Soft Bounce and Hard Bounce

Soft Bounce and Hard Bounce are terms used in email marketing to describe why an email could not be delivered. While a Soft Bounce indicates a temporary delivery issue, a Hard Bounce signals a permanent problem. Both factors affect email deliverability and, consequently, the success of email campaigns.

A Soft Bounce occurs when an email cannot be delivered due to a temporary issue. Possible reasons include:

• Full Inbox: The recipient has reached their storage limit.
• Server Issues: The recipient's email server is temporarily unavailable.
• Too Large Email: The email exceeds the allowed size limit.
• Spam Filter: The email is flagged as potential spam and rejected.

Email providers often attempt to resend Soft-Bounce emails. If the problem persists, a Soft Bounce may eventually become a Hard Bounce.

A Hard Bounce means that the email cannot be delivered permanently. Causes can include:

• Invalid or Non-existent Email Address
• Incorrect Domain or Misspelled Domain
• Deleted or Disabled Email Address
• Recipient's Server Permanently Blocks the Email

Hard Bounces should not be ignored as they negatively impact the sender's reputation and email deliverability rate.

• High Bounce Rates: High bounce rates damage the sender's reputation and can lead to future emails being marked as spam or blocked.
• Many Hard Bounces: Hard Bounces often indicate outdated or poorly maintained email lists and should be reduced through regular data cleansing.
• Soft Bounces: Should be monitored to identify issues early on and prevent them from turning into Hard Bounces.

While a Soft Bounce is generally a temporary issue, a Hard Bounce signals a permanently incorrect email address. Regularly reviewing the recipient list, removing invalid addresses, and optimizing email campaigns will help improve delivery rates and protect the sender's reputation.