Introduction

When it comes to B2B marketing, emails remain one of the most powerful channels for reaching out to potential clients. But what's the point of sending emails if they’re going to bounce back or land in spam folders? That's why email verification is crucial for every B2B marketer. In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know about verifying B2B emails.

Why verifying B2B emails is important

• Reduce bounce rates - Verifying B2B emails will help you identify and remove invalid email addresses from your database, which in turn helps reduce bounce rates.


• Improve deliverability - Accurate email lists will result in better inbox placement and help ensure your emails are actually reaching the intended recipients.


• Enhance sender reputation - High bounce rates and low engagement can negatively impact your sender reputation, which can lead to emails automatically being marked as spam by internet service providers.


• Cost-effective - Verifying B2B emails saves you the cost of sending emails to invalid contacts and allows you to focus your resources on high-quality leads.

Now that we've established the importance of email verification, let's dive into the different methods you can use to verify B2B emails and their respective pros and cons.

Step 1: Collecting Email Addresses for Verification

Before you can begin the process of verifying your B2B email addresses, you need to collect them. Here are some tips on where to search and how to find email addresses for verification:

Use LinkedIn to Find Email Addresses

LinkedIn is a great resource for finding email addresses for business professionals. If you’re connected to the person you’re trying to reach, you can view their contact information. If you’re not connected, you can use LinkedIn’s search feature to find their profile and look for their contact details on their page. Some people may not have their email address listed on their page, but you can still use LinkedIn to help you narrow down potential email addresses.

Search Company Websites

Company websites are a great place to find email addresses for employees. Look for pages with contact information or an “About Us” section that may list the email addresses of executives or department heads. You can also check the “Company News” section, as press releases often list contact information for media inquiries.

Search with Email Finder Tools

There are various email finder tools available that can help you find email addresses based on a person’s name and domain name. Some popular tools include Hunter, Voila Norbert, and Snovio. These tools can be helpful in finding email addresses quickly, but keep in mind that their accuracy may vary.

Consider Using a Data Provider

If you have a large list of email addresses to verify, a data provider like ExactBuyer can help. Our platform provides real-time contact and company data that can be used to verify email addresses and build targeted audiences. Our AI-powered search feature can help you find new accounts in your territory, top engineering or sales hires, ideal podcast guests, and more.

• Use LinkedIn to find email addresses


• Search company websites for email addresses


• Utilize email finder tools such as Hunter, Voila Norbert, and Snovio


• Consider using a data provider like ExactBuyer

By utilizing these different methods, you can collect a comprehensive list of B2B email addresses for verification. Once you have your list, it’s time to move on to Step 2 and start the verification process.

Step 2: Choosing a Verification Tool

When it comes to verifying your B2B emails, there are a few popular tools available in the market. Here we will give you an overview of some of those popular email verification tools and what to consider when choosing one:

Overview of Popular Email Verification Tools

• Clearout


• ZeroBounce


• DeBounce


• Hunter


• VoilaNorbert

What to Consider When Choosing a Verification Tool

Before you choose an email verification tool, there are a few things to consider:

• Accuracy: Make sure the tool you choose has a high accuracy rate for email verification.


• Cost: Look for a tool that fits your budget and offers reasonable pricing options.


• Integration: Check if the tool integrates with your existing systems such as CRM or marketing automation tools.


• User-friendliness: Choose a tool that is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface.


• Support: Make sure the tool has excellent customer service and technical support.

By considering these factors, you'll be able to choose the email verification tool that's right for your business needs.

Step 3: Uploading email list to the verification tool

After you have chosen a verification tool that suits your needs, the next step is to upload your email list to the tool. Uploading your email list is a crucial step in the verification process and it requires careful attention to detail. Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to upload your email list to the verification tool:

Step 1: Export your email list

The first step is to export your email list from your email marketing software or database. Most email marketing software allows you to export your list as a CSV or Excel file. Make sure to select all the relevant fields, including the email address, first name, last name, and any other relevant information. Save the file on your computer in a location that is easy to find.

Step 2: Clean your email list

Clean your email list by removing any duplicates, invalid or inactive email addresses, and any other irrelevant contacts. You can do this manually or with the help of a data cleaning tool. This will save you time and money in the verification process.

Step 3: Upload your email list to the verification tool

Once you have cleaned your email list, you can upload it to the verification tool. Most verification tools have a simple upload process where you can drag and drop the file or select it from your computer. Some platforms also offer integrations with popular email marketing software for seamless uploads.

Step 4: Start the verification process

After your email list has been uploaded, you can start the verification process. Depending on the tool, the verification process can take a few minutes to a few hours. Once the process is complete, you will receive a report showing the status of each email address on your list.

Uploading your email list to a verification tool is an important step towards ensuring a high-quality email list. By following this step-by-step process, you can efficiently and effectively verify your email list and improve your email marketing campaigns.

Step 4: Running Verification

After you have uploaded your list of B2B emails, it's time to run verification to ensure that the emails are accurate and up-to-date. Verification is an important step since sending emails to incorrect or outdated emails could harm your business reputation and deliverability.

Explanation of how the verification tool works

The verification tool uses advanced algorithms and email verification services to check each email address on your list. The tool checks for syntax errors, typos, and domain validity. It also pings the email server to check if the email address is active and accepts emails.

During the verification process, the tool may classify different email addresses into different categories such as valid, invalid, risky, or undeliverable. Valid emails are those that are accurate and active, while invalid emails are those that are outdated or don't exist. Risky emails are those that have a low level of engagement and acceptance rates, while undeliverable emails are those that are blocked or bounced back.

What to expect during the verification process

The verification process may take several minutes or hours, depending on the size of your email list. You can track the progress of the verification process on your dashboard or through email notifications. Once the verification is complete, you will receive a report that summarizes the results of the verification process, including the total number of emails verified and the number of valid and invalid emails found.

It's important to note that not all email verification tools are created equal. Some tools may use outdated data or have a low accuracy rate, which could result in false-positive or false-negative results. Therefore, it's essential to use a reputable email verification service, such as ExactBuyer, that uses real-time data and advanced algorithms to ensure the accuracy and validity of your email list.

Step 5: Analyzing Verification Results

After verifying your B2B emails, it is crucial to understand the verification results and take appropriate actions. Here's how to interpret the verification results and what actions to take based on those results:

How to Interpret Verification Results

When you receive the results from the verification process, you'll notice that each email address has a status. Here's a breakdown of what each status means:

• Valid: The email address is verified and confirmed to be valid and active.


• Invalid: The email address is not valid, and the email server has rejected the email.


• Catch-all: The email address is valid, but communication with the email server couldn't be established because of a large number of email addresses associated with the domain.


• Unknown: The email address couldn't be verified due to an unknown reason.

Actions to Take Based on Verification Results

Here's what you need to do based on the verification results:

• Valid: Keep the email address in your database.


• Invalid: Remove the email address from your database.


• Catch-all: This status is tricky as you can't determine if the email address is still valid. You can either remove the email address from your database or keep it and send a test email.


• Unknown: Try again to verify the email address.

By following these actions, you'll ensure that your email list is clean and accurate, which will improve your email deliverability rates.

At ExactBuyer, we offer real-time contact and company data solutions that help you build targeted audiences. Our AI-powered search feature allows you to find new accounts, hires, podcast guests, and even partners. We don't provide unverified or outdated data, so you can trust the accuracy of our solutions.

For more information or to get started, visit our website or contact us for pricing options.

Conclusion

Verifying B2B emails is crucial to maintain an accurate and up-to-date email list, which helps businesses connect with their target audience more effectively. In this blog post, we discussed the importance of email validation and provided tips on maintaining a clean email list. Let's summarize the key takeaways:

Importance of email validation

• Verifying B2B emails helps businesses reach their intended audience, boosting email deliverability rates.


• It prevents unnecessary spamming, blacklisting, and damage to sender reputation.


• Invalid email addresses cause inaccurate data analysis and affect returns on marketing campaigns.

Tips for maintaining a clean email list

• Regularly remove inactive subscribers from your email list to avoid accruing bounces and complaints.


• Implement double opt-in methods to confirm the subscribers' email addresses and consent.


• Use reputable email validation tools to check and verify email addresses before adding them to your email list.

By following these best practices, businesses can maintain a clean and engaged email list, improve email deliverability rates, and get higher returns on their marketing campaigns.

How ExactBuyer Can Help You

Reach your best-fit prospects & candidates and close deals faster with verified prospect & candidate details updated in real-time. Sign up for ExactBuyer.