Email bounce handling

How eMarketeer handles email bounces and what it means for your sending.

Keeping bounces low is part of protecting your sender reputation. eMarketeer handles most of the work automatically, but how you build and maintain your contact lists matters too.

What it means

A bounce happens when a message cannot be delivered to the recipient's email address. Bounces are categorized as temporary (soft) or permanent (hard).

eMarketeer processes bounce reports from receiving mail servers automatically. When an address generates a permanent (hard) bounce, it is automatically blocked from future sends to prevent repeated delivery attempts to an invalid address.

Why it matters

• Sending repeatedly to invalid addresses harms email deliverability.
• High bounce rates damage your sender reputation with mailbox providers.
• Automatic blocking of hard-bounced addresses protects both your account and eMarketeer's overall sending reputation.

Bounce handling reduces risk, but consistently high bounce rates can still lead to sending restrictions.

What you should do

To keep bounce rates low and your sending healthy:

• Clean and maintain your contact lists regularly.
• Avoid importing outdated or purchased contact lists.
• Use confirmed or double opt-in where possible.
• Remove inactive contacts over time.
• Validate addresses before large imports or campaigns.

What to do next

For broader guidance, see Maximizing email marketing success — best practices and pitfalls to avoid.