Throttling

Throttling describes the process of regulating email send rates.  Throttle limits the number of email messages that a broadcaster can send to a single ISP or mail server at one time. In fact, some ISPs will bounce emails if they receive too many messages from one sending address at once. While this can be frustrating for email marketers, throttling is in place to protect against spammers. Though possibly restrictive, this practice offers senders unique opportunities to maximize the impact of their messages.

Throttling essentially forces email marketers to spread out their email message deliveries. This practice can have large benefits for marketers. They are able to regulate how many messages they send out during high-traffic periods, which can maximize the response to email campaigns and also act as a test for future sends. Because of staggered deliveries, marketers can also manage their responses. This is especially helpful when email messages might prompt recipients to call their phone, though staggered responses can also help marketers manage their website’s server bandwidth during far-reaching promotions. However, throttling may be harmful to other email marketing tactics. Emails for daily deals can easily be hindered by throttling because their recipients are issued only a limited time to act on offers.