Sending with a shared IP

Article author
Kelly Sutter

A shared IP means your emails are sending from the same IP address with several other organizations. When you're not sending on a dedicated IP you’ll be sending from a shared IP. Shared IPs offer benefits to certain types of senders.

 

Shared IP considerations

 

Shared IPs are great for seasonal and low-volume senders.
ISPs actually have minimum thresholds to meet to determine sender reputation. In many cases that minimum threshold is at least a 1-5k emails per day. Many senders don’t have subscriber lists this size or don’t send daily to meet this threshold. There is strength in numbers. The higher your email volume, the easier it is for ISPs to get to know you and determine your inbox placement.

 

Shared IPs have the advantage of drawing on the sending of others on the same IP who are sending with you.
Your ISP sender reputation is a collective effort.

 

Shared IPs are often free or at least an inexpensive option.
Most ESPs do not charge service fees for sending on a shared IP. This is a huge advantage for small companies with low-volume lists or perhaps non-profits where additional email marketing costs may not be possible yet.

 

Ultimately on a shared IP you are sharing your sender reputation with everyone else you are sending with which could interfere with inbox delivery. But for the right type of sender and a thoughtful ESP (such as WordFly), it is mostly an advantage.

 

 

FAQ

 

Can I have a unique sender reputation using a shared IP?

Yes. ISP filters have started reviewing several other factors around sender reputation; for example, many ISPs now measure domain reputation, URL reputation, and sender authentication through DKIM and SPF records. Our article about staying out of the spam folder is an excellent resource about how to get your emails to the inbox. Learn more

 

How many senders are on shared IPs?

WordFly shared IPs are shared with at least 10 senders.

 

Can you share who is sending on a shared IP?

No. We aren’t allowed to share who is sending on shared IPs.

 

What is one of the most important aspects as a sender on a shared IP?

List hygiene is extremely important on a shared IP. Every subscriber must have provided opt-in consent (double opt-in is best), unsubscribes/abuse complaints and hard bounces should be suppressed immediately, and absolutely no purchased, rented or borrowed lists.

 

As an ESP, how does WordFly monitor shared IPs?

All WordFly IPs are monitored by our deliverability team. We are the first to be alerted if there are any deliverability issues, such as a block on the IP address or ISP rejection. Our team investigates all issues immediately and follows up with the sender to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

 

Should we consider using a dedicated IP?

It’s an investment worth considering for some senders. Learn more