What is the best IP warmup strategy for a new domain on an existing IP?
Summary
What email marketers say16Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests reviewing how you're deciding on the first few recipients. They recommends using previous engagement data to ensure you're sending to the most recently engaged first.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests starting with your most engaged subscribers. These are people who have opened or clicked on your emails in the past. Send them targeted and relevant content to encourage interaction and improve your sender reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks says If you can limit the max per hour you send, I'd spread 1K over the day.
Email marketer from Email On Acid recommends you should be running inbox placement tests. Inbox placement tests show you where your campaigns land within various email clients. That means you can see if you’re going to spam, promotions, or the inbox at Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and more.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains the importance of warming up your IP address. They recommend starting with your most engaged recipients first and sending in small batches. Gradually increase the volume over time, while actively monitoring your sender reputation and keeping tabs on your hard and soft bounce rates.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that it's important to monitor your sender reputation throughout the IP warming process. Track metrics such as bounce rates, spam complaints, and blocklist status. If you see any issues, take steps to address them immediately.
Email marketer from GMass shares that the process of IP warming is an important step because email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo use your sending history to determine if you are a legitimate sender or a spammer. Warming your IP address proves to email providers that you are a legitimate sender, and it can help you avoid the spam folder.
Email marketer from SendGrid shares that a typical IP warming schedule starts with sending a small volume of emails (e.g., a few hundred) to your most engaged subscribers. Increase the volume by 25-50% each day or every other day, depending on your subscribers engagement and overall reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks says that they typically keep moving forward by increasing the volume each day (e.g., 100 the next day, 200 the following) to see if things smooth out once some positive engagement is registered.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests increasing to 1K recipients given a new domain on an existing IP with 160K total, while ensuring the suppression list is loaded and focusing on the most active recipients.
Marketer from Email Geeks believes increasing up to 500 or 1000 recipients per day to monitor stats (and SMTP replies) is suitable. Makes the disclaimer it depends on the database size
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the initial volume depends on the starting point (new IPs, new domain) and the desired destination (millions). Also, they note that stats may not be relevant with too few recipients.
Email marketer from GlockApps recommends utilizing their tool for monitoring the IP warming process. They explain that they help identify any deliverability issues and providing insights into inbox placement across different ISPs.
Email marketer from Mailgun shares that sending too much email too soon can negatively affect your sending reputation, so the key is to take it slow. Warm-up is a gradual process, so you don’t want to start with high volumes right away. Instead, start with a low volume and gradually increase it over a few weeks.
Email marketer from ZeroBounce shares that once you've established a good sending reputation, maintain a consistent sending schedule. This helps ISPs recognize you as a trustworthy sender. Avoid large fluctuations in your sending volume.
Email marketer from Reddit User explains that it's important to focus on sending high-quality content to engaged users during IP warming. This helps build a positive sender reputation. Segment your list and prioritize sending to users who have recently opened or clicked on your emails.
What the experts say7Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks recommends to keep moving forward, and if you see a lot of problems, hold for a couple days. States that the volume is too low to make any useful response at this point.
Expert from Email Geeks says the first 30 days have always been a bit of a shakedown cruise and if you're sending wanted mail, my expectation is that it will work itself out (i.e. eventually stop going to the spam folder).
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that it is important to start small with highly engaged users. Ensuring that initial emails are wanted and engaged with is critical to building a good reputation. Focus on quality over quantity during the initial phases.
Expert from Email Geeks explains it's normal for mail to go to the spam folder at the start of warmup. Suggests growing about 30% a day, and if issues arise, not to add more volume the next day.
Expert from Word to the Wise indicates that increasing volume should be done gradually. Monitor your metrics closely, and reduce volume if you see signs of trouble. Volume increases should be proportional to the size of your list and the engagement of your subscribers.
Expert from Email Geeks usually starts around 100 on day 1 and grows from there, while acknowledging that others start at 1000.
Expert from Email Geeks says the whole point of sending to your most engaged folks is they’re the ones who will miss your mail and go looking for it. Keep going. :)
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from AWS explains that while warming up your IPs, keep the content that you send consistent. Sending widely different types of content can affect your reputation negatively. Slowly ramp up your sending volume, and establish a good sending cadence. Start small, and slowly increase the amount you send, day by day.
Documentation from Google explains that when setting up a new domain, closely monitor your spam rate in Postmaster Tools. Gradually increase sending volume as long as the spam rate remains low. Sending too much email too quickly can negatively impact your domain's reputation and deliverability.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that IP warming is a gradual process of increasing email volume to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. For a new domain on an existing IP, starting with a smaller volume of emails and gradually increasing it over several weeks is recommended. Monitor deliverability metrics closely and adjust the sending schedule as needed.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that it's best to ramp up volume slowly, sending email only to recipients with good reputations. Avoid sending bulk email until you establish a good reputation. They also share to closely watch the feedback you receive from their SNDS program.