June 17, 2024

Email Verification: How to Check that an Email is Valid (5 methods)

Are you consistently launching campaigns and finding that your emails are not reaching their intended targets?  Outdated or inaccurate contact lists could be to blame, and it could be costing you.  

There are several reasons why an email may bounce. Here are some of the common reasons: 

  • The address may be typed incorrectly 
  • The address may be outdated and no longer in use
  • A targeted lead has entered false information (according to one study, this is very common)
  • A contact data provider or list builder may have incorrectly based the email syntax off of other email addresses from the organization

What is Email Verification?

Email verification is the process of checking if an email address is valid and active and whether it belongs to a real person or organization.  Verifying that an email address is associated with a valid domain and that the mailbox can receive messages is also part of the email verification process.  Several ways to perform email verification are included in this article but mainly fall into one of two categories.  Verifying an email address can be done manually online using various methods, such as searching for the email address on Google, or emails can be verified in bulk using email verification tools from a range of reputable providers.  

Importance of Email Deliverability & Verifying Emails

Why is it important to verify emails? Because of email deliverability! Email deliverability is crucial for successful marketing campaigns and outbound sales development efforts.  Poor email deliverability and high bounce rates will harm your domain reputation and could land your emails in your intended recipient’s spam folder.  If they will never read your email, your effort is wasted.  

On the other hand, high email deliverability ensures that your emails reach the intended recipients' inboxes, increasing the chances of engagement and conversions. With high deliverability rates, you can build a strong brand reputation, enhance customer trust, and maximize your email marketing investment return.

How do you keep your bounce rate as low as possible? The best way is to verify the address of your intended recipients before you send an email. So, what are the methods for verifying emails?  This article will discuss five proven methods to verify email addresses without sending emails.

#1: Search for an email address on Google

A simple Google search of the email address will often return a list of web pages that contain the email address. A quick Google search is an easy way to determine whether the email is valid.  Don’t overlook this simple hack to verify that an email exists and is active. 

Check out this example below:

google search for email verification

#2 Type the email address into Gmail

Another simple way to verify an email address is to type the address into Gmail and then hover over it. If the email address is valid, you will often see the recipient’s name and image.  Verifying emails does not have to be hard or cost you anything!

gmail for email verification

#3 Type the email address into Google Sheets

Similar to typing the email address in Gmail, you can type the email address into a cell in Google Sheets, hover over it, and you should see a name and image.  With the name and image there, you know that the email exists, and the verification step is complete.  

#4 Check the email address syntax

A valid email address must have the following syntax:

{Username} + {@} + {Domain Name}

Which should look like…

kishan@withleadmatic.com

Not…

kishan.withleadmatic.com 

If you can find an example of one person’s email address at the company, you can usually guess that the syntax will be the same for someone else. This is not always the case, but it will work in most cases.

An example is:

If you have already confirmed Kishan’s email is: kishan@withleadmatic.com

Often…

You can figure out that Austin’s email is: austin@withleadmatic.com

While this is often true, it is not always the case, especially with large corporations that may randomly assign email addresses with unique ways to spell the person’s name, often even including numbers. 

#5 Use email verification tools

As mentioned, bulk contact lists require a more powerful email verification tool.  You can use email verification tools to automate syntax and domain checks and confirm that an email is still active on a server.

One of the most effective methods is using Leadmatic’s AI Sales Assistant. Leadmatic’s AI Sales Assistant email verifier utilizes a triple email verification method, verifying emails when first discovered by the tool, then on a recurring monthly basis, and finally, each time a user exports the email data from the tool.  The triple email verification method ensures the highest email deliverability industry standard.  

Here is how to use Leadmatic’s email verifier:

Do you have an existing list?  Select the Lead Enrichment tab on the left-hand pane inside Leadmatic AI Sales Assistant.  You can see it at the bottom of the image below.

leadmatic for email verification

The AI Sales Assistant will prompt you to upload a CSV of the list you want to enrich into the chat interface. Check it out below:

leadmatic campaign generator for email verification

A pop-up window will display your enriched list and allow you to export.  Click export, and you are done! 

email verification table

What is even more impressive about Leadmatic’s AI Sales Assistant is that if you are starting from scratch and need to verify emails, Leadmatic’s Campaign Creator can allow you to set certain criteria for who to include in your list, including company size, title, location, and other filters. With this information, you can quickly export a list built from scratch in minutes and be confident that the emails are verified. 

email verification chat interface

DO NOT use this method to verify emails

There is a classic method for verifying emails that is not recommended.  That is sending the email without knowing if the email is valid or not.   It is essential to verify an email before sending it, as it is likely that your email may not reach your intended target without verification.   Verification increases deliverability rates and ensures that the email does not bounce.  What is most important to avoid is a high bounce rate because high bounce rates with negatively impact your sender's reputation over time.  Therefore, it is essential to incorporate one of the methods recommended in this article vs. sending emails without performing email verification first. 

Summary of best practices for email verification

Implementing best email deliverability practices is crucial for an email campaign's success. This includes using a reliable email verification tool to ensure the accuracy of email addresses, regularly cleaning email lists to remove invalid or inactive addresses, and following double opt-in processes for verification. You should also use syntax and domain validation methods to verify email addresses. Monitoring deliverability metrics and implementing feedback loops can improve the sender's reputation. By following these best practices, businesses can maximize email deliverability and increase the effectiveness of their email campaigns.

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Who does Leadmatic partner with?

Companies with the following characteristics are best suited for working with Leadmatic:

  • Check mark
    Average contract value of over $10,000
  • Check mark
    A clear understanding of their prospects and their problems
  • Check mark
    A clear value proposition for their products and services

Is this your company? Then let’s chat!

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