1. IP Warming
Overview and Implementation Using Eloqua

2. Agenda Background Overview of IP Warming Methodology
Campaign Prerequisites
List Criteria
Content
Monitoring
Authentication Migration

3. Background
To keep pace with spammers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) now perform reputation filtering and focus less on content filtering
Each sender of has a reputation that is based on their historical behavior
Reputation is measured and published by ISPs in the form of a Sender Score
Analogous to credit score for financial institutions
It takes 30 days to run an effective IP warming program

4. Overview of IP Warming What is IP Warming? Why is it important?
Establishing a positive sender reputation for your new Eloqua IP address by gradually increasing the volume of that is sent from that IP
Allows Eloqua to cleanse your list from hard bounces, Spam Traps, and complaints not given to you by your last provider
Allows us to check best practices in list management, technical set-ups of your installation, etc.
More information:
Why is it important?
There is no historical activity on your Eloqua IP address so ISPs do not know if your message is legitimate, relevant and permission-based
There is a higher risk that ISPs will block your if:
A high number of hard bouncebacks or complaints are generated
A sudden, large volume of is sent from a new IP address

5. Methodology Suggested messaging / objective
Data harvest campaign with incentive (must be CAN-SPAM compliant)
Update your subscription options
Newsletter
View archived web content (white papers, demos, etc.)

6. Campaign Prerequisites
with simple design, not too image heavy
Branding & deliverability setup
Dedicated IP(s)
Bounceback, Reply-To, and branded image and tracking links
Subscription management and footer setup
Distribution list of addresses
Large lists make it easier to identify and address problems
No matter the size, it will allow us to address invalid address, complaints, and Spam Traps in list
To generate a Sender Score, sufficient volume must be sent (roughly 160,000 s over the course of the campaign)
Warming should still be performed even if the total list is not sufficient to generate a score

7. List should be clean in order to minimize hard bouncebacks
List Criteria
List should be clean in order to minimize hard bouncebacks
Previous provider (where applicable) may not have had a robust bounceback system, so it is possible that higher bounces than expected may occur
List should not contain opt outs
If possible, target recent contacts (those who have been sent in the past three months)

8. Email content should have clear, targeted messages
Avoid using time-sensitive s since the warming process requires minimum 30 day period
Use simple HTML/Template or Plain Text; avoid complex code, excessive images, or CSS
Include messaging that is what contacts expect to see
Use familiar domains/branding

9. Monitoring
Prior to sending each batch, run a General Deliverability seed test to be used as a baseline report
Check for any IP blocks and address as needed
After each batch send:
Check the Bounceback History report to look for comments like ‘SPAM’ or ‘Blocked for Abuse’ and take any required action
If bounce rate exceeds 10%, consider revising the list before proceeding with the campaign
Check the SPAM Unsubscribe report for complaints
After two weeks, run another General Deliverability test to check progress
After the one month warming process is complete, run another General Deliverability report to see the final results

10. Existing Reputation / Authentication Migration
You can leverage your existing sender reputation by adding your Eloqua assigned dedicated IP range to your existing SPF record prior to IP warming
This means you will have your existing IP(s) and new Eloqua IP(s) co-mingling in your SPF record allowing for IP reputation migration
Once the IP warming project is complete, you can remove your old IP(s) from the SPF record
If DK/DKIM is being used, your private key information can be transferred to Eloqua as long as you use the same domain configuration/structure that has an existing public key in it
Eloqua can configure its servers to send using your private key thus allowing domain reputation to migrate as well