Bounces, spam traps, and disengaged recipients are the three fastest ways to damage reputation, and all three are prevented by hygiene.
Mistake 1: Importing old exports without verification#
Why it hurts: this undermines email list hygiene at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Verify new signups in real time with an API and use double opt-in for marketing lists.
Mistake 2: Keeping unengaged contacts because the list size looks good in reports#
Why it hurts: this undermines email list hygiene at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Suppress hard bounces immediately and soft bounces after 3 consecutive failures.
Frequently asked questions#
What is a spam trap?
An address that never opted in, maintained by providers and blocklists to catch senders with poor acquisition practices. Hitting one can blocklist your IP or domain.
What bounce rate is acceptable?
Under 2% hard bounces. Above 5% typically triggers ESP account reviews.