Ignoring bounces wrecks your reputation. How to tell them apart and what to do for each.
Hard bounce
Permanent error: the mailbox doesn't exist or the domain is wrong. Remove the address immediately: continuing to mail it signals poor practices.
Soft bounce
Temporary error: full mailbox, server unavailable, message too large. Retry a few times, then treat as hard if it persists.
Why it matters
A high bounce rate is one of the strongest signals for filters: providers infer you don't manage your list. Process bounce notifications and keep the rate low.
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