The Key to Stopping Email Bounces

Kristen Wyatt on March 21, 2025

It’s no secret that email marketing is one of the most powerful tools to connect with your audience, build brand loyalty, and drive sales. But let’s be honest – nothing stings more than spending hours crafting the perfect email, hitting “send,” and later discovering it never reached your subscriber. This is where email bounces come into the picture. Bounces are a major factor in email deliverability. Understanding them can mean the difference between a successful campaign and one that falls flat. In this blog, we’ll explore what email bounces are, why they happen, and how you can effectively manage them to maintain a healthy sending list and improve your deliverability rates.

So – Why do bounces occur? An email bounce (or “bounce”) takes place when your email fails to reach the intended recipient’s inbox. Instead of landing in the inbox, it “bounces” back to you. Think of it as the digital version of a “return to sender” notice on a physical letter. Understanding where bounces come from is key to diagnosing and fixing deliverability issues. Bounces can stem from a variety of sources, ranging from technical problems to user behavior.

Let’s break them down into more detail:

1. Invalid or Nonexistent Email Addresses

One of the most common sources of hard bounces is sending email to addresses that don’t exist. This can happen for several reasons:

  • Typos during sign-up: A subscriber might accidentally type something like “gmaul.com” instead of “gmail.com.”
  • Deactivated accounts: The recipient might have deleted or abandoned their email account.
  • Disposable email addresses: Some users sign up with temporary addresses to access gated content, but these often expire quickly.

Consider using a double opt-in process during sign-up to tackle invalid or mistyped email addresses. This requires users to confirm their email by clicking a verification link. You can also use an email verification tool to catch typos or invalid formats before they’re added to your list. These steps will help keep your list clean and improve deliverability.

2. Domain-Related Issues

The domain (the part of the email address after the “@” symbol) can also cause bounces. Common domain-related problems include:

  • Nonexistent domains: The domain might not exist (example: user@nonexistentdomain.com).
  • Misconfigured DNS settings: The domain’s DNS records might not be set up correctly to receive email.
  • Expired domains: The domain may have expired or been deactivated.

Start by verifying domains during sign-up using an email validation tool. This ensures only legitimate, active domains make it onto your list. Regularly audit your list to remove domains that no longer exist. These steps will help keep your list healthy and reduce bounce rates.

3. Full Mailboxes

A soft bounce often happens when the recipient’s mailbox is full and can’t accept new mail. This is common with free email services like Yahoo or AOL which have storage limits.

In cases where an email cannot be delivered due to a recipient’s inbox being full, there’s little you can do immediately except wait and attempt to resend the email at a later time. If the issue persists, it’s best to remove the address from your list to keep it clean and avoid wasting resources. This approach helps to make sure your email list remains focused on active and reachable recipients.

4. Server Issues

Technical problems on the recipient’s side can also cause bounces. These include:

  • Server downtime: The recipient’s email server might be temporarily offline or undergoing maintenance.
  • Overloaded servers: High traffic or resource limitations can prevent the server from accepting new email.
  • Greylisting: Some servers temporarily reject mail from unknown senders as a spam prevention measure, but they usually accept the email on a later attempt.

For temporary issues, try resending the email after a few hours or days. Most email platforms automatically retry delivery over a set period. If the problem continues, remove the address from your list to maintain list hygiene.

5. Email Size and Content Issues

The size and content of your email can also trigger bounces. Some of the most common reasons include:

  • Large attachments: Campaigns with large attachments (over 10MB) may exceed the recipient’s server limits.
  • Spammy content: Certain keywords, excessive use of images, or poorly formatted HTML can trigger spam filters, causing the email to bounce.
  • Authentication failures: If your email lacks proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), it may be rejected by the recipient’s server.

Start by compressing large attachments or replacing them with cloud storage links to reduce the likelihood of your email being flagged or blocked. Steer clear of spam-triggering words and phrases like “free,” “act now,” or “limited time offer,” as these can increase the chances of your content being marked as spam. Finally, confirm that your mail is properly authenticated (using protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) to verify your domain and enhance trust with email providers. These steps will help your email reach recipients’ inboxes more effectively.

6. Blocked Email

Sometimes, your mail is blocked by the recipient’s server or email provider. This can happen for several reasons:

  • IP/Domain blacklisting: If your sending IP address or domain is on a blacklist, your mail may be blocked.
  • Strict spam filters: Some organizations or email providers have aggressive spam filters that block email from unknown senders.
  • Recipient settings: The recipient may have manually blocked your email address or domain.

To resolve these issues, begin by checking if your IP or domain is listed on a blacklist using tools like MX Toolbox. If you are listed, follow the necessary delisting steps to request more information and address the underlying cause. If you’re sending email from a new domain or server, make sure to warm up your IP address gradually by increasing email volume over time to build a positive sender reputation. And encourage your subscribers to add your address to their contacts or whitelist. This can help confirm your mail consistently lands in their inboxes rather than spam folders. These proactive measures will improve your email deliverability and sender credibility.

7. Inactive or Abandoned Accounts

Over time, people stop using certain email accounts. But they may remain on your list. These accounts can lead to bounces if the provider deactivates them.

It’s important to regularly clean your lists by removing inactive subscribers who no longer engage with your email. Before taking this step, consider sending re-engagement campaigns to inactive users to give them an opportunity to reconnect with your content. If they still don’t respond, it’s best to remove them from your list. This practice improves your email engagement rates and helps to make sure your list remains focused on active and interested recipients that can positively impact your sender reputation and deliverability.

8. Role-Based Email Addresses

Role-based email addresses (for example: “info@company.com,” “support@company.com”) are often monitored by multiple people or automated systems. These addresses are more likely to bounce because:

  • They may not accept email from external senders.
  • They might have stricter spam filters.
  • They could be set up to automatically delete or reject certain types of mail.

Avoid sending marketing campaigns to role-based addresses, such as info@ or support@, unless you’re confident they are relevant and appropriate for your campaign. These addresses are often monitored by multiple people or automated systems. This makes them less likely to engage with your content. Instead, focus on targeting personal email addresses. These contacts tend to yield better engagement rates and provide more meaningful connections with your audience.

9. Seasonal or Temporary Issues

Sometimes, bounces are caused by temporary factors, such as:

  • Holiday auto-replies: Some email servers are configured to reject mail when the recipient is on vacation or has set up an auto-reply.
  • Temporary server rules: During high-traffic periods (for example, BFCM), some servers may temporarily tighten their spam filters.

If an email fails to deliver due to these issues (like having a recipient’s server being overloaded), try resending after a few days once the problem has had a chance to resolve itself.  It’s also important to monitor your bounce rates, especially during peak seasons when email servers often experience higher volumes. If you notice an increase in these bounces, consider adjusting your sending frequency or timing to reduce the strain on servers and improve deliverability.

To minimize bounces and enhance your marketing success, it’s incredibly important to take proactive steps that address the root causes. Start by using a reliable Email Service Provider (ESP) to automatically manage bounce-related issues, like retrying soft bounces and removing hard bounce addresses. Regularly monitor your sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster or SNDS to catch and resolve potential issues early. Educate your subscribers to update their email addresses if they switch providers, helping your list to stay current. And don’t forget to test your campaigns before sending to check for size, formatting, and spam triggers. By understanding the causes of bounce issues and addressing them proactively, you can improve your email deliverability, reduce bounce rates, and position yourself so that your messages reach the right audience. Remember, a clean and well-maintained email list is the foundation of successful email marketing. So don’t skip the maintenance!

How to Prevent a Spam Trap Infestation

Kristen Wyatt on February 24, 2025

Spam traps can quietly ruin your email marketing efforts without you even realizing it. They sit unnoticed in your email list, waiting to damage your sender reputation, lower your deliverability rates, and hurt your overall campaign performance. But here’s the good news—spam traps are completely avoidable if you know what to look for. In this post, we’ll explain what spam traps are, why they matter, and how to steer clear of them. Plus, we’ll highlight one sneaky troublemaker that often gets overlooked: typo spam traps.

Spam traps are email addresses created by ISPs (like Gmail or Yahoo) or anti-spam organizations to catch senders who aren’t following best practices. First, there are pristine spam traps, which are email addresses that have never been used by a real person. These are designed to catch spammers who scrape or buy email lists. If you hit one of these, it’s a clear sign that your list-building practices need work. Then there are recycled spam traps, which are old, abandoned email addresses that ISPs repurpose as traps. If you’re emailing one of these, it means you’re not keeping your list clean and up-to-date.

But there’s a third type that often flies under the radar: typo spam traps. These are email addresses with intentional typos, like “gmial.com” or “yahooo.com.” They’re designed to catch senders who don’t validate their lists. Typo spam traps are especially sneaky because they can slip into your list through simple human error, like a subscriber mistyping their email address during sign-up. If you’re not using an email validation tool to catch these errors, you could be setting yourself up for trouble.

Spam traps might seem like a minor issue, but they can have major consequences for your email marketing. For starters, hitting a spam trap can damage your sender reputation. ISPs use spam traps to gauge your trustworthiness. So if you’re sending emails to them, it’s a red flag that you’re not following best practices. A damaged reputation makes it harder for your emails to reach inboxes. This means your campaigns are more likely to end up in spam folders or not get delivered at all.

Repeatedly hitting spam traps can get you blacklisted. This is email marketing purgatory, where your emails are blocked entirely by ISPs. Once you’re on a blacklist, it can be a long and frustrating process to get removed. In short, spam traps are not something you want to mess with.

The key to avoiding spam traps is good list hygiene and smart email practices. Here’s a few tips on how to keep your list clean and your campaigns effective:

First and foremost, don’t buy or rent email lists. This is Email Marketing 101. Purchased lists are a minefield of spam traps, fake addresses, and unengaged subscribers. Not only do they increase your risk of hitting traps, but they also hurt your engagement rates because the people on those lists didn’t opt in to hear from you. Building your list organically is the only way to go.

Next, use double opt-in. A double opt-in process makes sure that the people on your list actually want to be there. After someone subscribes, they receive a confirmation email asking them to verify their address. This simple step weeds out fake or mistyped addresses before they become a problem.

Clean your list regularly. Email lists decay over time. People change jobs, abandon old accounts, or simply lose interest. If you’re not cleaning your list regularly, you’re risking spam traps and wasting resources on unengaged subscribers. Use an email verification tool to scrub your list for invalid, inactive, or risky addresses.

Don’t forget about typo spam traps. These are email addresses with intentional errors, like “gmial.com” or “hotmal.com.” They’re designed to catch senders who don’t validate their lists. To avoid these, use an email validation tool that checks for typos and syntax errors. It’s a simple step that can save you a lot of headaches down the line.

Monitor your engagement metrics. Keep an eye on your open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates. A sudden drop in engagement or a spike in bounces could be a sign that spam traps are lurking in your list. Remove inactive subscribers who haven’t engaged with your emails in 6-12 months (this is a best practices guideline metric. Create your own metrics that make the most sense for your company).

Segment your list. Not all subscribers are created equal. Segment your list based on engagement levels and tailor your campaigns accordingly. For example, send re-engagement campaigns to inactive subscribers before removing them entirely. This helps you maintain a healthy list while giving people a chance to re-engage.

Finally, stay compliant. Make sure you’re following email marketing laws like the CAN-SPAM Act (in the U.S.) and GDPR (in the EU). This includes having a clear unsubscribe link in every email and honoring opt-out requests promptly. Compliance isn’t just good practice—it’s the law.

If you’ve already hit a spam trap, don’t panic. Here’s how to recover. First, identify the source. Figure out where the spam trap came from. Was it a purchased list? An old, unengaged subscriber? A typo? Pinpointing the source will help you prevent future issues. Next, clean your list. Run your list through an email verification tool and remove any invalid or risky addresses. Then, reevaluate your practices. Take a hard look at your email marketing strategy. Are you following best practices? Are you regularly cleaning your list? Make adjustments as needed. Finally, if you’ve been blacklisted, reach out to your ISP. Contact the ISP or blacklist operator to explain the situation and request removal. Be honest and show that you’ve taken steps to fix the problem.

Spam traps might be sneaky, but they’re not invincible. By keeping your email list clean, following best practices, and staying on top of engagement, you can protect your sender reputation and you can make sure your emails land where they belong: in your subscribers’ inboxes! And don’t forget about typo spam traps! These little gremlins can slip through the cracks if you’re not careful, so make sure you’re using an email validation tool to catch them before they cause trouble.

At the end of the day, email marketing is all about building relationships. And just like any relationship, it requires care, attention (and a little bit of housekeeping). So roll up your sleeves, clean up that sending lists, and keep those spam traps at bay. Your inbox (and your subscribers) will thank you.

What Is Email Deliverability and Why Does It Matter?

Kristen Wyatt on January 27, 2025

Whether we’re talking to friends or running a business, email is a huge part of how we communicate. For companies, the value of email lies in its ability to reach customers. But this only works if the emails make it to their inboxes. Email deliverability is about making sure your emails don’t get blocked or sent to the spam folder. If your goal is to connect with people, understanding how deliverability works is key.

Here’s why this matters: When you send an email, you want the person to actually see it. If it ends up blocked or stuck in a spam folder, your message doesn’t get through. Good deliverability means your emails are more likely to land where they’re supposed to (which is in the intended recipient’s inbox) so more people can read them.

If your emails keep hitting spam folders, people (and email providers) might start seeing you as untrustworthy. This can result in a nasty reputation issue. But when you send emails that people actually want, you build trust and a good reputation. That makes it more likely your emails will get treated like the real deal.

Email marketing can be super effective, when it works. But if your emails don’t reach the people they’re meant for, they’re not doing much good. Making sure your emails get delivered means more people see them, engage with them, and take action.

And don’t forget, you have to play by the rules! For example, you have to make sure people actually agreed to get your emails. Ignoring rules like this hurts your deliverability. But it could get you into some real trouble, even legally. Sending emails the right way keeps you out of hot water and it helps your messages reach their audience.

Deliverability is influenced by a few main factors, starting with your reputation as a sender. Email providers keep tabs on how you’ve handled past emails – things like bounces, spam reports, and low engagement. If your track record isn’t great, it can hurt your chances of reaching your email’s intended destination. On the other hand, a solid history makes it more likely your emails will get through to the inbox.

Authorization is another big piece of the puzzle. Tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC help verify to email providers that you are a legitimate sender and that you’re not pretending to be someone else. Without proper authentication, your emails are more likely to get blocked or flagged.

The content in your email also matters. Misleading subject lines, too many links, overly large images, or anything that seems spammy can raise red flags. Keeping your emails simple, clear, and relevant makes them less likely to run into issues.

Your contact list plays a role too. Outdated or fake email addresses can drag down deliverability. Regularly cleaning up your active sending list and only emailing people who actually want to hear from you helps keep things on track.

Finally, how you send emails is very important. Blasting out too many too quickly or at irregular times can look suspicious. A steady, reasonable sending schedule indicates to email providers that you’re not a spammer.

How to Do It Better

  1. Watch Your Results: Keep an eye on how your emails perform. If something isn’t working, adjust your approach.
  2. Set Up Authentication: Use tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so email providers know you’re a legitimate sender.
  3. Write Clearly: Avoid anything that might look suspicious to spam filters. Make your emails straightforward and relevant.
  4. Know Your Audience: Group your contacts based on what they’re interested in, so you can send emails they care about.
  5. Clean Up Your List: Remove inactive or fake email addresses to avoid bounces and complaints.
  6. Test and Adjust: Try different subject lines or formats to see what works best and keep improving.

Email deliverability comes down to making sure your messages actually reach the people you’re trying to connect with. By sticking to straightforward, honest practices and staying tuned into what works, you can ensure your campaigns hit the mark and make a real and positive impact.