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Email validation: How does email validation work?

At Loqate, we understand the importance of a great email validation solution. Poor data quality only leads to problems, such as high costs, failed communication and negative brand perception, so life is much easier if you are collecting only valid emails right from the off.

So, there’s no question that email validation is a must, but how does it work? And what’s the difference between using standard email validation and an advanced email validation tool?

Most email validation tools work by checking the syntax of an email address - an important step, sure, as this checks an an email address includes a user name, an @symbol and a domain name, e.g. com, .org, .net or .gov, as well as checking the number of characters is correct.

However, there are many other factors to consider if you want to make sure you’re not letting bogus email addresses through - and for this, you’ll need an advanced email validation tool.

There are also email validation options out there that go beyond simply checking the syntax of an email address, using algorithms to check that the domain exists and is accurate, check for bogus addresses, identify whether the mailbox exists and is capable of receiving mail, and make sure the server exists.

So, while an email validation tool that checks the syntax may appear to verify addresses, this is only surface deep, which means you could end up with a whole database full of poor quality emails that will cost you a lot of money, and will result in wasted marketing efforts and failed communications.

Questions to ask when choosing an email validation tool

  1. Does it determine whether the email address uses the correct syntax, i.e. includes a username, an @ symbol and a recognised suffix such as .com, .org or .net?
  2. Is it able to verify whether the email address exists?
  3. Does it work with ISPs from around the world and is it updated frequently for changes in ISPs?
  4. Will it check the validity of both business and personal email addresses?
  5. Will it help you maintain your sender reputation, reduce hard bounces and prevent emails being blocked?
  6. Is it easy to integrate?

 

Interested in learning more about email validation? Why not take a look at our free guide