Bounce & Delivery Metrics

Understanding "delivery" vs. "deliverability." We'll define "Delivery Rate" (how many messages were accepted by the server) and explain why "100% Delivery" doesn't mean "100% Inbox." This is the first mate's log of what made it to the harbor wall.

20 questions in this topic

What is bounce rate? What's the difference between hard bounces and soft bounces? What causes hard bounces? What causes soft bounces? What is an acceptable bounce rate? How can I reduce my bounce rate? What do SMTP error codes (550, 421, etc.) actually mean for reporting? How do deferred emails affect delivery metrics? What’s the difference between “delivered” and “accepted”? Why do some ESPs show “delivered” when the email hit spam? How do suppressions influence bounce rates? How to track mailbox-full or temporary deferrals? What happens to bounce data over time (aging)? What’s the impact of “blocked” vs “bounced”? How do ISPs report spam complaints differently from bounces? What is email delivery rate? How is delivery rate calculated? What's the difference between "sent," "delivered," and "delivery rate"? Can an email be delivered but not reach the inbox? What is a good delivery rate?

Questions about Bounce & Delivery Metrics