Should i keep catch all domains in my list?
Catch-all domains are risky because they accept emails sent to any address, even invalid ones, which hides bounces and can harm your sender reputation. By default, catch-all emails are treated as valid, but if you want to be more conservative and avoid potential deliverability issues, you can configure Clay to exclude catch-all emails from your valid list by enabling the “only mark safe to send” option. Filtering out catch-all domains helps ensure you’re only sending to addresses that are more likely to be real and monitored, improving your deliverability and protecting your sender score.
Sources: Claybooks: Domain Deliverability Check | Clay.com Email verification statuses | Documentation | Clay University Enrich People (Waterfalls) [CRM Enrichment] - Clay University Enrich People (Waterfalls) [Automated Inbound] - Clay University Enrich People (Waterfalls) [CRM Enrichment] - Clay University Enrich People (Waterfalls) [Clay 101] - Clay University Enrich People (Waterfalls) [Clay 101] - Clay University Validate Email with Zero Bounce
Matt S. since 30-40% emails are usually catch-all, if you don't reach out to them you're missing potential leads. Most people just ignore them due to high bounce rate but you can still verify the catch-all emails via catchallverifier.com and send emails only to the valid ones.
You can include catch-all domains in your email list, but they carry risk since these domains accept emails to any address, making it hard to know if the inbox is real or monitored. By default, our system treats catch-all emails as valid, but you can enable the “only mark safe to send” option to exclude them if you want to be more conservative. If you want to reach potential leads without missing out, you can use third-party services that specialize in verifying catch-all emails. These services attempt to determine which catch-all addresses are likely to be real and active, allowing you to send only to those that are more likely to be valid. This approach can help reduce bounce rates while still giving you access to leads that might otherwise be missed. However, there is always some uncertainty with catch-all addresses, so monitor your results and adjust your strategy as needed to protect your sender reputation and deliverability rates.