3:24 pm admin

Can't I just change my IP address if there's a problem with my email marketing program? That's one question we often get that relates to "IP addresses" if there are issues with delivery or inbox placement.

The solution here is not quite so simple.

While this may have been a viable option a decade ago, or even 5-6 years ago, the ISPs are MUCH MORE sophisticated. They are looking at all of the elements of your email messages, including sending domain and from domain.

NOTE: when you start over with a new IP (which clients may need to do from time to time due to changing web hosts and such), it can take some time to re-establish even a GOOD reputation.

If you scroll through your Gmail junk folder, you'll see all kinds of messages, one of which is "We've found that lots of messages from XYZ.com are spam." This means that the domain has also been seen as a source of spam, so it's not just the IP.

So, in a case like that, you would require a brand new set up from start to finish. Your software needs to be moved. Your feedback loops set up again, etc. Not only is this costly, but it also starts the "warm up clock" over again from scratch.

In the event that it becomes necessary to do a completely new setup, it's important to really understand what the underlying problems are that cause the issue(s) in the first place and work back from there. More often than not, it's related to list quality. In other words, you may have high complaints, spam traps, bad addresses, etc.

You may also have a problem with your content, HTML, or URLs, for instance.

All of these items should be corrected and addressed BEFORE making a big migration. Otherwise, the problem will simply repeat itself again, and quickly. The ISPs are smarter than ever and you can't "trick" them into accepting your mail and placing it in the inbox.

The big takeaway here is that changing IP addresses is not a quick fix to a bigger problem AND it could also cause issues by setting your reputation back at zero.

 

For over a decade Heather Seitz used email marketing to build successful companies and had to solve the biggest barrier to consistent profitability: deliverability.  Today she is the Co-Founder and CEO of Email Delivered.

If you want to know if you can just change IP address if there's a problem, visit http://www.emaildelivered.com/change-my-ip-address/. Remember to sign up for the FREE Email Delivered Pulse newsletter for articles, tips, and recommended resources for email marketers.

June 29, 2015