What Makes an Email Invalid? Examples and Solutions for Marketers

Invalid emails can wreck your marketing efforts and waste your budget. Here’s what you need to know:

23% of your email list goes bad every year
Invalid emails lead to bounces, hurting your sender reputation
Poor email list hygiene can land you in the spam folder

Key causes of invalid emails:

Typos (e.g., @gnail.com instead of @gmail.com)
Outdated information (changed jobs, expired domains)
Fake emails used to avoid spam
Syntax errors (wrong characters)
Inactive accounts

How to tackle invalid emails:

Use real-time validation tools during sign-ups
Clean your email list every 3-6 months
Implement double opt-in for new subscribers
Monitor bounce rates closely

By addressing invalid emails, you can boost deliverability, engagement, and ultimately, your bottom line. Spotify saw 34% better deliverability and $2.3 million more revenue after cleaning their list.

Ready to supercharge your email marketing? Let’s dive into the details of invalid emails and how to keep your list squeaky clean.

The Best Way To Validate Emails & Remove Invalid Email Addresses

What Makes an Email Invalid

Ever sent an email that bounced back? Let’s explore why some emails just don’t work.

What is an Invalid Email

An invalid email is like a letter with a wrong address. It can’t reach its destination. Here’s what makes an email valid:

A unique username (before the @)
The @ symbol
A valid domain name (like gmail.com)

Miss any of these, and your email won’t work.

Email Address Rules

Email addresses follow strict rules:

One @ symbol
Letters, numbers, and some special characters before the @
At least one period and a valid top-level domain after the @
No spaces allowed

“[email protected]” works. “john@[email protected]” doesn’t.

Main Causes of Invalid Emails

Here’s why emails go bad:

1. Typos. We all make mistakes. “[email protected]” instead of “[email protected]” won’t reach anyone.

2. Outdated Information. People change jobs. Companies rebrand. Domains expire. Yesterday’s valid email might not work today.

3. Fake Emails. Some people use fake emails to avoid spam. “[email protected]” probably won’t work.

4. Syntax Errors. Using wrong characters breaks emails. “john(doe)@example.com” isn’t valid.

5. Inactive Accounts. Even if an email looks right, the account might be closed.

Here’s a wake-up call: Mailchimp found that up to 20% of emails might not reach their targets. That’s a lot of wasted effort!

“Invalid emails are like potholes on the digital highway – they can seriously slow down your marketing journey and damage your sender reputation along the way.” – MailerCheck

Let’s look at a real example. In March 2023, Spotify cleaned their 45-million subscriber list using Mailchimp’s Email Verification API. The result? 34% better deliverability and $2.3 million more revenue. That’s the power of fixing invalid emails.

What can marketers do? Try these:

Use real-time validation tools during sign-ups
Clean your email list regularly
Use double opt-in to confirm email addresses
Watch your bounce rates for sudden spikes

Common Types of Invalid Emails

Let’s explore invalid emails. Knowing these can save you time and money in your marketing efforts.

Wrong Email Format

Wrongly formatted emails are like letters without addresses. They’re lost in the digital world.

Common mistakes:

No “@” symbol
Typos in domains ([email protected] instead of [email protected])
Misplaced periods

These small errors can stop emails dead in their tracks. Mailchimp found that up to 20% of emails might miss their targets due to such issues.

Non-Working Email Addresses

These look right but lead nowhere. They’re like empty houses with a nice exterior.

Non-working emails include:

Addresses with expired domains
Full mailboxes
Blocked addresses

How big is this problem? HubSpot says email lists decay by about 22.5% yearly. That’s a lot of wasted potential.

Problem Email Types

These are the tricky ones. They seem valid but can cause headaches.

Temporary Emails

Think of these as disposable email addresses. People use them to dodge spam, but they’re not great for marketers. They make your list look bigger without adding value.

Role-Based Addresses

Emails like [email protected] or [email protected] are common but risky. Multiple people often manage them, making personalization hard. They can also change hands often, leading to inconsistent communication.

Spam Traps

These are the hidden dangers of email marketing. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use them to catch spammers. Hit one, and your sender reputation could plummet overnight.

“Just because an email address ‘works’ doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a good fit for your mailing list.” – Verifalia

This quote nails it. Not all valid emails are worth having on your list.

What can marketers do? Here’s a quick plan:

Use real-time email verification when people sign up. It’s like having a bouncer for your email list.
Clean your list regularly. Think of it as digital housekeeping.
Be careful with role-based emails. They’re not always bad, but use caution.
Keep an eye on your bounce rates. A sudden increase could mean trouble.

How Invalid Emails Hurt Your Business

Invalid emails aren’t just annoying – they can wreck your marketing and cost you money. Let’s look at the real impact of keeping those bad addresses on your list.

Email Delivery Problems

Ever send out a great email and get crickets? Invalid emails might be why. They cause hard bounces, which ISPs hate.

Here’s the thing: if your bounce rate tops 2%, your sender reputation takes a hit. That means even your good emails might land in spam or get blocked. It’s like trying to deliver mail in a ghost town – eventually, the post office gets suspicious.

Lower Sender Trust

Think of your sender reputation as your email credit score. Invalid emails can tank it fast.

“Your sender reputation is a key factor in determining whether your email messages will get delivered to the inbox. Much like how a credit score measures credit worthiness, your sender reputation score gauges the health of your email marketing campaigns and the quality of your reputation with mailbox providers.” – Validity

When ISPs see you sending to bad addresses, they start to side-eye your whole operation. The result? More of your emails get marked as spam, even for your best subscribers.

Poor Campaign Results

Invalid emails mess up your metrics. If 20% of your list is junk, your real open and click rates are way higher than they look. But you’re missing out on potential engagement from those fake subscribers.

This bad data can lead to bad decisions. You might think a campaign flopped when it never had a chance to reach its full audience.

Extra Costs

Sending emails costs money, and invalid addresses are like flushing cash down the toilet. Most email providers charge based on list size or emails sent. So you’re paying for emails that will never be opened, clicked, or converted.

Let’s do some math. If you pay $50 a month for 10,000 subscribers, and 20% are invalid, you’re wasting $10 every month. That’s $120 a year – money you could spend on better content or ads.

Wrong Data Reports

Invalid emails don’t just cost cash – they cost insights. When your data is full of fake subscribers, you’re making choices based on lies.

You might think your open rates stink across the board, when they’re actually solid among real subscribers. This could make you trash a good email strategy, wasting time and money.

The fix? Clean your list regularly. Tools like mailfloss can automatically ditch invalid emails, saving time and boosting your email game. A clean list means better data, better delivery, and more bang for your email marketing buck.

How to Find and Stop Invalid Emails

Instant Email Checking Tools

Think of real-time email verification as your bouncer at the door. It stops bad emails before they even get in.

Take mailfloss, for example. It hooks up with over 35 email providers and cleans your list daily. It fixes typos and kicks out invalid addresses automatically. No manual work needed.

For the tech-savvy folks, mailfloss has an API (https://developers.mailfloss.com/). You can bake email verification right into your apps. It’s like having a spam filter for your email list.

Email List Cleaning Methods

Your email list is like a garden – it needs regular weeding. Did you know about 22.5% of email lists go bad each year? Here’s how to keep yours fresh:

Clean regularly: Aim for every 3-6 months, depending on how big and fast-growing your list is.
Cut the dead weight: Keep an eye on who’s opening and clicking. If someone’s been ghosting you for 6-12 months, it might be time to let them go.
Watch those bounces: Hard bounces? Remove them ASAP. Soft bounces? Keep an eye out for patterns.
Try to win them back: Before you cut someone loose, try a “We miss you” campaign. You might just rekindle the flame.

Ways to Stop Bad Emails

The best defense is a good offense. Here’s how to keep bad emails out:

Double Opt-in: It’s like a two-step verification for your email list. Fewer sign-ups? Maybe. But the ones you get are gold.
Keep it simple: Make your sign-up forms clear and easy. The less room for confusion, the better.
Auto-complete to the rescue: Use tools that suggest email domains as people type. It’s like autocorrect for email addresses.
Bot blockers: CAPTCHA or honeypot fields can keep the bots at bay. No bots means fewer fake emails.

Put these strategies to work, and you’ll build a lean, mean email list. Remember:

“Not only is getting permission the single most effective way to keep bounce rates low, but it’s also a legal requirement in some parts of the world.” – Outfunnel

This quote nails it. Focus on quality over quantity. You’ll see better deliverability, more engagement, and ultimately, your email marketing will pack a bigger punch.

Tools and Tips for Marketers

Clean email lists are key in email marketing. Let’s look at some tools and tips to handle bad emails and boost your campaigns.

mailfloss: Automatic Email Checking

mailfloss makes email list management a breeze. It works with over 35 email services, including Mailchimp, HubSpot, and ActiveCampaign. Here’s why it…WE, are so cool:

It cleans your list daily, no effort needed
Fixes common typos, saving potential contacts
Checks emails in real-time when people sign up

Email List Management Tips

Tools are great, but strategy matters too. Try these:

Group Your Subscribers: Sort them by what they do, like, or who they are. It helps you send better emails and spot inactive groups.
Use Double Opt-in: It might slow growth, but it ensures your subscribers really want your emails. Campaign Monitor says these lists get 13% more opens.
Watch Your Numbers: Keep an eye on bounces, opens, and clicks. Big changes might mean list problems.
Have a “Goodbye” Plan: Decide when to remove inactive subscribers. Maybe after 6 months of no opens?

Keep Your List Fresh

Maintaining your list is ongoing. Here’s a simple plan:

Monthly: Quick check of your list health
Every 3 Months: Deep clean – remove hard bounces, update changed emails, sort out inactive folks
Yearly: Try to re-engage inactive subscribers, remove those who don’t respond
All the Time: Check emails as people sign up to keep bad ones out

Key Takeaways

Here’s what we’ve learned about invalid emails and how to tackle them for better marketing results:

Invalid emails are a big deal. They’re not just annoying – they can hurt your marketing efforts. Up to 30% of your email list could be invalid. That’s a lot of missed opportunities!

Your sender reputation matters. It’s like your email credit score. Too many bounces from invalid emails, and ISPs get suspicious. Keep your bounce rate under 2% to stay in their good graces.

Clean lists lead to better results. When Spotify cleaned their 45-million subscriber list using Mailchimp’s Email Verification API, they saw 34% better deliverability and $2.3 million more revenue. That’s what a clean list can do!

Real-time verification is a game-changer. Tools like mailfloss can catch bad emails before they join your list. One marketer saw 15% fewer bounces in just a month using this approach.

Double opt-in pays off. It might slow you down, but Campaign Monitor reports that double opt-in lists get 13% more opens. Quality beats quantity.

Regular cleaning is key. Deep clean your list every 3 months. Remove hard bounces, update changed emails, and deal with inactive subscribers. It’s like digital housekeeping – a bit of work, but it keeps things running smoothly.

Try a re-engagement campaign. Before you remove someone, send a “We miss you” email. You might just win back some old subscribers.

FAQs

Let’s tackle some common questions about invalid emails and how to handle them in your marketing efforts.

Why does it keep saying my email is invalid?

Your email might be flagged as invalid for a few reasons:

Typos (like “gnail.com” instead of “gmail.com”)
The address doesn’t exist
The recipient’s inbox is full
The email provider has blocked the address

To fix this, double-check for typos, make sure the address exists, and consider using an email verification tool.

What does the format of the email address is not valid mean?

This error pops up when an email address is missing one of its key parts:

The part before the @
The @ symbol
The domain name after the @
The top-level domain (.com, .org, etc.)

For example, “johndoe@example” isn’t valid because it’s missing the top-level domain. Always use the correct format: [email protected].

Why does it keep saying invalid email?

If you’re seeing “invalid email” errors over and over, it could be because of:

Persistent typos
An outdated email list
Server problems on the recipient’s end
Overzealous spam filters

To tackle this, clean your email list regularly, use double opt-in for new subscribers, and think about using an email verification service like mailfloss.