Followkite resources
Check emails before sending cold email
Check emails before sending cold email by reviewing the source of the list, address syntax, domain mail records and existing opt-outs. Followkite flags invalid or risky addresses, but its verification does not prove a particular mailbox exists or that the person wants your message.
By Followkite. Last updated . Product built by Shahab Dev.
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Which checks answer different questions?
List quality is more than an email-validation badge. The source check asks whether you have an appropriate reason to contact the person. The syntax check asks whether the string can be an email address. The domain check asks whether the domain accepts mail. Suppression asks whether the address must not receive another campaign message.
Passing one check does not imply the others. A correctly formatted address can belong to the wrong person, and a real mailbox can still be on an opt-out list. Treat the record as a business relationship with context, not simply a row that passes a technical test.
What do Followkite's verification labels mean?
| Label | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | Well-formed address and a domain that accepts mail. | Still review relevance, source and suppression. |
| Risky | A role address, disposable provider, suspected typo or domain that could not be checked. | Review the reason; do not treat uncertainty as permission. |
| Invalid | Bad syntax or a domain that does not accept mail. | Correct from a reliable source or exclude it. Campaigns skip invalid contacts. |
The implementation checks MX information, including a null MX that indicates a domain takes no mail, with a fallback address-record check where appropriate. It does not open an SMTP conversation to prove the recipient mailbox. Catch-all servers, temporary filtering and provider behavior can make those probes unreliable anyway.
How should you review a list before launch?
- Record the source. Check why the contact belongs in this audience. Followkite's terms exclude bought, rented or scraped lists.
- Normalize and deduplicate. Remove accidental spaces and duplicate records without guessing a different person's address.
- Check the domain. Review spelling and whether the domain has a working mail service. A website being online does not alone prove mail delivery.
- Review risky reasons. A shared role inbox needs different handling from a named business contact. Confirm typos from a reliable source rather than silently applying a suggestion.
- Apply suppression. Exclude previous unsubscribes and hard bounces before enrolling the audience.
- Preview personalization. Check first names, companies and fallbacks; a valid email does not repair an incorrect introduction.
- Pilot a small reviewed segment. Watch actual replies and failures before enlarging the list.
What should you do after a bounce?
Read the failure rather than blindly rerunning verification. A hard bounce indicates a different situation from a temporary provider error. Followkite stops matched hard-bounce enrollments and suppresses the affected address. Do not remove that suppression simply because a later domain check still says the domain accepts mail.
If several addresses fail, pause and investigate the list source and age. Check whether recipients changed companies or whether a domain stopped accepting mail. Google's Gmail limits guidance also explains how invalid-address and bounce patterns can lead to sending restrictions.
What should verification never be used to claim?
Do not describe a technical check as recipient consent, guaranteed inbox placement or proof that every mailbox exists. Followkite does not claim a successful delivery percentage for an untested list. Keep a human review step for ambiguous records, especially when the intended recipient's role or identity is uncertain.
The useful outcome is a smaller, better-understood audience with fewer obvious mistakes and intact opt-outs. Keep notes on what was checked and when. When a person answers with a correction or a request to stop, that direct information should guide your next action more than a generic verification label.
What does Followkite cost?
Plans are billed per workspace. Mailbox hosting and domain registration are separate purchases. Choose a plan by total campaign sends, including follow-ups, rather than the size of your prospect list alone.
| Plan | Monthly price | Inboxes | Campaign emails / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 | 5 | 3,000 |
| Growth | $40 | 25 | 15,000 |
| Scale | $100 | 100 | 60,000 |
The trial lasts 14 days with Starter limits and every feature. Followkite has no permanent free plan, inbox warm-up network, or guarantee of inbox placement. Review the full pricing and billing terms.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Valid result guarantee delivery?
No. In Followkite it means the address is well formed and the domain accepts mail. The individual mailbox may still be unavailable, filtered or unwilling to receive the message.
Does Followkite perform SMTP mailbox probing?
No. It uses offline checks and domain DNS information. It does not claim catch-all mailbox verification or guaranteed recipient existence.
Will verification override an unsubscribe?
No. Verification and suppression are separate. A well-formed address on the workspace do-not-contact list must remain excluded from campaign sends.
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