At PassKit, we strive to ensure the best possible email deliverability for all our customers. A key factor in achieving this is maintaining a healthy sender reputation, which can be impacted by high bounce rates and complaint rates. This article explains what these rates are, why they matter, and what you can do to keep your welcome emails flowing smoothly.
What are Bounce Rates and Complaint Rates?
Bounce Rate
This is the percentage of emails you send that are not delivered to the recipient's inbox. Bounces can be "hard" (invalid email address) or "soft" (temporary issue like a full inbox). A high bounce rate indicates a problem with your email list.
Complaint Rate
This is the percentage of recipients who mark your email as spam or junk. A high complaint rate suggests issues with your email content or how you're targeting your audience.
Why Do These Rates Matter?
Email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and others use these metrics to assess the quality of emails and the sender's reputation. High bounce rates and complaint rates signal potential problems, which can lead to:
Lower Deliverability
Your emails are more likely to end up in spam folders or not be delivered at all.
Account Suspension
To protect our overall sender reputation and ensure deliverability for all PassKit users, we have thresholds in place. Exceeding these thresholds can lead to temporary or even permanent suspension of your email sending capabilities.
PassKit's Email Delivery Policy
PassKit monitors email delivery performance to maintain a healthy ecosystem. If your account triggers our warning threshold for bounce or complaint rates, you'll receive an email notification. If the issue is not addressed and the rate continues to climb, your welcome emails will be temporarily suspended.
Warning Threshold
This is the point at which we notify you of a potential problem. It's a chance to take corrective action before a suspension occurs.
Suspension Threshold
If your rate exceeds this threshold, your welcome emails will be automatically suspended for 24 hours.
Suspension Duration
The initial suspension is 24 hours. Each subsequent suspension will increase by 24 hours.
What to Do if You Receive a Notification
If you receive a PassKit email delivery alert or suspension notice, it's crucial to take immediate action. Here's what you should do:
Review Your Email List
Verify Email Addresses: Use an email verification service to identify and remove invalid, inactive, or spam trap email addresses. This is the most common cause of high bounce rates.
Segment Your List: Divide your list into smaller, more targeted segments. This allows you to send more relevant content to each group, reducing the likelihood of complaints.
Ensure Opt-in: Confirm that all recipients have explicitly opted in to receive emails from you. Avoid purchasing email lists, as these often contain invalid or uninterested addresses.
Review Your Email Content
Content Quality: Ensure your emails are engaging, informative, and relevant to your target audience. Avoid spammy language, excessive use of capital letters, or misleading subject lines.
Clear Subject Line: Use a clear and concise subject line that accurately reflects the email's content.
Easy Unsubscribe: Make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe from your emails. This helps reduce complaint rates.
Check Your Sending Practices
Sending Frequency
Avoid sending too many emails too frequently. This can annoy recipients and lead to complaints.
Personalization
Personalize your emails whenever possible. This makes them more engaging and less likely to be marked as spam.
Email Delivery Restored
Once your suspension period is over, your email service will be automatically reinstated. You'll receive a confirmation email. However, it's essential that you address the underlying issues that led to the suspension to prevent future occurrences. Repeated suspensions will significantly impact your ability to reach your audience.
Need Help?
If you have any questions or require assistance in improving your email deliverability, please don't hesitate to contact the PassKit Support Team. We're here to help you succeed.