As the effect of recent (Feb, 2024) anti-spam measures by most public ESP’s can be easily observed, it seems that only small amount of people really understand what has happened and how to overcome the obstacles. Most of the email marketers observing a massive drop in visitors from email blasts, seeing little drop in opens / clicks. Let’s try to explain what happened.

What ESP’s want

• Mandatory DMARC=reject DNS record to make spoofing impossible;
• x-unsubscribe header for bulk mailings;
• Unsubscribe link in message body;
• No more than 5000 emails from a single sender to a single ESP per day;
• Massive IP subnet bans, including almost all public services (mailchimp, sendgrid, constantcontact and other monkey mailers) – means you CANNOT send anything with guarantee using any of these services.

Quick solutions

• FIRST of all – stop using any public sending services (mailchimp, sendgrid, getresponse, constantcontact, whatever) => they are all considered as spam sources (their subnets, ip’s, headers, everything). Also, never use any open/click metrics from these providers. If you are forced to use these services, disable all stats – it will only distract you with fake info (opens/clicks mostly generated by ESP/spam filters) – measure effect on website with analytics ONLY or phone calls, contacts etc;
• Do not send more than 2000 emails per day to a single public ESP;
• Set up and use only your own sending system/servers with multiple IP’s in different locations, with multiple trusted domains (just get these through expireddomains.net), but have to work with it, understand domain authority, it requires experience and filtering;
• Never add unsubscribe link and x-unsubscribe header, hide anything related to bulk mailing. These are used to detect and filter your mails, forget “ethical” ways and google TOS, it’s all lies and propaganda;
• Create a variable message – it should be sent with a variable content EVERY email (there is software for this);
• DMARC and SPF DKIM not a factor #1, however keep SPF correct and DMARC p=reject all the time, DKIM signature must be correct;
• THE MOST IMPORTANT – send from multiple domains / ip’s in rotation. You can only do this with your own email system.

Some other key points and explanations for improving deliverability with multiple IP’s and domain names in rotation.

Improving bulk email deliverability with multiple IPs and domains in rotation is a sophisticated strategy that can significantly improve your email marketing efforts. First, it’s important to understand that using multiple IPs and domains in rotation can help spread your send load, reduce the risk of IP blacklisting, and improve overall deliverability rates. This strategy involves cycling through different IP addresses and domains for your email campaigns, which can help maintain a positive sender reputation and avoid triggering spam filters.

When implementing this approach, start by purchasing a pool of dedicated IP addresses. The number of IPs you need will depend on the volume and frequency of your sends. As a general rule, you should aim for one IP address for every 5,000 to 10,000 emails sent per day. This ensures that each IP maintains a consistent send volume, which is critical to building and maintaining a good reputation.

Next, set up multiple sending domains. These cannot be subdomains of your primary domain (e.g. email1.yourdomain.com, email2.yourdomain.com), but must be completely separate domain names. Each domain should be properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. This authentication is critical for establishing trust with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and improving deliverability.

Implement a robust IP and domain warm-up process. This involves gradually increasing the volume of email sent from each new IP and domain over several weeks. Start with small volumes and slowly ramp up, closely monitoring engagement metrics. This process will help establish a positive sending history and reputation with ISPs.

Develop a rotation strategy for your IPs and domains. This could include using different IPs and domains for different types of campaigns, segmenting your list and assigning specific IPs/domains to each segment, or implementing a round-robin approach where you rotate your IPs and domains for each send.

Implement a sophisticated email infrastructure that can handle the complexities of IP and domain rotation. This may involve using advanced email service providers or building custom solutions that can manage the rotation and track performance across multiple IPs and domains.

Carefully monitor the reputation and performance of each IP and domain. Use tools such as Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft SNDS, and third-party reputation monitoring services to track your sender reputation, spam complaints, and other key metrics for each IP and domain.

Implement a system to quickly identify and isolate problematic IPs or domains. If an IP or domain starts experiencing deliverability issues, you should be able to quickly remove it from the rotation and investigate the cause without impacting your overall sending capabilities.

Regularly analyze your email performance data across all IPs and domains. Look for patterns in open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints. Use this data to refine your rotation strategy and identify IPs or domains that may need additional warm-up or retirement.

Consider implementing IP and domain segmentation based on email type or recipient engagement level. For example, use your best performing IPs and domains for your most engaged subscribers or for transactional emails that require high deliverability.

Implement a robust feedback loop system that can aggregate data from multiple IPs and domains. This will help you quickly identify and address deliverability issues across your entire sending infrastructure.

Finally, remember that while IP and domain rotation can significantly improve deliverability, it’s not a silver bullet. It should be part of a comprehensive email marketing strategy that includes quality content and proper list management. By combining these elements with a well-implemented IP and domain rotation strategy, you can maximize your email deliverability and get better results from your email marketing campaigns.