Why are valid Gmail and Yahoo email addresses bouncing after website verification?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests testing the theory of emails bouncing immediately after signup by delaying the welcome email by a minute or two.
Email marketer from MailerCheck Blog explains that valid emails can bounce due to temporary server problems, spam filters, or full mailboxes. They stress the importance of analyzing bounce codes to understand the reason for the bounce.
Email marketer from Validity Blog explains that sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Even if an email address is valid, a poor sender reputation can cause emails to bounce or be marked as spam by Gmail and Yahoo.
Email marketer from StackExchange shares that email verification services are not perfect and may not catch temporary issues or greylisting. Even if an email address passes verification, it can still bounce later.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that email validators encounter the same delivery issues as regular senders, and their validation programs may only go up to the final step of the SMTP exchange.
Email marketer from Kickbox Blog explains various reasons for email bounces including invalid addresses, full mailboxes, spam filters, and temporary server issues. They emphasize the importance of proper list hygiene and monitoring bounce rates.
Email marketer from GlockApps Blog recommends using email testing tools to check the deliverability of your emails to different providers like Gmail and Yahoo. These tools can identify issues that cause bounces before sending to your entire list.
Email marketer from Litmus shares deliverability issues can arise from multiple sources but particularly highlight authentication as a key factor. They recommend consistently authenticating your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability and reduce bounces.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests opening a ticket with the ESP to request bounce error log entries, including both the bounce error code and the error message, and escalating the ticket if necessary.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that Gmail may sometimes temporarily reject emails from new or low-reputation senders as a spam prevention measure. This can lead to bounces even if the email address is valid. Rate limiting can also be a reason.
Email marketer from Email Hippo Blog explains that even if an email address exists, it can still bounce due to temporary server issues, full inboxes, or aggressive spam filters. Verification only confirms the existence of the domain and mailbox but doesn't guarantee deliverability.
Email marketer from Sender.net explains one primary cause for bounced emails from Gmail and Yahoo addresses even after verification can be due to the mailbox being inactive or abandoned. They emphasize regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive subscribers and maintain a healthy sender reputation.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that temporary deliverability issues can arise even with valid email addresses due to greylisting or temporary server unavailability at Gmail or Yahoo. These can cause initial bounces, but subsequent attempts may succeed.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that one cause of bounces could be bad data capture, such as a leading or trailing space in the email address.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that some email verification services use techniques that are problematic and can affect deliverability. They suggest that using these services can sometimes lead to more bounces due to the way these services interact with recipient mail servers.
Expert from Email Geeks recommends having the developers take a close look at the data and code, potentially using a hex dump. He also suggests opening a ticket with Sendgrid.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that getting the actual rejection messages from the ESP is more useful than the summaries provided by the ESP.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Google Support explains that bounced emails can occur even for valid addresses if the recipient's server is temporarily unavailable, the mailbox is full, or the email is blocked due to spam policies. They recommend checking the bounce message for specific error codes.
Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that Non-Delivery Reports (NDRs) or bounce messages provide information about why an email could not be delivered. Analyzing the error code in the NDR can help identify the cause of the bounce, such as a full mailbox or a spam filter.
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that SMTP servers use reply codes to indicate the outcome of a mail transaction. A 5xx code indicates a permanent failure (bounce), while a 4xx code indicates a temporary failure that may be retried. The specific code provides details on why the email bounced.
Documentation from Yahoo Postmaster explains that Yahoo uses various methods to protect its users from spam, including blocking emails from senders with low reputation or suspicious content. Senders should follow best practices for email authentication and content to avoid bounces.