Summary
Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers multiple robust methods for accessing SMTP bounce messages, crucial for understanding deliverability issues and maintaining sender reputation. The primary and most granular approach involves querying the _Bounce data view programmatically, typically through SQL Query Activities in Automation Studio. This data view provides comprehensive details like SMTP codes, messages, bounce categories, and types, enabling in-depth analysis. While the UI offers immediate overviews via the Email Studio Tracking tab and native reports, for more detailed insights and systematic data extraction, marketers rely on the _Bounce data view or Tracking Extracts. These methods facilitate proactive bounce management, allowing for precise segmentation, re-engagement strategies, and integration with external analytics tools, all essential for improving email deliverability.
Key findings
- Primary Data View: The _Bounce data view is the primary programmatic method to retrieve comprehensive and granular bounce data in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. It contains detailed information for each bounce event, including the Bounce Type, Bounce Category, Reason, SMTP Status, and the associated Subscriber Key and Job ID.
- SQL Querying: SQL queries, executed within Automation Studio's Query Activity, are the standard method for extracting specific bounce types or reasons from the _Bounce data view. Marketers often select fields like 'SubscriberKey,' 'EventDate,' 'BounceCategory,' 'BounceType,' 'SMTPCode,' and 'SMTPMessage' for detailed insights.
- Tracking Extracts: Automation Studio's Tracking Extracts offer a flexible and programmatic way to export various email metrics, including detailed bounce data, into files for external analysis, reporting, or integration with other systems.
- User Interface (UI) Reports: For immediate overviews and less granular analysis, users can view bounce data and manage subscriber status directly within the Email Studio interface under the Tracking tab. Native reporting tools can also be configured to create custom bounce reports from the UI.
- Real-time Alerts: While not directly providing full SMTP messages, SFMC can be configured to send system-level email notifications for certain critical bounce thresholds or event notifications via webhooks, providing timely alerts about significant deliverability issues.
Key considerations
- Granularity vs. Ease: Choose between the detailed programmatic methods like the _Bounce data view, which requires SQL, for in-depth analysis, and the user-friendly UI reports for quicker, less granular overviews of bounce rates and reasons.
- Automation and Extraction: Set up daily automations to regularly pull recent bounce data, such as the last 14 days, into data extensions for easier research, filtering, and export. Leverage Tracking Extracts in Automation Studio for flexible, comprehensive data exports.
- Differentiate Bounce Types: Understand and differentiate between various SFMC bounce categories, such as 'hard,' 'soft,' 'DNS error,' 'Blocked,' and 'Content,' as categorized by SFMC, to inform deliverability adjustments and identify specific issues.
- Data Utilization and Strategy: Use extracted bounce data for advanced segmentation, identifying and suppressing subscribers who consistently hard bounce, and targeting soft-bounced subscribers with specific re-engagement campaigns. Integrate this data with external business intelligence tools for more sophisticated analysis and cross-platform reporting.
- Proactive Management: Go beyond simply identifying bounces; use the detailed data to understand underlying causes like DMARC failures, content issues, or IP reputation problems, and implement strategies to prevent future deliverability problems and maintain sender reputation.
- Key Fields for Diagnostics: When querying or extracting data, ensure you include essential fields like 'SMTPCode,' 'SMTPMessage,' 'BounceCategory,' 'BounceType,' 'SubscriberKey,' and 'EventDate' to gain a clear and comprehensive picture of the bounce event.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Accessing granular SMTP bounce messages in Salesforce Marketing Cloud primarily involves querying the `_Bounce` data view. This crucial data view, leveraged through SQL queries in Automation Studio, provides comprehensive details such as `SMTPCode`, `SMTPMessage`, `BounceReason`, and `BounceType`, which are vital for in-depth deliverability analysis. Marketers can set up automations to regularly pull this data into data extensions for advanced segmentation, allowing them to identify and manage subscribers based on bounce behavior, including suppressing hard bounces or re-engaging soft bounces. While the UI offers high-level reports and critical bounce alerts for quick overviews, the programmatic approach via the `_Bounce` data view provides the necessary granularity for understanding underlying causes of deliverability issues, such as DMARC failures or content problems. This detailed information is essential for implementing proactive strategies, maintaining sender reputation, and can even be integrated with external business intelligence tools for broader analysis.
Key opinions
- Primary Data Source: The `_Bounce` data view in Salesforce Marketing Cloud is the most direct and comprehensive source for retrieving granular SMTP bounce messages, providing fields like `SMTPCode`, `SMTPMessage`, `BounceReason`, and `BounceType`.
- SQL Querying is Key: Executing SQL queries, particularly within Automation Studio's Query Activity, is the recommended method to extract specific bounce types or reasons from the `_Bounce` data view for detailed analysis.
- Specific Fields for Detail: Marketers should focus on including `SMTPCode`, `SMTPMessage`, and `BounceReason` fields in their data extractions to gain deep insights into why emails are bouncing, often combined with `SubscriberKey` and `EventDate`.
- Advanced Segmentation: Bounce data extracted from the `_Bounce` data view enables the creation of filtered data extensions, allowing for precise subscriber segmentation based on bounce behavior, such as identifying consistently hard-bounced subscribers.
- Proactive Deliverability: Effective bounce management involves not just identifying bounces, but understanding their root causes, like DMARC failures or content issues, by analyzing detailed SMTP messages, leading to proactive prevention strategies.
- Native Reporting & Alerts: For users less comfortable with SQL, Marketing Cloud's native reporting tools offer custom bounce reports. Additionally, system-level email notifications can alert users to critical bounce thresholds, signaling significant deliverability issues.
Key considerations
- Leverage SQL for Granularity: To obtain the most detailed SMTP bounce messages, consistently use SQL queries in Automation Studio's Query Activity to pull specific fields like 'SMTPCode', 'SMTPMessage', 'BounceReason', and 'BounceType' from the `_Bounce` data view.
- Automate Data Extraction: For ongoing deliverability management, set up automations to regularly extract bounce data into a data extension. This allows for persistent storage, analysis, and filtering of bounce information, such as by Job ID or domain.
- Understand Bounce Classifications: Differentiate between SFMC's various bounce categories, including 'DNS error', 'Blocked', and 'Content', as well as specific bounce types to accurately diagnose deliverability issues and refine sending practices.
- Utilize Data for Strategy: Go beyond mere identification of bounces; use the extracted data for advanced subscriber segmentation. This includes identifying and suppressing hard-bounced subscribers and creating targeted re-engagement campaigns for soft-bounced contacts.
- Integrate with External Tools: For sophisticated analysis and cross-platform reporting, consider integrating SFMC bounce data with external data warehousing or business intelligence tools to identify trends and optimize overall deliverability performance.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains how to set up an automation to pull bounce messages into a data extension using a SQL query like "SELECT * FROM _Bounce WITH (NOLOCK) WHERE JobID = [JobID]", noting it can be run as a one-off job by updating the Job ID.
12 May 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that you need to include fields like "SMTPBounceReason" in the data extension to display bounce messages and suggests adding "AND Domain =" to filter for specific domains, noting that the DE might only display 200 records without export.
13 Sep 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
1 expert opinions
For comprehensive insights into SMTP bounce messages, Salesforce Marketing Cloud users should primarily consult the _Bounce data view. A highly effective strategy involves implementing a daily automation to systematically collect a recent window of bounce data, typically the last 14 days, into designated data extensions. This structured approach significantly streamlines the process of researching deliverability issues, allows for easy filtering of specific bounce types, and facilitates exporting the data for further analysis in tools like Excel, thereby enhancing overall deliverability management.
Key opinions
- Primary Data Source: The _Bounce data view in Salesforce Marketing Cloud is the most direct and comprehensive source for retrieving granular SMTP bounce messages, providing fields like SMTPCode, SMTPMessage, BounceReason, and BounceType.
- SQL Querying is Key: Executing SQL queries, particularly within Automation Studio's Query Activity, is the recommended method to extract specific bounce types or reasons from the _Bounce data view for detailed analysis.
- Automated Data Collection: Implement daily automations to regularly collect a rolling window of recent bounce data, such as the last 14 days, from the _Bounce data view into custom data extensions for ongoing analysis.
- Specific Fields for Detail: Marketers should focus on including SMTPCode, SMTPMessage, and BounceReason fields in their data extractions to gain deep insights into why emails are bouncing, often combined with SubscriberKey and EventDate.
- Advanced Segmentation: Bounce data extracted from the _Bounce data view enables the creation of filtered data extensions, allowing for precise subscriber segmentation based on bounce behavior, such as identifying consistently hard-bounced subscribers.
- Proactive Deliverability: Effective bounce management involves not just identifying bounces, but understanding their root causes, like DMARC failures or content issues, by analyzing detailed SMTP messages, leading to proactive prevention strategies.
Key considerations
- Leverage SQL for Granularity: To obtain the most detailed SMTP bounce messages, consistently use SQL queries in Automation Studio's Query Activity to pull specific fields like 'SMTPCode', 'SMTPMessage', 'BounceReason', and 'BounceType' from the _Bounce data view.
- Automate Data Extraction: For ongoing deliverability management, set up automations to regularly extract bounce data into a data extension. This allows for persistent storage, analysis, and filtering of bounce information, such as by Job ID or domain.
- Streamline Research: To facilitate efficient research and troubleshooting, schedule daily automations to pull only the most recent bounce data, typically the last 14 days, into a dedicated data extension for easier filtering and direct export to tools like Excel.
- Understand Bounce Classifications: Differentiate between SFMC's various bounce categories, including 'DNS error', 'Blocked', and 'Content', as well as specific bounce types to accurately diagnose deliverability issues and refine sending practices.
- Utilize Data for Strategy: Go beyond mere identification of bounces; use the extracted data for advanced subscriber segmentation. This includes identifying and suppressing hard-bounced subscribers and creating targeted re-engagement campaigns for soft-bounced contacts.
- Integrate with External Tools: For sophisticated analysis and cross-platform reporting, consider integrating SFMC bounce data with external data warehousing or business intelligence tools to identify trends and optimize overall deliverability performance.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares a link to Salesforce documentation on _Bounce data view fields and describes a strategy of running a daily automation to gather the last 14 days of data from these tables/data extensions for easier research via filtering or exporting to Excel.
29 Sep 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers diverse pathways for accessing bounce information, from straightforward interface views to highly detailed programmatic data retrieval. The _Bounce data view is foundational for deep analysis, providing granular insights like SMTP codes and reasons through SQL queries. For comprehensive bulk data export and integration with external systems, Tracking Extracts in Automation Studio prove invaluable. Although SFMC automates hard bounce suppression, continuous monitoring of all bounce types, especially soft bounces, remains critical for safeguarding sender reputation and identifying underlying deliverability challenges, such as list quality or content issues. Real-time event notifications can also provide immediate alerts for prompt action.
Key findings
- Granular Bounce Data: The _Bounce data view provides the most comprehensive, detailed bounce information including SMTP status, reason, and categorization, accessible via SQL queries.
- UI-Based Overview: Email Studio's Tracking tab offers an immediate, high-level overview of bounce statistics and allows for direct management of subscriber status.
- Programmatic Export via Extracts: Tracking Extracts in Automation Studio enable flexible, bulk export of bounce data for external analysis, reporting, and integration with other systems.
- Automated Bounce Processing: Marketing Cloud automatically processes and categorizes bounces, such as hard versus soft, and handles suppressions for hard bounces.
- Real-time Alerts: Certain SFMC configurations allow for event notifications, like webhooks, which can signal bounce events in near real-time, aiding swift response.
Key considerations
- Prioritize Granular Analysis: For in-depth diagnostics of deliverability issues, leverage the _Bounce data view and SQL queries to obtain specific SMTP codes and messages.
- Regular Monitoring is Essential: Beyond automatic suppression, consistently review bounce data, particularly soft bounces, to proactively identify and address issues related to list health, content, or IP warming.
- Utilize Export for External Tools: For advanced reporting and integration with business intelligence platforms, rely on Tracking Extracts to pull comprehensive bounce data.
- Understand SFMC's Bounce Categorization: Familiarize yourself with how SFMC classifies bounces, for example, hard, soft, blocked, or content, to effectively interpret the data and tailor your remediation strategies.
- Connect Bounces to Sender Reputation: Recognize that analyzing bounce messages is fundamental to maintaining a strong sender reputation and ensuring long-term email deliverability success.
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Help explains that Marketing Cloud automatically processes bounce mail returns, categorizing them as hard or soft bounces. Users can view these bounces and manage subscriber status directly within the Email Studio interface under the Tracking tab, providing an immediate overview of deliverability issues.
29 Oct 2022 - Salesforce Help
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Marketing Cloud explains that the `_Bounce` data view is the primary programmatic method to retrieve comprehensive bounce data. This SQL-queryable data view contains detailed information for each bounce event, including the Bounce Type, Bounce Category, Reason, SMTP Status, and the associated Subscriber Key and Job ID, enabling granular analysis of deliverability performance.
11 Aug 2024 - Salesforce Marketing Cloud Data Views
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