New Customer SES, With Dedicated IP

Migrating your client to Amazon SES with a dedicated IP address requires careful planning, especially when it comes to warming up the IP address. Here's some advice on how to approach this transition:

1. Start with a gradual warm-up process: Instead of immediately sending 150k emails per week, begin with a much smaller volume and gradually increase it over time. This process typically takes about 4-6 weeks.

2. Segment your list: Divide your 150k subscribers into smaller groups. Start by sending to your most engaged subscribers first, as they are more likely to interact positively with your emails, which helps build a good reputation for your new IP.

3. Increase volume slowly: Begin with sending a few thousand emails per day, then gradually increase this number over the course of several weeks. Amazon SES automatically warms up dedicated IP addresses over a 45-day period, gradually increasing the number of emails sent from the new IP.

4. Maintain consistent sending: After the warm-up period, aim to send around 1,000 emails every day to each major email provider to maintain a positive reputation.

5. Consider multiple IP addresses: For your weekly bulk send of 150k emails, a single IP address may not be sufficient. It's recommended to use multiple dedicated IP addresses, especially when sending large volumes of email. This helps distribute the load and reduces the risk of being flagged as a spammer.

6. Transition timeline:

   • Weeks 1-2: Start with sending to a small subset (e.g., 5-10% of your list) of your most engaged subscribers.
   • Weeks 3-4: Gradually increase to 25-50% of your list.
   • Weeks 5-6: Ramp up to 75-100% of your list.

7. Monitor performance: Keep a close eye on your delivery rates, bounce rates, and engagement metrics during this transition period. Adjust your sending volume if you notice any issues.

8. Avoid sudden spikes: Even after the warm-up period, avoid sending large volumes of email immediately. Instead, spread out your 150k weekly send over multiple days if possible.

Remember, it's crucial to maintain a consistent sending pattern and gradually increase your volume to establish a good reputation for your dedicated IP address. This approach, while more time-consuming, will help ensure better deliverability in the long run.

Regarding your question about using a single IP address for the 150k bulk send, it's generally recommended to use multiple dedicated IP addresses for such large volumes. This helps distribute the load and reduces the risk of deliverability issues. Consider requesting multiple dedicated IP addresses from Amazon SES to handle your sending volume more effectively.

Sources
Using dedicated IP addresses with Amazon SES - Amazon Simple Email Service
Warming up dedicated IP addresses (standard) - Amazon Simple Email Service
Dedicated IP addresses for Amazon SES - Amazon Simple Email Service
Warming up Dedicated IP Addresses - Amazon Simple Email Service
Requesting and Relinquishing Dedicated IP Addresses - Amazon Simple Email Service