A high bounce rate can damage your sender reputation and hurt your email deliverability. When emails are sent to invalid or outdated addresses, they bounce back, signaling to email providers that your list may be outdated or poorly maintained. For marketers using platforms like Marketo, reducing bounce rates is key to building a high-performing email strategy.

In this guide, we’ll break down why bounce rates matter, how to minimize them, and best practices to maintain a clean and responsive email list.

High bounce rates indicate that a significant portion of your emails are going undelivered. This can lead to:

• Damaged Sender Reputation: Providers may interpret high bounces as a sign of spammy practices.
• Lower Engagement: Since emails aren’t reaching recipients, your engagement metrics suffer.
• Increased Costs: Sending to invalid addresses wastes resources and time.

Use Email Verification Tools

Regularly verify emails with a tool like BriteVerify or Marketo’s built-in verification features to detect and remove invalid addresses.

• Monthly List Checks: Set up a regular schedule to verify email addresses and maintain list hygiene.
• Automated Verifications: Automatically screen new sign-ups for validity.

Implement a Sunset Policy

A sunset policy automatically removes or unsubscribes inactive users after a set period, helping to reduce bounces from outdated addresses.

• Set Criteria: Decide on a timeframe (e.g., no engagement in 180 days).
• Automation: Use Marketo to automate the sunset policy for efficiency.

Encourage List Updates

Send occasional reminders asking subscribers to update their contact information, reducing the likelihood of bounces from old or incorrect addresses.

• Annual Data Hygiene Campaign: Run a campaign once a year prompting updates.
• Incentivize Updates: Offer a small incentive to encourage subscribers to keep their info current.

Best Practices for List Maintenance

Keeping your list clean goes beyond removing invalid addresses. Here are some additional tips:

• Segment by Engagement: Engage actively with those who interact and remove unresponsive subscribers.
• Limit List Purchases: Avoid purchasing lists, as they often include invalid or low-quality contacts.
• Regular Engagement Cadence: Maintain regular communication to keep the list fresh and active.

The Leadous Advantage

Leadous helps clients maintain high-quality email lists that lead to lower bounce rates and better deliverability. Our comprehensive approach to list hygiene ensures that every email reaches a real, interested subscriber, maximizing campaign success and reducing waste.

Conclusion

Reducing bounce rates is essential to effective email marketing. By using verification tools, implementing sunset policies, and encouraging list updates, marketers can improve deliverability and engagement. Leadous is here to support your journey to a cleaner, more effective email list.