When I first started sending emails, I had no idea how much of an impact bounce rates could have on my deliverability. One day, I found my email sending suspended due to a high hard bounce rate. It was frustrating, but through trial and error, I learned how to fix the issue. Bounce suspension happens when email providers monitor your bounce rates, and if they exceed a certain threshold, your sending privileges are temporarily suspended. In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about bounce suspension and how to fix it.

What Are Bounces?

A bounce occurs when an email is rejected or not delivered to the recipient. There are two types of bounces:

1. Hard Bounce: This happens when the recipient’s email address doesn’t exist or is invalid.
2. Soft Bounce: This is a temporary failure, such as when the recipient’s server is down or their mailbox is full.

Causes of Bounce Suspension

Email providers and anti-spam networks track bounce rates to ensure email quality. If your bounce rate exceeds industry standards (typically 0-3%), you risk suspension. If it goes above 5%, your email sending will be temporarily suspended. High bounce rates indicate you are sending emails to invalid or non-existent addresses, which is seen as poor sending behavior. These can also trigger external spam filters, leading to further deliverability issues.

Fixing the Hard Bounce and Re-activating Your Account

Once your email sending is suspended due to a high bounce rate, you will be notified.

Here are the steps to resolve the issue:

1. Review Recent Campaigns and Workflows: Check the recent emails you’ve sent, especially any bulk messages or campaigns. Stop any workflows or campaigns targeting contacts who have not explicitly opted in.
2. Validate Your Email List: Make sure you’re only sending emails to valid, active email addresses. You can use email validation tools to clean up your list and avoid sending to invalid addresses.
3. Provide Proof of Opt-in: Respond to the suspension notice with proof of opt-in from your contacts. Include opt-in forms, funnels, and examples of unsubscribe links in your emails.
4. Avoid Sending Bulk Messages: If you’re working with clients, advise them not to send bulk or cold email campaigns until the issue is resolved.

Once you complete these steps, contact support to activate your account again.

Conclusion

Bounce suspension can feel like a roadblock, but it’s not the end of your email marketing efforts. By monitoring your bounce rates, cleaning your email list, and following best practices, you can avoid suspension and ensure better deliverability. Stay proactive, and you’ll be able to send your emails with confidence.