Email deliverability depends on several factors such as your sender reputation, infrastructure reputation, email content quality etc. When you are using a new email service provider for the first time, it is important to warm up your sending IP before you send emails.

What is a sending IP and why warm it up?

The sending IP is a unique server address that your email service provider (ESP) uses to send emails. As a new sending IP doesn’t have any reputation, it is considered ‘cold.’ To improve email deliverability using a cold IP with no sending reputation, you need to ‘warm’ it up. 

Warming up your domain includes sending a low number of emails initially and then gradually increasing the number of emails sent from a new domain or sending IP. This allows internet service providers (ISPs) to identify and analyze your sending patterns and see that the IP address is used responsibly. 

The goal is to increase your email numbers to your usual level so that the ISPs learn your regular sending volumes and recognize any suspicious behavior. During this warm-up period, ISPs monitor your email volumes, sending patterns, list hygiene, and relevance of your content to your audience. 

Note: Your account should be warmed up before you send full-fledged email campaigns

Warm-up: New Account

Warm up - Existing Account

Steps to warm up your account

1. Import historic email engagement data like ‘Last Clicked Date’ and ‘Last Opened’ date to help you identify engaged audience
2. Create engaged segments based on recipients who clicked on your emails during the last - 30-days, 60-days, 90 days
3. Send email (with daily max limit) only to engaged segments throughout the warm-up period
4. Enable highly engaging journeys such as sending welcome emails to new subscribers or nudge emails to reclaim cart abandonment

Warm-up Schedule- Week 1-2

For your first email, aim for open rates above 30% if possible. To achieve it, send to a segment of anyone who has clicked in the last 30 days. Follow the daily email limit.

Warm up Schedule- Week 3-4

If your open rate for weeks 1 and 2 are above 15%, move to the 60-day segment. Else stick to the 30-day segment. If the list size is large, you can send it in batches based on the daily email limit. Ensure your open rates stay above 20%. If they do not, return to your 30-day segment.

If the list size is large, send it in batches based on the daily email limit. Make sure your open rates stay above 20%. If they do not, return to your 30-day segment.

Warm up Schedule- Week 5-8

If your open rate for weeks 3 and 4 are above 15% move to the 90-day segment. Else they can remain in the 60 day segment.

Enabling customer journeys

• Enable journeys only based on the probability of engagement 

• High-engagement journeys should be enabled first. 

• Order Confirmation / Cancellation (From 1 week of warmup)

• Welcome email (After 2 weeks of warmup)

•  Abandoned Cart (After 4 weeks of warmup)

What if there’s no engagement data for warm up?

• Stick to the daily email limit

• Send high-engaging emails for the first 4 weeks

• Enable high-engaging journeys like ‘Order confirmation’ from week 1.

• Do not send marketing emails in the first 4-6 weeks.

• Build 30/60/90 day segments based on the email sent from Freshmarketer

• Start sending marketing emails only to the above segments from week 7 or later.

Daily Email Limit Guide

• The numbers given serve just as a guideline, not a definitive limit. 
• You should have a conservative approach while ramping up. Keep it gradual and consistent

Understand the next steps after warming up your domain here.