Warmup checklist before your first high-volume send

Starting cold with a brand-new IP or domain is one of the fastest ways to trigger throttling or bulk-folder placement. A disciplined warmup gives mailbox providers time to learn that your traffic is consistent, expected, and engaged.

Begin with authenticated mail only: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC aligned on your sending domain. Send to your most engaged recipients first—people who have opened or clicked recently—so early signals are positive.

Ramp daily volume gradually. There is no universal curve; factors include list size, vertical, and whether you are warming a dedicated IP or a shared pool. Track deferrals, bounces, and spam complaints daily and pause ramps when metrics spike.

Pair volume ramps with content variety and steady cadence. Sudden template changes or huge HTML payloads can correlate with filtering changes even when authentication is correct.

D.E.M.S can design a warmup and reporting plan around your infrastructure, regions, and goals—contact us when you are ready to map volume to calendar dates.