Catch All Email Verification: What it Is and How to Do it

What are catch-all emails?

Catch-all emails refer to a configuration setting on a mail server that allows the server to accept emails addressed to any mailbox, even if the specific mailbox has not been set up. 

In other words, a catch-all email address is designed to “catch all” emails sent to a domain, regardless of whether a predefined mailbox exists for that particular address.

Catch all email address example

For example, if a domain has a catch-all email configured and someone sends an email to an address like [email protected], the catch-all configuration ensures that the email is accepted, even if there is no specific mailbox set up for “random.”

Why do companies use catch-all email addresses?

  
Catch-all emails can be useful in certain situations, such as capturing emails with typos or variations, but they can also be a source of spam if not managed properly.

Companies may use catch-all emails for various reasons, including:

Flexibility and convenience

Catch-all emails provide flexibility by accepting emails addressed to any mailbox under a domain.

And that’s even if the specific mailbox hasn’t been created. This can be convenient for capturing emails with typos, variations, or unexpected addresses.

Preventing email loss

Catch-all configurations help prevent the loss of emails due to typos or variations in the address.

Without a catch-all, an email sent to a mistyped or nonexistent address might bounce back as undeliverable.

Customer communication

For companies with a heavy focus on customer communication, having a catch-all can be helpful. 

For example, you can verify that customer inquiries or feedback are not missed due to minor errors in the email address provided.

Adaptability to changes

When companies frequently create new email addresses or change them, a catch-all address can adapt to these changes without requiring constant adjustments to the email server configuration.

While catch-all emails offer flexibility, they can also be a source of spam or unwanted emails. 

Managing a catch-all system effectively requires proper filtering and monitoring to maintain security and prevent abuse. 

Some organizations prefer not to use catch-all emails to maintain more control over their email communication and reduce the risk of receiving unsolicited messages.

Should you send emails to catch-all addresses?

  
Sending emails to catch-all addresses can be a double-edged sword, and the decision largely depends on the context and goals of your email marketing strategy.

Here are some things worth your consideration:

Pros:

• Capture missed opportunities – catch-all email addresses help capture emails with typos or variations, potentially saving missed opportunities for communication.
• Flexibility – they provide flexibility, especially in dynamic environments where email addresses frequently change.
• Prevent bounces – sending to catch-all email addresses may prevent immediate bounces caused by typos or changes in email addresses.

Cons:

• Potential for spam traps – catch-all email email addresses might include abandoned or unused mailboxes. As such, they increase the risk of hitting spam traps. This can harm your reputation as the sender.
• Unreliable engagement data – emails sent to catch-all email addresses might not reflect genuine engagement, as they could include non-responsive or inactive users.
• Spam filters – some spam filters might flag emails sent to catch-all addresses and consider them suspicious.
• Inaccurate analytics – catch-all addresses can skew your email marketing analytics. Since they may not represent real individuals, your open rates, click-through rates, and other engagement metrics won’t provide an accurate picture of customer behavior.
• Email reputation risks – a high volume of messages sent to catch-all addresses can harm the reputation of the sender. Repeated delivery attempts and bounces can trigger spam filters and impact the deliverability of your emails to valid addresses.
• Decreased engagement – as many catch-all addresses are not actively monitored or managed, your emails might go unnoticed or unopened. This can lead to lower overall engagement rates and reduced opportunities to convert leads into customers.
• Resource waste – sending emails to catch-all addresses consumes resources, including server capacity and bandwidth. This is particularly concerning when you consider that many of these emails may never be read or acted upon.
• Increased spam complaints – when catch-all email addresses accumulate irrelevant messages, their users may be more inclined to mark your emails as spam. High spam complaint rates negatively impact your reputation and email deliverability.

In conclusion, while sending to catch-all addresses can offer some advantages, it’s visible that there are far more threats that come with this practice. Regularly reviewing and cleaning your email list through verification services is a good practice to maintain its quality and effectiveness.

Why you should verify catch-all emails

Verifying catch-all emails is essential for several reasons, and one of the critical concerns is its impact on deliverability.

Here are a few reasons why verifying them is crucial, especially for maintaining good deliverability:

Avoidance of bounces

Catch-all email addresses are configured to accept emails for any mailbox, valid or not. Verifying catch-all emails helps identify non-existent or invalid email addresses before sending. As such, you can prevent unnecessary bounces that can harm your reputation as the sender.

Improvement of sender reputation

Speaking of reputation, sending emails to non-existent or catch-all addresses can result in negatively affecting it. A poor reputation may lead to emails being marked as spam, reduced inbox placement, and overall lower deliverability.

Enhanced engagement metrics

Verifying catch-all emails ensures that the addresses in your list are actively monitored and managed. This contributes to more accurate engagement metrics and allows you to assess the genuine interest and responsiveness of your audience.

Prevention of spam complaints

Catch-all addresses that receive unwanted or irrelevant emails may be more prone to marking messages as spam. When you verify these addresses, you reduce the risk of spam complaints and safeguard your sender reputation and email deliverability.

Focus on genuine engagement

As a result of concentrating on verified and active email addresses, you can direct your efforts toward building relationships with real, engaged customers. This strategic approach can lead to higher conversion rates and increased customer satisfaction.

Reduced risk of blacklisting

High bounce rates and spam complaints resulting from sending email marketing campaigns to catch-all addresses can lead to your IP address or domain being blacklisted. Verifying these emails helps mitigate the risk of blacklisting and preserves your ability to reach the inboxes of legitimate subscribers.

How catchall email verification works with Bouncer

Bouncer is a top-tier email validation service that excels in identifying catch-all emails.

It employs a solid approach that goes beyond a mere catch-all status to treat it as a specific attribute.

This attribute-based approach is flagged for nuanced insights into the email status. The outcome? You get a deeper level of verification.

Here’s a breakdown of how Bouncer’s catch-all email verification works:

• Random email address testing – Bouncer conducts thorough testing with random email addresses for each new domain. As such, it can identify catch all emails with precision.
• Attribute, not just a status – unlike some tools, Bouncer treats catch-all email servers as an attribute and provides a detailed understanding of the email status.
• Precise analysis – Bouncer’s uniqueness lies in its precise identification of catch-all domains, with additional checks for popular providers like Google, Microsoft, or Outlook.
• Author methods for deep verification – Bouncer employs author methods for the deep verification of catch-all email addresses, which consider factors such as registration status for nuanced results.
• Scoring system – the tool offers a scoring system within the application that delivers insights into the likelihood of deliverability based on factors like provider and catch-all status.
• Functional address recognition – this solution distinguishes between functional and non-functional addresses within catch-all domains. As such, it contributes to a more accurate assessment of deliverability.
• Market challenges – our software acknowledges the challenges in verifying catch-all addresses in the market and emphasizes its scalability and usability on a larger scale.
• Risk management – Bouncer advises users not necessarily to remove catch-all addresses but to exercise caution due to their potential impact on sender reputation.
    

9+1 reasons to choose Bouncer for catch-all email address verification

Are you not sure whether Bouncer can help you? Here are 9 + 1 reasons that will leave you without a single doubt:

#1 SMTP expertise

Companies opt for Bouncer due to its deep simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) expertise. They benefit from expert advice on email verification.

#2 Privacy and anti-spam measures

Bouncer acts as a shield against email finders, safeguarding your email addresses from being exposed to potential spam.

#3 Uninterrupted communication

Bouncer is the go-to choice for businesses that prioritize communication continuity. You can rest assured that your email messages won’t get lost.

#4 Precision in verification

Bouncer’s verification is extremely precise – we offer 99.5%+ accuracy. Thanks to using random email addresses to scrutinize domains that “accept all” messages, it sets itself apart. Notably, Bouncer treats “catch-all” as an attribute, not just a status.

#5 Comprehensive verification

Bouncer goes the extra mile with its verification process. For widely used domains like Google, Microsoft, or Outlook, it carries out supplementary checks, significantly enhancing the accuracy of the verification process.

#6 Registered address validation

With Bouncer, you benefit from a deep verification of catch-all email addresses. It assesses whether an email address is registered. If it is, the email is marked as deliverable, even within a “catch-all” domain.

#7 Focusing on high market penetration

Bouncer prioritizes domains with high market penetration, such as Google, Microsoft, and Outlook. These checks maximize the accuracy of your verification process and minimize the risk of sending to incorrect addresses.

#8 Versatile scoring system

Bouncer’s application presents a scoring system, indicating the likelihood of deliverability. This score is applicable in cases where catch-all emails accept messages, helping you assess the safety of sending messages.

#9 Promoting awareness

Bouncer’s approach doesn’t just advocate for the removal of potentially risky catch-all addresses. Instead, it fosters awareness among users.

#10 Scale with confidence

In a market where verifying catch-all emails is challenging, Bouncer offers a scalable solution. Designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes, it ensures that you don’t unknowingly send spam emails or messages to wrong addresses.

Do you like what you see? Then give Bouncer a try and change your email marketing efforts for the better.
  

Conclusion

Now you know everything about catch all email verification.

Does this mean you’re ready to improve your email marketing? Almost.

Don’t forget about the most important aspect – the tool you’ll use.

Depending on that, your catch-all verification can either go perfectly or perfectly wrong – you choose.

Our recommendation is Bouncer – for it’s the only solution on the market offering deep verification of catch all email addresses using author methods.

Don’t wait – choose Bouncer today.