What is a Hard Bounce?
A hard bounce is an email message that has been returned to the sender because the recipient’s address is invalid. It occurs when the email address doesn’t exist, is deactivated, or is otherwise inaccessible. A hard bounce is a permanent failure and the message will not be delivered.
What Causes a Hard Bounce?
There are a few possible reasons why a hard bounce may occur:
- The recipient’s email address is invalid or does not exist
- The recipient’s mailbox is full
- The recipient’s email is deactivated
- The email server is down
- The email message is too large for the recipient’s mailbox
- The email message is blocked by the recipient’s server
Impact of Hard Bounces
Hard bounces can have a negative effect on a sender’s reputation. If an email address “hard bounces” too often, the sending server may be blacklisted, making it difficult to send emails to other recipients. This can lead to a decrease in deliverability, as well as a decrease in email engagement.
How to Avoid Hard Bounces
There are a few steps that can be taken to reduce the impact of hard bounces:
- Always check your email list before sending emails. You should remove any invalid or inactive email addresses before sending a message.
- Make sure you are sending messages to subscribers who have opted in to receive emails from you.
- Use an email validation service to detect and remove invalid emails from your list.
- Monitor your email deliverability and sender reputation regularly.
Hard bounces can have a negative impact on your sender reputation and deliverability, so it’s important to take steps to avoid them. By checking your email list regularly and using an email validation service, you can help ensure that your emails are reaching their intended recipients.