IP Warming

In this topic, you'll learn about:

Sending Reputation

  • Each client/IP receives its own reputation at each ISP
  • ISPs can react quickly to perceived spam patterns. Sometimes blocking senders within hours of a campaign launch.
  • Reputation over the last 30 days matters too, which is why correcting your deliverability takes days or weeks.
  • New IPs are treated with scrutiny due to lack of reputation data
  • Deliverability on-boarding and IP warm up are critical for establishing a great reputation.

Key Influencers

  • Bounces
  • Complaints
  • Volume & Consistency
  • Spam Traps
  • Engagement

Spikes in hard bounces or complaint rates signal deliverability problems:

  • Hard bounces are a predictor of spam trap hits; this means distribution contains many old addresses
  • Abnormal soft bounce rate spikes (over typical averages) may indicate reputation-related bulking or blocking
  • Indicate end users are not expecting to receive your messages, are fatigued, or were not properly opted in

    Note: Complaints are based on abuse reports received from the ISPs currently offering feedback loops.

Volume & Consistency:

  • ISP filters are configured to automatically monitor for any unusual activity to protect their users from spam

  • Sending inconsistent volumes and/or irregular volume patterns over time can trigger spam filters and damage overall deliverability

Spam Traps:

  • Spam trap hits can be one of the most damaging issues for email deliverability and maintaining proper list hygiene is very important to avoiding spam traps.

  • This requires monitoring engagement levels and removing inactive subscribers. At the very least remove all subscribers who have not opened or clicked within the past 12 months.

  • Beyond 12 months, many ISPs will invalidate inactive addresses, or convert them to spam traps directly. Some ISPs will convert inactive addresses to spam traps after as little as 6-9 months of inactivity.

Recipient actions that contribute to the positive engagement quotient are:

  • Clicking through links

  • Adding an address to their contacts or address book

  • Enabling images

  • Opening and/or scrolling through the message

Recipient actions that contribute to the negative engagement quotient are:

  • Reporting as spam

  • Deleting the message

  • Moving the message to trash

  • Marking messages as read

  • Ignoring messages

IP and Domain Warming

A new IP address is like applying for a credit card for the first time – no history, and unknown risk

Once the email configuration is completed, it is essential that you slowly 'warm' your dedicated IPs in order to create successful email deliverability and to avoid being blocked by ISPs.

Whenever an ISP sees email traffic enter their network via an IP they have never seen before, traffic from that IP is heavily scrutinized in order to determine if emails sent from that IP is legitimate or SPAM. As a result, sending large volumes of email immediately via a new IP can result in it being blocked. Other factors to consider are the number of complaints, hard bouncebacks, and SPAM trap hits that result from these sends.

It takes approximately four to six weeks to sufficiently warm new IP addresses. During this time, outbound emails from your IPs should gradually increase and batches closely monitored for irregularities. Eloqua can help with the warming process on request.

  • A good domain warm up should span at least 7 to 10 business days for each phase of IP warming.

  • Senders should start with their best, most engaged audience for their first sends.

  • Deliverability metrics should be monitored closely throughout this process, identifying and acting on any issues quickly.

  • Warming allows for slow volume increase, as well as clearing out list issues

  • Low initial volume helps avoid volume blocks

  • Limits complaint likelihood (best contacts, targeted campaign)

  • Bouncebacks on low volumes get less notice

  • Active contact requirement eliminates SPAM traps

Note: Oracle provides consulting engagements for warm-up and ramp-up services. Oracle University offers a free course for IP Warming Basics https://learn.oracle.com/ols/course/ip-warming-basics/37002/40400/83372#

Learn more

Email Authentication

Email Authentication Setup