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Hard Bounce vs Soft Bounce: What’s the Difference?

Email marketing is an effective way to reach out to customers and clients, but it’s not always a smooth process. You might encounter a hard bounce vs soft bounce when sending emails. 

When it comes to email marketing, understanding the difference between hard bounce vs soft bounce is crucial. While we have already discussed hard bounce previously, we will be comparing both and taking a deeper look at soft bounces in email marketing.

hard bounce vs soft bounce

What is a hard bounce and soft bounce?

First, let’s quickly review the differences between hard bounce vs soft bounce.

👉 A hard bounce occurs when an email is returned to the sender because the recipient’s email address is invalid, the recipient’s server is down, or the email has been blocked by the recipient’s server. 

👉 A soft bounce occurs when an email is returned to the sender because of a temporary issue, such as a full inbox, a server that is down temporarily, or an email that is too large for the recipient’s mailbox.

What is the difference between hard bounce and soft bounce in Mailchimp?

In Mailchimp, a hard bounce occurs when an email cannot be delivered to the recipient’s address because it is invalid or no longer exists. Mailchimp automatically removes hard bounces from your list to ensure that you’re not sending emails to addresses that are no longer in use.

On the other hand, a soft bounce in Mailchimp occurs when an email cannot be delivered to the recipient’s address for a temporary reason, such as a full inbox or a temporary issue with the recipient’s email server. Mailchimp will automatically try to resend soft bounces for up to 72 hours before marking them as undeliverable.

👀 See How To Create a Newsletter in Mailchimp: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Soft Bounces

To better understand the difference between hard bounce vs soft bounce, let’s focus on soft bounces. There are several types of soft bounces that email marketers should be aware of:

  • Temporary soft bounce: This type of soft bounce occurs when the recipient’s server is temporarily unable to receive the email. This can happen if the server is experiencing high traffic or undergoing maintenance.
  • Full inbox: If the recipient’s inbox is full, they won’t be able to receive any new emails until they make space.
  • Email too large: If the email you’re sending is too large for the recipient’s mailbox, it may be returned as a soft bounce.
  • Greylisted: Some email servers use greylisting to protect against spam. If a recipient’s server uses this technique, the first email you send will be returned as a soft bounce. However, subsequent emails will be delivered.

Hard Bounce vs Soft Bounce: How to fix  

So, how can you deal with soft bounces? Here are a few tips:

  • Try again later: If you receive a temporary soft bounce, try resending the email at a later time.
  • Check the recipient’s inbox: If you receive a soft bounce because of a full inbox, wait until the recipient has made space before trying again.
  • Optimize your emails: If you’re receiving soft bounces because your emails are too large, try optimizing them by compressing images and removing unnecessary content.
  • Use a reputable bulk email sender: A reputable bulk email sender, such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact, can help you avoid soft bounces by ensuring that your emails meet industry standards and best practices.

Soft bounces can be a nuisance for email marketers, but they’re not the end of the world. By understanding the different types of bounces, hard bounce vs soft bounce, and implementing the tips we’ve discussed, you can reduce the number of soft bounces you receive and improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns.

🚀 Want more tips and tricks? See our Essential Email Marketing Checklist – 3 Steps Only!

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