SurveySensum automatically tracks contacts whose survey emails cannot be delivered or who have opted out of receiving survey communications. Understanding these contact states helps you manage your contact list, avoid repeated delivery issues, and determine when a contact can be contacted again.

Understanding Contact States

Bounced Contacts

A contact is marked as Bounced when a survey email cannot be delivered to the recipient's email address.

This can happen because of issues such as:

• The email address is invalid or no longer active.
  
• Throttling has been applied on the survey.
• The recipient's mail server rejects the email.
• The recipient's mailbox or domain cannot accept the email.
• The email cannot be delivered due to a delivery-related error.

A bounced status indicates a delivery failure, rather than an indication that the recipient has opted out.

Unsubscribed Contacts

A contact is marked as Unsubscribed when they have opted out of receiving survey emails.

An unsubscribed contact should not be treated the same way as a bounced contact, since the contact has explicitly chosen not to receive further communications.

How Contacts Enter These States

Contacts can enter these states automatically based on their email activity and communication preferences.

• Bounced: The email delivery fails and the contact is recorded as bounced.
• Unsubscribed: The recipient uses the available unsubscribe mechanism to opt out of survey communications.

These statuses help prevent repeated delivery attempts or unwanted communications to contacts who cannot or do not wish to receive survey emails.

What Can You Do With Bounced and Unsubscribed Contacts?

When managing these contacts, first identify the reason for their current status.

For bounced contacts:

• Verify that the email address is correct and active.
• Correct an invalid or outdated email address where applicable.
• Once the underlying issue is resolved, follow the available sending options to contact the respondent again.

For unsubscribed contacts:

• Respect the contact's unsubscribe status.
• Do not treat an unsubscribe as an email delivery failure.
• If the contact needs to receive communications again, follow the available resubscription or consent process, if supported by your account configuration.

Re-engaging a Contact

If a bounced contact's email address has been corrected or the delivery issue has been resolved, you can review the contact's current status before attempting to send another survey invitation.

For unsubscribed contacts, re-engagement should only take place through the supported resubscription/opt-in process, where available. The contact should provide the required consent before receiving further survey communications.

Before resending a survey, verify the contact's email address and current status. This helps avoid repeated delivery failures and unnecessary invitations.

Impact on Survey Campaigns

Bounced and unsubscribed contacts can affect your survey outreach:

• Bounced contacts may not receive survey invitations or reminders until the delivery issue is resolved.
• Unsubscribed contacts should not receive further survey communications while their unsubscribe status remains active.
• Repeatedly sending to invalid or undeliverable addresses can result in continued delivery failures.
• Removing or correcting problematic contacts can help keep your contact list accurate and improve campaign management.