Summary
Email bounce rate is calculated as the percentage of emails that could not be delivered (Number of Bounced Emails / Number of Emails Sent * 100). There are hard bounces (permanent reasons like invalid addresses) and soft bounces (temporary issues like full inboxes). Definitions can vary across ESPs, impacting benchmarks. Aim for a bounce rate below 2%. Factors increasing bounce rates include sending to old or purchased lists, poor list hygiene, and lack of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). High bounce rates damage sender reputation and deliverability. Cleaning lists, monitoring bounce rates, and using double opt-in are crucial.
Key findings
- Bounce Rate Calculation: Bounce rate is calculated as (Number of Bounced Emails / Number of Emails Sent) * 100.
- Acceptable Bounce Rate: An ideal bounce rate is generally below 2%, though 1-3% can be considered normal.
- Hard vs. Soft Bounces: Hard bounces are permanent delivery failures (invalid addresses), while soft bounces are temporary issues (full inboxes).
- Sender Reputation Impact: High bounce rates negatively impact sender reputation and email deliverability.
Key considerations
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists to remove invalid, inactive, and unengaged subscribers.
- Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Bounce Rate Monitoring: Consistently monitor bounce rates to identify and address potential deliverability issues.
- Double Opt-in: Use double opt-in to ensure subscribers actively want to receive emails.
- ESP Variations: Be aware that ESPs may calculate and define bounces differently, so understand your ESP's specific methodology.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Email bounce rate is calculated as the percentage of emails that fail to deliver out of the total number sent. Experts recommend keeping bounce rates below 2%. Factors influencing bounce rates include poor list hygiene, sending to outdated or purchased lists, and deliverability issues. Maintaining a clean email list by removing unengaged subscribers and invalid addresses, monitoring bounce rates regularly, using double opt-in, authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and segmenting lists are crucial for minimizing bounces and protecting sender reputation.
Key opinions
- Calculation: Bounce rate is calculated by (Number of Bounced Emails / Number of Emails Sent) * 100.
- Acceptable Rate: An acceptable bounce rate is generally below 2%.
- Negative Impact: High bounce rates negatively impact sender reputation, leading to decreased deliverability.
Key considerations
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists by removing unengaged subscribers and invalid addresses.
- Authentication: Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Monitoring: Consistently monitor bounce rates to identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
- Opt-in Practices: Use double opt-in to ensure subscribers actively want to receive emails.
Marketer view
Email marketer from MailerQ Blog explains that bounce rate is calculated by dividing the number of bounced emails by the total number of emails sent, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. This percentage represents the proportion of emails that were not successfully delivered to recipients.
15 Oct 2022 - MailerQ Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog shares that factors such as sending to old or purchased lists, having poor list hygiene, or having deliverability issues can negatively impact bounce rates.
3 Oct 2024 - Neil Patel Blog
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Email bounce rates are calculated differently depending on the ESP, with some counting all bounces and others only hard bounces. A true bounce indicates a delivery failure within the retry period or an outright rejection by the receiving MTA. ISPs use attempted deliveries to non-existent addresses as a spam signal, contributing to bounce rates. Defining 'hard bounce' and 'soft bounce' is essential, as definitions vary across ESPs, making industry benchmarks potentially misleading. Monitoring bounce rates is crucial for identifying sending practice problems and maintaining sender reputation. Hard bounces typically result from invalid addresses, while soft bounces are due to temporary issues. The acceptable bounce rate is normally between 1-3%.
Key opinions
- Bounce Definition: A bounce signifies a failure to deliver within the retry period or outright rejection by the receiving MTA, not merely delivery to spam.
- Calculation Variance: ESPs calculate bounce rates differently, counting either all bounces or only hard bounces.
- Impact of Non-Existent Addresses: ISPs use attempted deliveries to non-existent addresses as a spam signal, influencing bounce rates.
- Accepted Bounce Rate: A bounce rate between 1-3% is accepted as normal.
Key considerations
- Define Bounce Types: Clearly define 'hard bounce' and 'soft bounce' due to varying ESP definitions.
- Monitor Bounce Rates: Regularly monitor bounce rates to identify sending practice problems and preserve sender reputation.
- Address Invalid Addresses: Actively manage and remove invalid email addresses to reduce hard bounces.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that monitoring your bounce rate is crucial for identifying potential problems with your email sending practices and maintaining a healthy sender reputation. Regular review of bounce codes can help pinpoint issues.
5 Jul 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that unless you define "hard bounce" and "soft bounce" the conversation is pointless, implying that industry benchmarks based on them are also pointless, as ESPs define them differently.
20 Jan 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Email bounce rate is calculated as the percentage of emails that could not be delivered, determined by dividing the number of bounced emails by the total number of emails sent and multiplying by 100. Hard bounces signify permanent delivery failures, often due to invalid email addresses. Soft bounces indicate temporary issues like full inboxes or server problems. High bounce rates negatively impact sender reputation. SMTP reply codes provide insights into the reasons for delivery failures.
Key findings
- Calculation: Bounce Rate = (Number of Bounced Emails / Number of Emails Sent) * 100
- Hard Bounce: Hard bounces indicate permanent delivery failures, such as invalid email addresses.
- Soft Bounce: Soft bounces indicate temporary delivery issues, such as full inboxes or server problems.
- Reputation Impact: High bounce rates can damage sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Bounces: Regularly monitor bounce rates to identify and address delivery issues.
- Address Hard Bounces: Actively manage and remove invalid email addresses to reduce hard bounces.
- Understand SMTP Codes: Familiarize yourself with SMTP reply codes to better understand the reasons for email delivery failures.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailgun explains that a hard bounce indicates a permanent reason an email cannot be delivered (e.g., invalid email address), while a soft bounce indicates a temporary issue (e.g., full inbox).
16 Jul 2022 - Mailgun Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that bounce rate is the percentage of emails that could not be delivered. It is calculated as (Number of Bounced Emails / Number of Emails Sent) * 100.
19 Jul 2023 - SparkPost Documentation
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