Email addresses are deeply personal, a unique identifier that connects you to multiple platforms, services, and purchases. Unfortunately, these connections can also be a liability if you’re collecting email addresses for the wrong reasons. Regularly verifying your list helps you clean up your database and ensures that the contacts you’re reaching out to are genuinely interested in receiving your emails.
What is an email verification check?
A verify email check the validity of an email address without sending a test message. It looks at a variety of criteria to determine whether an address is a good, bad, or invalid email. Email verification solutions range from simple syntax checks to more advanced, patented methods that look at many different data points.
One simple technique for pinging an email address is to use a command-line tool like dig or nslookup and query the MX records of a domain name to see where emails addressed to it should be delivered. This isn’t foolproof; however, it can be a useful tool to help you decide whether you want to take the risk of sending to an unverified email address.
More advanced tools use a variety of signals to assess an email address’s reputation and ownership. These can include checking if the email is a disposable address or was created recently, based on the date it was first seen. Other signaling criteria may include the velocity of the email, whether it’s in a blocklist, and more. Using these and other data points, email verifiers can detect suspicious behavior and prevent bad actors from engaging with your brand.