In this guide, we will talk about how to check if an email is valid. In the marketing business, it is crucial to understand validating emails. This will help you to differentiate between real and fake email addresses.
Usually, for marketing any product, a company has to send marketing emails to its target customers. For that, their marketing agency adds numerous email addresses to the mailing list of the business.
The agency may add emails with syntax errors to the mailing list. This will cause these email addresses to turn invalid. Secondly, the mailing list may also contain spam email addresses in it.
It is important to have some mechanism to weed off invalid and spam email addresses. That will ensure the business emails reach the target audience without any failure.
For that, you would need to know the methods for email validation. Apart from some free methods of email ID verification, there are paid tools available that can validate real email addresses.
What is the Problem with Invalid Email Addresses?
Correct email addresses on the mailing list have a high deliverability rate. The scope of spam is very less. An invalid email address will cause the email to bounce back.
Multiple instances of sending mail to the wrong email address will lead to email services marking your messages as spam. This will cause a reduction in your intended audience.
Best Ways to Check if an Email Address is Valid
Here are the different methods to check for valid email addresses.
1. Send an Email to the Address
Simply shoot an email to an email address to determine if it is valid or not. Email sent to an invalid email address will bounce back.
Type a mail body “Hi, this is a test email to check if this address is valid. Acknowledge If you receive this email”. Then send it to an email address.
If the email gets bounced, you will receive a notification from your email service.
- Message not Delivered: There was a problem delivering your message to [email protected]. See the technical details below or resend the email in a few minutes.
- Address not Found: Your message wasn’t delivered to [email protected] because the address couldn’t be found or is unable to receive mail.
2. Perform an IP Address Lookup
IP address lookup determines the location of an IP address. Each email ID that sends or receives emails is associated with an IP address. In the source of the message, under the “received from” tab you can find the IP address.
You can copy the IP address and use the What is My IP Address tool to know the location of the IP Address. If the IP address is based in a region different from what the sender claims, then it could be a fake or spam email.
Looking up for IP address can be a time-consuming process for cross-checking several emails. Also, it doesn’t provide any clue regarding the deliverability of the address.
3. Search for Email Address in Google
You can search for an email address and know if it is real or not by searching for it in Google. Search engines frequently crawl the internet and index the contents. That includes email addresses as well.
Genuine email addresses also get crawled by Google and you can search for it. Simply in the search bar of Google input the email address. A fake email address cannot be retrieved but the genuine email address will show up in the search result.
4. Password Recovery Method
The account recovery process on email service providers has a mechanism for checking email addresses. If you have ever used the Gmail account recovery, you must have noticed one thing. If you enter a wrong email address(typo) the system will detect it as an invalid email address.
Upon receiving emails from Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook, you can visit the account recovery page of the respective email service provider. Enter an email address and you will know if it is fake or genuine. It is a time-consuming process though.
Google | https://www.google.com/accounts/recovery
Microsoft | https://account.live.com/password/reset
Yahoo | https://edit.yahoo.com/forgot
5. Using an Email Verifier
There are several tools that you can use to verify the legitimacy of an email address. These apps are called email verifiers.
Usually, email verifiers offer a limited number of free email address checking. Then you may have to buy their premium services to validate more emails.
Some of the Free Email Verifier
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
What is the Meaning of a Valid Email?
A valid email has the correct syntax and connection with an existing domain.
How to Check if an Email Address Is Valid?
Send an email to the address to see if the message gets delivered or bounces back.
Why My Email is Not Valid?
The email is invalid because the address has an incorrect format or the email address is not in the email service’s server.
How to Validate Email Address for Free?
Use an email validation service to validate email IDs. Various tools on the internet offer such services to verify email addresses.
What Happens if You Send an Email to an Invalid Address?
Wrapping Up
I hope now you know how to check if an email is valid. With valid email addresses, you can reach your target audience and enhance your business.
