What defines a Hard Bounce in email marketing?

A Hard Bounce in email marketing is defined as an undeliverable email that occurs when the recipient's email address is invalid, which could be due to various reasons such as the address being misspelled or the email account no longer existing. This type of delivery failure is permanent, meaning that the email cannot be delivered and will not succeed in reaching the intended recipient.

This understanding of Hard Bounces is crucial for maintaining a healthy email list. When you encounter a Hard Bounce, it indicates a need to clean your list by removing invalid addresses to improve your email deliverability rates and overall campaign effectiveness. Hard Bounces differ from temporary failures, where an email may bounce back for reasons like the recipient's mailbox being full, which could resolve itself over time. Recognizing the nature of Hard Bounces helps marketers take appropriate steps in list management and targeting strategies.