The Tech Counter

If you work with email marketing servers, you no doubt overheard about dedicated server IP addresses. Yet, maybe you have doubted who uses them. Either it would help if you considered using a dedicated server for email marketing for yourself. In this reading, we clarify what they are for and when it makes sense to practice them.

Internet Protocol: IP address is an exclusive address that recognizes a computer or server on the internet. When you start using a server, by default, your emails are sending from a group of servers with different IP addresses. The numerous senders like you share that group of servers. As your emails send from a “shared IP pool.” The character of those shared IP addresses is also collective. Thus, the IP reputation is one of the influences that affect email deliverability and inbox placement.

Let us clarify – deliverability is not the same thing as inbox placement – an email in the spam folder is considering to be delivered. Nevertheless, many email service providers claim to have high deliverability. 

They have large server pools to send a high volume of emails and avoid delivery blocking by ISPs based on the volume of emails sent from a single server. A high delivery rate is nice, but you still need to place it into the subscriber’s inbox, which is harder than getting your email delivered.

What are Shared IP Pools?

Most ESPs are responsible for handling and defending the reputation of the IP addresses used by their platform. For that purpose, many ESPs turn away customers. Suppose they discover that their use of the platform may negatively influence other customers. Some platforms scan the email lists clients upload to define their quality automatically. They suspend their accounts or campaigns based on that data. In addition, many providers have a manual campaign review step for all new customers. Therefore, sending a bulk campaign as soon as you sign up is not even possible. This kind of customer filtering and network protection by market leaders results in two things:

Wanted customer pool with high-quality email sending methods

Higher prices for the best email marketing service, in return for better IP reputation

So, when you practice a dedicated server for email marketing, which costs up to x10 more than some of the lower-cost providers, you pay for “good company” in addition to extra features. However, the biggest feature in IP reputation is whether it is blocked, which occurs when emails sent from a given IP get signaled as “Spam” by the recipients. If the percentage of accusations is high enough, the IP gets blocked and may get blocked by ISPs. On the other hand, if the shared IP address is not blocked, the quality of senders you share it with does not make as big a difference.

Does it mean that low-cost email providers have lower quality IP pools? Yes, it does.

Will all your emails go to the spam folder? No. Not if all other email deliverability features signal quality.

IP Reliability as an Email Deliverability Feature

Let’s evaluate the features that affect deliverability. They are:

• IP reliability

Sender reliability (e.g., the sender is your domain or exact email address)

Server and domain configuration (SPF, DKIM, tracking links, etc.)

• Global Engagement

The email’s content and composition (spam words in the subject or message body, format – use of images, etc.)

Relative engagement for you (sender) vs. other senders in the recipient’s inbox

The content and subscriber engagement represent factors that vary and change with each campaign in the description above. Furthermore, the other four factors are not subject to changes on a per campaign basis. So, with IP address reputation being only one of several factors, it can decide in inbox placement. Still, it depends on the quality score of the other factors.

Who Benefits from a Dedicated Server IP?

A company with a good reputation and high engagement history can benefit from it.

If you are sending low-value emails, less than 5,000 per day.

You have a low risk by switching of dedicated server from a market leader to a lower-cost provider. 

Or, if you are a high-volume sender, send more than 10,000 emails per day.

Maybe you have been experiencing deliverability issues with your current provider.

However, getting a dedicated server for email marketing can help ensure your ongoing high deliverability in the future. Such as your list grows, and mailbox providers regulate their inbox placement algorithms. It might not give you an instant improvement unless you change some of the factors as well. Get a dedicated server for email marketing, improve list quality by removing invalid addresses. It also properly configures your domain for sending emails, invest in testing your email templates.

You can benefit from a dedicated server, if:

Looking to invest in creating strong email marketing servers.

• You have an insignificant list now but a plot to grow it fast and monetize while monitoring cost and ROI using a low-cost provider.
• You have made up a great list of over 10,000 subscribers and prepared to engage it with high-quality content.

A company is offering email marketing servers to your clients.

Unfortunately, low-volume senders are restricted in their options because most ESPs do not offer an option to get dedicated servers on lower pricing. For example, if you use an ESP that runs on business SES, you can request a dedicated IP(s) from the business anytime, for $120.96/mo. 

Check out the comparison of email marketing servers to see how different servers accommodate the use of dedicated IP addresses.

How Many Dedicated Server IP Do You Need?

The need for IPs is resolute by your list size and your use. Most providers recommend one dedicated server IP for every 25,000 to 100,000 emails you plan to send simultaneously.

Examples:

You have to send newsletters to 50,000 email addresses. So, you need one-two IP addresses.

But, if your list size is 1,000,000, but you typically send to a segment of about 200,000, you need two or four IPs

If you are a company with clients sending at various times, your IP needs to cover the largest campaign you send. So, you may have a dozen subscribers in total but only need 2-3 IPs for all your customers.

Final Thoughts

Use a dedicated server’s IP for email marketing with the best EPS. More importantly, see their open rates for Gmail as high as 80%.

Have you recently shifted ESP and experienced a big change in inbox placement? Share your practice in the comments or via live chat.