in subsequent weeks. The exact numbers will depend on the size of your list and your existing sender reputation.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that creating engaging content is crucial during IP warm-up. Content that is relevant and valuable to your subscribers encourages opens, clicks, and conversions, signaling to mailbox providers that your emails are legitimate and wanted. This can significantly improve your sender reputation and deliverability rates.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that during the IP warm-up period, it's essential to avoid hitting spam traps. This means ensuring your email list is clean and up-to-date, removing any old or inactive addresses, and using double opt-in to confirm subscriber consent. Hitting spam traps can damage your sender reputation and jeopardize your warm-up efforts.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that warming up an IP address effectively requires a phased approach. Start by sending to a small segment of highly engaged subscribers. Then, gradually increase the volume while monitoring deliverability metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints. Maintaining a positive sender reputation is crucial.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid shares that segmentation is vital during the IP warm-up process. By targeting your most engaged subscribers first, you demonstrate to mailbox providers that your emails are wanted and valuable. This helps to build a positive sender reputation and improves deliverability rates.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that a good IP warm-up strategy involves gradually increasing sending volume over several weeks. Start by sending to your most engaged subscribers, monitor your sender reputation closely, and adjust your sending schedule based on feedback from mailbox providers.
Email marketer from SendGrid shares that the best IP warm-up involves segmenting your list by engagement, starting with the most active users, and gradually increasing volume. Monitor your sender score, bounce rates, and spam complaints, and adjust your sending strategy accordingly. Consistency is key.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares considerations for prioritizing emails during IP warm-up, including prioritizing highly engaged subscribers to generate high opens and low complaints, which is critical in the early stages of IP warm-up.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that warmup is about keeping positive engagement high (opens, clicks, conversions) and negative reactions low (spam complaints, unsubscribes, bounces). They suggest starting as slowly as possible and focusing on the positively engaged.
Email marketer from GlockApps explains that continuously monitoring your sender reputation is essential during an IP warm-up. Use tools to track your IP address's reputation, bounce rates, and spam complaints. This allows you to identify and address any issues promptly, ensuring that your warm-up process is successful.
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise Laura Atkins shares that maintaining a consistent sending volume during IP warm-up is crucial for building a solid sender reputation. They advise against sending erratic volumes of email, as this can trigger spam filters and negatively impact deliverability. Gradually increasing volume while monitoring engagement metrics is key to a successful warm-up process.
Expert from SpamResource explains that a successful IP warming strategy involves starting with a low volume of emails to your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks. Monitoring your sender reputation and deliverability metrics is essential to ensure a smooth transition. They highlight the importance of segmenting your list and personalizing your messages to maximize engagement.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Google explains that for new IP addresses sending to Gmail, it's important to establish a sending history. They recommend starting with small volumes and gradually increasing them over time while monitoring delivery rates and user engagement. Adhering to their bulk sender guidelines is essential for successful delivery.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that to build a positive IP reputation, senders should start with a low volume of emails to engaged recipients and gradually increase the volume. Monitoring sender reputation and addressing any delivery issues promptly is critical for maintaining good deliverability.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that a successful IP warm-up requires a well-structured ramp-up plan. Begin by sending to your most engaged users, those who regularly open and click your emails. Gradually increase the volume over several weeks, monitoring key metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement levels. Adjust your sending schedule as needed to maintain a positive reputation.