Launched a new domain or IP and blasting thousands of emails? Stop immediately. You need to warm up your email infrastructure first. Here is your complete guide to doing it right.
What is Email Warm-Up?
Email warm-up is the gradual process of increasing your email sending volume over time to build a positive sender reputation with Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Why New Domains/IPs are "Cold"
To an ISP like Gmail or Outlook, a new IP address or domain is an unknown entity. Spammers frequently spin up new domains to blast spam. If you start sending heavily from day one, you look like a spammer, and you will be blocked.
The Warm-Up Schedule
A typical warm-up schedule lasts 2-4 weeks:
- Week 1: Start small. 50-100 emails/day. Focus on your most engaged users.
- Week 2: Double the volume every few days if metrics look good.
- Week 3: Continue ramping up to 1,000+ emails/day.
- Week 4: Reach full volume.
Key Success Factors
1. Engagement is King
During warm-up, you need high open and reply rates. Ask friends or colleagues to open your emails, move them to the Primary tab, and reply.
2. Auth is Mandatory
Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly set up before sending a single email. Without them, warm-up is futile.
3. Monitor Feedback
Watch Google Postmaster Tools and other feedback loops. If you see reputation drops, pause the ramp-up and reduce volume.
Automated Warm-Up Tools
Manual warm-up is tedious. Automated tools can send emails between a network of inboxes, automatically opening and replying to build reputation. This can speed up the process significantly.
Conclusion
Patience is key. Rushing the warm-up process is the fastest way to burn a domain. Take it slow, focus on quality, and build a reputation that lasts.