Manual Warming: A Proven Strategy for Increasing Email Campaign Success
Manual warming of a domain and mailbox is a proven strategy for increasing email campaign success.
Email deliverability is crucial for any business and warming up your domain is essential for maximising it. Let’s dive in and learn more about this essential strategy.
What is Domain/Mailbox Warming?
Domain and mailbox warming is the process of gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new domain or email address. The purpose of this is to establish a good reputation with email providers such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft and increase the chances of emails being delivered to the inbox rather than the spam folder.
This is important because email providers use complex algorithms to determine the reputation of a sender and new domains or email addresses are often flagged as potential spam. By gradually increasing the volume of emails sent over a period of time, the email provider can monitor and track the reputation of the sender, helping to ensure that emails are delivered to the inbox. This process is also known as “warming up” your email domain and is essential for maximising email deliverability.
What are the Benefits of Domain Warming?
By warming up your email domain, you can avoid the “new sender” reputation that can cause emails to be sent to spam. Warming up your email domain allows you to monitor and track your email deliverability, making it easier to identify and resolve any issues that may arise.
#1: Maximising email deliverability:
By gradually increasing the volume of emails sent, email providers can monitor and track the reputation of the sender, helping to ensure that emails are delivered to the inbox rather than the spam folder.
#2: Avoiding the spam folder:
Warming up your domain or email address helps to establish a good reputation with email providers, reducing the chances of your emails being flagged as spam.
#3: Tailoring the warming process to your specific needs:
Each case can be different and there are factors that affect how long it takes to warm a domain. For a new or cold domain, 30 days is typically a suitable time frame.
#4: Improving open and click-through rates:
By warming up your domain, you can increase the chances of your emails being delivered to the inbox, which in turn can improve open and click-through rates.
#5: Reducing bounce rates:
Warming up your domain can also help to reduce bounce rates, as emails that are delivered to the inbox are more likely to be opened and read by the recipient.
What is Automated Warming and Why/When is Google Banning it?
Automated warming is a method of warming up a new email domain or address by using software or scripts to gradually increase the volume of emails sent over a period of time. This process is designed to establish a good reputation with email providers and increase the chances of emails being delivered to the inbox.
Automated warming software or scripts usually send emails to other mailboxes in it’s ‘warming network’ which open, reply and store each others emails, sending positive signals to ISPs. Because automated warmup does not involve sending emails to genuine prospects, it is not possible to generate genuine leads using automated warmup.
Google has banned the use of automated warming (on 31st January) as it violates their terms of service and can lead to poor email deliverability. Google has implemented stricter regulations on automated email warming due to the potential for abuse by spammers. Automated warming can be identified by Google’s machine learning algorithms which can detect patterns of automated email sending and flag it as suspicious. Google’s terms of service prohibit the use of any third-party software or scripts to automate the sending of emails.
Additionally, automated warming may also be seen as a form of spamming as it may send too many emails too quickly. This would cause recipients to mark the emails as spam, which would ultimately harm the sending domain’s reputation.
What is Manual Warming and Why Do We Adopt This Method?
Manual warming is a method of warming up a new email domain or address by gradually increasing the volume of emails sent over a period of time, with human oversight and control. This process is designed to establish a good reputation with email providers and increase the chances of emails being delivered to the inbox.
Our manual warming processes involve sending genuine emails to genuine prospects, meaning many of our customers experience genuine leads generated in their warming phase. Our Account Managers closely monitor campaign and mailbox performance and increase send rates when it is safe to do so.
Manual warming done our way is a more effective and safer method compared to automated warming. As a human is in charge of the process, they can monitor the performance, adjust the volume accordingly and take actions accordingly. It also ensures that the emails sent are relevant and not seen as spam by the recipients. By sending a small number of emails initially and gradually increasing the volume, the email provider can see that the domain is being used for legitimate email communication and not spam.
Manual warming also allows for flexibility in terms of the volume and frequency of emails sent. This is important as different domains may require different warming schedules based on factors such as the age of the domain, the quality of the email list, and the sending history of the domain.
How Long Do We Typically Allow for Manual Warming Before a Full-Cadence Pilot?
Typically, we allow for a complimentary manual warming phase of 30 days before a full-cadence pilot. This is done to ensure that the new email domain or address has a good reputation with email servers and providers, and to increase the performance of emails reaching the inbox and generating leads. During this warming phase, a small number of emails are sent initially and the volume is gradually increased over time with human oversight and control.
Once the manual warming phase is complete, the 30-day full-cadence phase begins. During this phase, emails are sent at top volume and the greatest number of leads are generated. This is the optimal time for generating leads as the domain has established a good reputation and the emails have a higher chance of reaching the inbox.
It’s worth noting that the duration of the complimentary warming phase may vary depending on the specific case and the age of the domain, the quality of the email list, and the sending history of the domain. However, 30 days is a standard timeframe for a new or cold domain.
Is it Possible for Our Customers to Generate Genuine Leads in their Warming Phase?
Yes, it is possible for customers to generate genuine leads during their warming phase, although the number of leads generated will typically be lower compared to the full-cadence phase.
During the warming phase, the focus is on building the reputation of the new email domain or address and increasing the performance of emails reaching the inbox. As a result, the volume of emails sent is initially low, and gradually increased over time. This means that the number of leads generated during this phase will be lower compared to the full-cadence phase when emails are sent at top volume.
What Should a Business Do That Wants to Discuss This or Arrange a Pilot?
If a business is interested in discussing domain/mailbox warming or arranging a pilot, they should contact our team at Proven Concept. We are a B2B email lead generation agency and have extensive experience in warming new email domains and addresses. Our team of experts can provide guidance on the best warming methods for a business’ specific needs and help them to achieve their lead generation goals.
Don’t hesitate to contact us, we are here to help you to boost your email campaigns and help you to achieve your lead generation goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, domain/mailbox warming is an essential process for businesses looking to generate leads through email campaigns. It involves gradually building the reputation of a new email domain or address, and increasing the performance of emails reaching the inbox. The process can be done through manual or automated warming methods. Manual warming is done with human oversight and control, while automated warming is done with software.
Specialising in B2B email lead generation, we assist companies, like yours, in effectively warming their domain and mailbox. We work with you to determine the optimal warming method for your business and guide you towards achieving your lead generation goals. If you’re interested in discussing this further, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
About the Author
Becy Crawford
Becy joined Proven Concept in 2021 after working with us for several months as a contractor on specific projects. She has since developed into our Account Management Director and loves all things creative (and flowers!). She has a fantastic work ethic and is a highly valued member of our team.
