Did you know that there are more than 4 billion email users that use their email on a daily basis around the world? If you plan on using email marketing for your business then it is crucial that you understand the differences between soft bounce vs. hard bounce email results.
Knowing the difference between a soft bounce mail and a hard bounce email is what allows you to adjust your marketing approach. You’ll also gain an understanding of why your emails aren’t reaching your target audience.
If you’re worried about running into issues with your email marketing then you’re in luck, because you’ve come to the perfect soft bounce email guide to help you out.
Keep reading this article to learn everything that you need to know about soft bounce and hard bounce emails today!
Table of Contents
What Is Soft Bounce Email?
Soft bounce emails are emails that didn’t get delivered due to temporary issues with the email account. It could be a one-time issue and you shouldn’t give up on trying to reach this member of your target audience.
The real problem with a soft bounce email begins to emerge when you continue to get consistent soft bounce results after multiple attempts. After you reach ten soft bounces it is best for your email marketing to consider that email a hard bounce.
There are a number of things that could be causing the soft bounce that you’re seeing from your subscriber list. A full email mailbox is a common cause of getting these soft bounces as is a down server for that email account.
You also need to consider the size of your emails. If you’re trying to send emails that are too large then it could be causing the soft bounces that you’re experiencing. There are also server policies that you need to abide by if you want to avoid soft bounces for your marketing campaigns.
What Is a Hard Bounce Email?
Hard bounces are permanent reasons why the email that you’re trying to send to your target audience member doesn’t get delivered. There are a number of reasons that you’re experiencing these hard bounce emails.
The primary reason why you’ll get a hard bounce for an email marketing campaign is that the email account no longer exists. You won’t know this until you attempt to send that email account a marketing email.
The other big reason why you’re experiencing these frequent hard bounce email failures is that your emails are blocked by the user’s server. There are also some valid reasons that result in a hard bounce email.
You could get denied by a user’s firewall if your advertising email doesn’t make it through the spam filter. It could also happen as a result of a big-time ISP blocking your emails from coming through.
You can learn more about email marketing and the obstacles you’ll face with an email marketing campaign for your business.
Ways to Decrease Your Email Bounce Rate
It might seem dreary and hopeless for your email marketing strategy, but there are steps that you can take to decrease the number of emails that result in a hard bounce or a soft bounce. This hard bounce email guide will give you more information about getting your message out to all of your subscribers.
Require Double Opt-Ins
If you’re trying to ensure that you have a list of quality email addresses that you’re marketing to then you need to start using double opt-ins. A double opt-in occurs when a member of your target audience subscribes.
Rather than automatically adding this email address to your mailing list, it sends that user a link to opt-in. Once they take that step they’ll get added to your mailing list and start receiving your ads and promotions.
Regularly Clean Your Email List
Another step that you should take on a regular basis is cleaning up your email list. You’ll experience a higher volume of bounced emails when your email list is cluttered and full. If you’ve been running an email marketing campaign for a number of years then you’re likely to run into this issue.
Running consistent data checks will help you get rid of inactive emails that are resulting in high numbers of bounced emails. You should also check feedback loops to ensure that your target audience is not reporting you as spam.
Be Consistent With Your Emails
If you want to have success with an email marketing campaign and you want to decrease the number of soft bounce vs. hard bounce emails you’re sending then you need to get consistent. New subscribers will unsubscribe from your emails if they sign up and never hear from you.
When you do finally email these members of your target audience, they’ll be more likely to mark your emails as spam. A good rule of thumb for any successful email marketing campaign is to send out a new email each week. You’ll have an easier time keeping your customers and target audience engaged.
Avoid Using Spammy Language
Spammy language is another big cause of emails bouncing when you’re running a small business. You need to make sure that you proofread your emails to avoid using language that results in your email failing to get through spam filters.
Each email provider has filters in place to look for specific words and phrases. If you’re using those words or phrases then your emails are sure to get a number of emails that hard bounce and a soft bounce. Avoid phrases like “50% off” and “Free offer” if you want to get your messages to the intended audience members.
Now You Know the Difference Between a Soft Bounce vs. Hard Bounce Email
If you’re running a small business then you know that a good email marketing campaign is a wonderful resource. Going that route means that you need to understand soft bounce vs. hard bounce email results and why they happen. It is also a good idea to learn about the steps you can take to avoid them.
For more helpful articles on a range of topics, make sure you check out the rest of our website today!