A hard bounce is the response that occurs when a server is not able to send an email. The most common example of a hard bounce is when the user doesn’t exist on that domain or the email has been blocked.
A soft bounce is the response that occurs when a recipient’s mail server is temporarily unable to accept your email. This typically happens when the recipient’s mailbox is full or the mail server is unable to be reached and is not responding.
To keep a handle on both hard and soft bounces, Silverpop recommends constant list hygiene and regular monitoring of email delivery reports. Sending to recent and active openers and clickers will keep your bounce rates low and your reputation and deliverability high.
For tips on handling soft and hard bounces, read Silverpop’s blog, “How Bounces Affect Deliverability.”
