FAQs on email bounces
Sometimes, when you send emails through Zoho CRM, you may observe that the emails have bounced and, consequently, were not successfully delivered to the intended recipients. Below are some commonly asked questions regarding email bounces and how to resolve them.
What are email bounces?
Email bounces occur when an email sent to a recipient cannot be delivered. There are two main types of bounces: hard bounces and soft bounces. A hard bounce, for example, may occur when the email address is invalid, the domain does not exist, etc. A soft bounce on the other hand occurs for reasons such as the recipient's mailbox is full, the server is down, or the email is too large.
What is a bounce warning?
A bounce warning is a notification that one or more of your emails have been rejected by the recipient's email server. This can occur due to reasons such as an incorrect email address, a full mailbox, or a blocked domain. In Zoho CRM, a bounce warning signifies that an email sent to a recipient's mailbox has not been delivered successfully yet, but it has not been classified as bounced either.
Typically, this indicates a temporary issue, and the server will continue attempting to deliver the email before it is marked as bounced.
What are the common reasons for email bounces?
Common reasons for email bounces include:
- Invalid email address
- Full mailbox
- Blocked domain
- Email server down
- Email too large
What happens when an email address is marked as a soft bounce?
When an email cannot be delivered to a recipient's email address temporarily, it is considered a soft bounce by the recipient's email servers. In these cases, you will have the opportunity to resend the email to the soft-bounced addresses. However, if an email address continues to be marked as a soft bounce multiple times, it will be blocked temporarily in Zoho CRM, citing the bounce issue.
What happens when an email address is marked as a hard bounce?
When an email address is marked as a hard bounce, it means that emails are permanently undeliverable to that address. These hard-bounced email addresses will be blocked, meaning you will not be able to send any emails to them from Zoho CRM again.
How does Zoho CRM classify email bounces?
Zoho CRM classifies email bounces into two categories: Temporary and Permanent. Temporary bounces include soft bounces and certain types of hard bounces that can be rectified by the sender.
Permanent bounces occur when the recipient’s email servers flag a hard bounce, resulting in the email address being permanently blocked from Zoho CRM.
What is a temporary bounce in Zoho CRM?
A temporary bounce in Zoho CRM includes soft bounces and certain types of hard bounces that can be rectified by the sender. Zoho CRM provides an 'Unblock' option for email addresses that are temporarily blocked. However, hard bounces are usually permanent and cannot be unblocked within CRM, but there are instances where a hard bounce will be treated as a temporary bounce by Zoho CRM, allowing users to unblock the email addresses.
What is a permanent bounce in Zoho CRM?
A permanent bounce in Zoho CRM occurs when the recipient’s email servers flag a hard bounce. This results in the email address being permanently blocked from Zoho CRM for all future email sending and an unblock option cannot be provided.
Can a hard bounce be treated as a temporary bounce in Zoho CRM?
Yes, there are instances where a hard bounce will be treated as a temporary bounce by Zoho CRM, allowing users to unblock the email addresses. This happens when Zoho CRM’s email servers repeatedly try to send an email when a soft bounce occurs, and failure to deliver the email even after these repeated attempts will then be classified as a hard bounce but treated as a temporary bounce by Zoho CRM.
What action should be taken on receiving a bounce warning in Zoho CRM?
A bounce warning in Zoho CRM indicates a temporary issue with email delivery, and the server will keep trying to deliver the email before it is marked as bounced. The sender may need to monitor the situation closely. If the email is not delivered even after multiple attempts, it may be classified as a temporary or permanent bounce by Zoho CRM, and appropriate actions, such as using the 'Unblock' option or permanently blocking the email address, will be taken based on the classification.
How can I unblock temporarily blocked email addresses?
If an email address is bounced for temporary reasons, you will have provisions to unblock it from within Zoho CRM. Learn more.
How can I reduce my bounce rate?
To reduce your bounce rate, follow these best practices:
- Regularly update your contact list
- Avoid sending emails to old and stale email lists
- Use a valid "From" address from a reputable domain
- Avoid buying email addresses from illegitimate sources
What are the best practices to avoid email bounces?
- Avoid formatting issues while importing a list into Zoho CRM.
- Avoid sending emails to old and stale email lists.
- Use a valid "From" address from a reputable domain.
- Do not buy email addresses from illegitimate sources.
- Remove invalid email addresses.
How can I avoid formatting issues while importing a list into Zoho CRM?
To avoid formatting issues while importing a list into Zoho CRM, make sure your list is properly formatted and does not contain any invalid characters or fields.
Why should I avoid sending emails to old and stale email lists?
Old and stale email lists may contain invalid email addresses or addresses that are no longer in use. Sending emails to these addresses can lead to a high bounce rate.
Why is it important to use a valid "From" address from a reputable domain?
Using a valid "From" address from a reputable domain increases the likelihood that your emails will be delivered successfully and not marked as spam.
Why should I avoid buying email addresses from illegitimate sources?
Buying email addresses from illegitimate sources can lead to a high bounce rate, as these lists may contain invalid or fake email addresses. Additionally, sending emails to addresses that have not opted in to receive communications from you can result in your emails being marked as spam.
What steps should I take if I receive a bounce warning?
If you receive a bounce warning, it is important to understand the cause of the bounce and take steps to prevent it from happening again. This may include updating your contact list to remove invalid email addresses, ensuring that your emails are not being marked as spam, and following the best practices to avoid email bounces.
How can I ensure that my emails are not marked as spam?
To ensure that your emails are not marked as spam, follow these best practices:
- Use a valid "From" address from a reputable domain
- Avoid using spam words or phrases in your email subject and content
- Do not send emails to recipients who have not opted in to receive communications from you
- Include a clear and easy-to-find unsubscribe link in your emails
What should I do if my emails are being marked as spam?
If your emails are being marked as spam, it is important to review your email content and practices to ensure that you are following the best practices for email sending. This includes using a valid "From" address from a reputable domain, avoiding spam words or phrases, and not sending emails to recipients who have not opted in to receive communications from you.
What should I do if I am unable to resolve bounce issues or have other questions?
If you are unable to resolve bounce issues despite following all the best practices and guidelines, or if you have other questions related to email bounces, please write to Zoho CRM Support at support@zohocrm.com for further assistance.
Can records be unblocked if the bounce reason is "The recipient has chosen not to receive emails from you"?
If the bounce reason reflects that the recipient has opted out of receiving emails from you, it means we've received a Feedback Loop (FBL) complaint from them. To unblock the email, explicit consent from the recipient is necessary.
What if Zoho CRM is blocked?
If Zoho CRM is blocked, we will immediately take the necessary steps to whitelist our IP address. If your email has bounced because Zoho CRM is blocked, please do one of the following:
- Directly request the IT Admin of the recipient domain to unblock Zoho CRM.
- Write to Zoho CRM Support at support@zohocrm.com with details of the recipient's email address. We will do what is required to whitelist Zoho CRM.
What happens to the bounced emails?
All bounced emails will be listed in your Inbox and associated with the corresponding lead or contact.
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