In email marketing and sales outreach, your biggest enemy isn’t a low open rate — it’s the email bounce.
An email bounce happens when a message is rejected by the recipient’s server and returned to the sender. This doesn’t just mean your message wasn’t read — it also means your sender reputation is taking a hit. Accumulate too many, and inbox providers like Gmail or Outlook may start pushing your emails to spam, or worse, block them entirely.
Common Reasons for Email Bounces:
- Invalid addresses: Mistyped or fake emails often cause hard bounces.
- Server issues: A recipient’s mail server might be temporarily unavailable.
- Spammy behavior: Unverified domains or spam-like content can trigger bounces.
- List decay: Contacts change jobs or abandon old inboxes. Even the best lists decay over time.
Maintaining a bounce rate below 2% is ideal. Anything higher is a red flag.
To manage bounces effectively:
- Use email verification tools before sending.
- Automate bounce detection and removal from your CRM or ESP.
- Authenticate your email domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
- Monitor engagement metrics and prune cold contacts.
One practical, in-depth guide I found useful explains the types of bounces and how to troubleshoot them effectively. If you’re dealing with deliverability issues, this breakdown on email bounce is a great place to start.