Why is Gmail rate limiting my marketing and transactional emails after a period of low sending volume?

Email marketer from MailerLite responds that targeting engaged subscribers during the initial sends after a period of inactivity helps signal to Gmail that your emails are wanted. Focus on subscribers who have opened or clicked on your emails in the past few months. Segment your lists based on engagement levels and prioritize those segments with higher engagement rates to start.

Email marketer from Litmus shares that having an up-to-date and engaged list is essential to email sending success. Periods of low engagement often indicate stale lists. They recommend cleaning and segmenting lists before sending bulk messages.

Email marketer from Reddit responds that rate limiting after a pause in sending is common, especially with Gmail. They recommends following a strict IP warming schedule, starting with a small batch of your most engaged users and increasing volume gradually over several days or weeks. Also recommends monitoring bounce rates and engagement metrics closely during the warm-up process.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that sudden changes in sending frequency can trigger spam filters and rate limiting. They advise maintaining a consistent sending schedule, even if it means sending smaller batches more frequently, to avoid alarming Gmail's spam detection algorithms. This consistency helps establish a predictable sending pattern and builds trust with Gmail.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that a period of low sending volume can negatively impact your sender reputation. Upon resuming sending, Gmail may view the sudden influx of emails as spam. Mailjet recommends implementing an IP warming strategy, gradually increasing sending volume over time to rebuild trust with Gmail. Start with smaller segments of engaged users and slowly expand your reach.

Email marketer from HubSpot responds that sudden increases in email volume can sometimes be interpreted as non-compliance with email sending regulations, leading Gmail to rate limit your emails. Staying compliant helps maintain your sender reputation.

Email marketer from GlockApps shares that low engagement from recipients, combined with a sudden increase in volume can trigger rate limiting. Engagement rates, especially with spam filters, are critical. You should use email list cleaning and segmenting to boost sender reputation.

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that based on the screenshot provided, letting the IP cool down too much between December 9th and January 27th could be a factor. The period seems to lack intermittent sends, unlike the rest of the graph.

Email marketer from SendGrid shares the best method to resume email sending is to implement a gradual IP warm-up. By initially sending lower volumes to your most engaged users, you're more likely to see fewer bounces and spam complaints, both of which are key to establishing your sender reputation.

Email marketer from Sender shares that low engagement rates (opens, clicks) combined with a sudden increase in sending volume after inactivity can trigger rate limiting. Gmail may perceive the emails as unwanted if few recipients are engaging with them. Sender recommends cleaning your email list to remove unengaged subscribers and focusing on sending to active users who are more likely to interact with your emails.

Expert from SpamResource explains that consistency in sending volume is critical for maintaining a good sender reputation. A period of low or no sending volume followed by a sudden surge can trigger filters at Gmail. SpamResource recommends gradually increasing volume to avoid being flagged as potentially malicious.

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that one key to successful email delivery is warming your IPs. Warming IPs can ensure a solid foundation for email delivery success and reduce the risk of deliverability issues like rate limiting.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Google's message about an unusual rate of mail indicates the sender sent more volume than expected, leading to rate limiting.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the rate limiting by Google appears to be keyed on the return path and suggests looking at where the return path is being used. Mentions it is hard to speculate further without rejection messages and domains.

Expert from Email Geeks advises that the first fix should be to rewarm the IP due to a 6 week period of very low sends after Dec 16th.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests the issue could be a rapid increase in mail volume for the domain. States that without the Sendgrid bounces it can't be determined if there is some similarity or the domain reputation is bad enough.

Documentation from Microsoft shares similar sentiments, as sudden spikes in email volume, particularly after a period of dormancy, can negatively affect your sender reputation and lead to throttling. It is critical to gradually ramp up your sending volume and monitor deliverability metrics to ensure your emails reach the inbox.

Documentation from Google Support explains that Gmail has specific guidelines for bulk email senders to prevent spam and abuse. Sending a high volume of emails after a period of inactivity can trigger rate limiting as Gmail may perceive the sudden increase as suspicious activity. It is recommended to gradually increase sending volume to re-establish a consistent sending reputation.

Documentation from RFC explains SMTP error codes. A rate limit typically shows as a temporary failure. RFC explains that rate limiting helps protect users from spam and excessive mail flow by restricting how many connections can be made.

Documentation from SparkPost explains that maintaining a consistent sending volume is crucial for sender reputation. Inconsistent sending patterns, such as long periods of inactivity followed by high-volume sends, can harm your reputation and lead to rate limiting. SparkPost recommends regularly sending emails, even if it's a smaller volume, to keep your sender reputation healthy and avoid triggering spam filters.