Why Warm-Up Matters
Outreach sends from your mailbox. New or inactive mailboxes have no sending reputation, so mailbox providers (Gmail, Outlook) are extra cautious. A warm-up phase builds trust so your messages land in the inbox—not spam.
What “Warm-Up” Means
Warming up means starting with very small, highly engaged sends and increasing gradually over a few weeks while you collect positive signals (opens, replies, not-spam). That steady, human-like activity teaches Gmail/Outlook that you’re a legit sender. For a brand-new account, a manual warm-up can be done in a few weeks; warming a brand-new domain typically takes longer.
Typical timelines you’ll see in industry guidance:
• Mailbox/account: a few weeks of gradual ramp.
• Domain: 4–8 weeks of gradual ramp (start with your most engaged audience, then expand).
When You Need to Warm-Up
You connected a brand-new inbox for Outreach.
You’re sending from a new domain or you recently changed providers.
Your inbox was idle for a long time and you’re resuming sends.
If GoPerfect detects this, you’ll see a banner in Outreach with a link to this guide.
Before you start: quick checklist
Authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). This is foundational for deliverability and increasingly required by major providers. See our guide: Quick Guide: Protect Your Domain and Improve Open Rates. And keep the official docs handy: Gmail sender requirements and Microsoft sender guidelines (links below).
Keep content simple at first. Plain text, minimal links, no link shorteners; avoid image-heavy emails in early days.
How Does Warm-Up Work in GoPerfect
Goal: look like a thoughtful human sender, not a sudden bulk sender.
Weeks 1–2: “Gentle start”
Send smaller email batches so Outreach to many candidates will take a bit longer.
Focus on genuine 1:1-style messages and aim for real replies.
Weeks 3–4: “Slow expand”
Gradually increase daily volume and widen the audience.
Keep messages short, relevant, and personalized; avoid multiple links.
Weeks 4–8 (new domains): “Stabilize & scale”
Continue gradual increases only if bounce/complaint rates stay healthy.
How to Know It’s Working (and when to slow down)
Track these each day you increase volume, especially if you're conducting the warm-up on your own:
Bounces: Keep them very low; if you near ~2%, stop scaling and clean your list before resuming.
Spam complaints: Keep as low as possible; complaints are a strong negative signal. If complaints appear, reduce sends and tighten targeting.
Inbox placement & throttling: Early bulking or temporary delays can be normal—don’t overreact; segment more tightly and reduce volume if it persists.
Troubleshooting Quick Fixes
High bounces? Pause scaling, validate addresses, and remove invalids before sending again.
Spam complaints? Lower daily volume, improve targeting, and ensure opt-out is prominent.
Lots landing in spam? Keep content minimal, avoid link shorteners/images, and continue warming to a smaller, engaged segment.
Official Sender Requirements
Gmail (Google Workspace): Email sender guidelines — includes authentication requirements and expectations for senders.
FAQs
Do I need to warm-up if my company domain is old?
No. Only if the mailbox is new (or idle), yes—mailbox providers treat it as unknown until it earns a reputation.
How long should I warm-up?
New mailboxes often need a few weeks; brand-new domains generally need 4–8 weeks before you’re fully scaled. Increase only when your metrics are healthy.
Can I automate warm-up?
There are many providers who offer automated warm-up; manual warm-up also works if you prioritize meaningful engagement (opens/replies).
Need more guidance? 🙋 Our LIVE support team (at the bottom right corner of your screen) replies to ANY question.