How to Verify If an Email Address Is Real or Fake
Why Email Validation is Important
Email validation ensures that an email address is valid and exists. This is crucial for email marketing because it reduces the number of bounced emails, which are messages returned to the sender because the mail server couldn’t deliver them.Also Check Is there a free email checker
If your business frequently adds new email addresses to your mailing lists, many could be spam, misspelled, or invalid. Therefore, it’s essential to check the validity of new email addresses to ensure high deliverability rates and avoid catch-all addresses, disposable emails, or spam traps.
Benefits of Validating Emails
Not validating email addresses can increase your bounce rate and damage your reputation as a sender. Email providers might then mark your messages as spam, reducing the chance they reach the intended audience. Your IP address or messages could even be blocklisted, further harming your sender reputation.
Fortunately, checking if an email address is real is quick and inexpensive. Validating emails ensures better deliverability and higher customer engagement, saving you from dealing with spam emails.
How to Verify Email Addresses
1. Send a Test Email: The simplest way to check an email address is by sending a test email. If it’s fake, it will bounce back, indicating the address is invalid.
2. Password Recovery: Use services like Microsoft, Google, or Yahoo during the account recovery process to check if an email address exists. Enter the address on their recovery page; if it doesn’t exist, you’ll be informed.
3. IP Address Lookup: Perform an IP address lookup to see where the email originated. Check the message’s code for the IP address under ‘received from’, then use an address lookup tool to find its ISP and location.
4. Google Search: Search the email address online. Valid addresses often appear in search results due to the person’s online presence. This method is useful for single email checks but can be time-consuming for larger lists.
5. Email Verification Tools: Use tools like Bouncer to validate large lists of email addresses quickly. These tools can detect fake emails, check syntax errors, and identify invalid domains and spam traps.
Choosing an Email Verification Tool
When using email marketing campaigns, ensure your contact lists are updated and valid. An email validation tool saves time and improves deliverability, especially with large lists. Key features to look for include:
– Syntax Errors: Detects and corrects spelling mistakes.
– Domain Issues: Verifies if the domain and email server exist and can receive emails.
– Spam Traps: Identifies fake emails used by providers to catch spammers.
Consequences of Sending to Invalid Addresses
Sending emails to invalid addresses can harm your sender reputation over time. Increased bounce rates make it harder for valid emails to be delivered. Using an email checker tool ensures your messages reach real, valid addresses.
