Short answer
IP warming is the practice of gradually increasing email volume from a new dedicated sending IP address so mailbox providers learn to trust it. Sending large volumes from a cold IP straight away often leads to spam folder placement or blocks.
IP Warming explained
Mailbox providers judge senders by reputation. A new dedicated IP has none, so senders start with small volumes to their most engaged recipients and increase over several weeks while watching bounces, complaints and engagement. Platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Braze provide warming plans; many smaller senders use shared IPs instead, which need no warming.
Moving email platforms is a common time to need IP warming.
How Vantage Point helps: we plan and run IP warming during email platform migrations so deliverability is protected from the first send.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a dedicated IP?
Usually only at high volumes. Lower-volume senders often get better results on a well-managed shared IP.
How long does IP warming take?
Typically several weeks, depending on target volume and how recipients engage.