What does trailing mail mean

In the context of email marketing and email delivery, "trailing mail" refers to a situation where a batch of emails is sent to a recipient's email server, but some of the emails in the batch are delayed or not delivered immediately.

Trailing mail typically occurs when an email server is experiencing high volumes of email traffic, or when there are issues with the recipient's email server or internet connection. As a result, some emails in the batch may be held back or delayed in delivery, while others are delivered promptly.

Trailing mail can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

  1. Email server congestion: If an email server is experiencing high volumes of email traffic, it may slow down or delay the delivery of emails.
  2. Recipient's email server issues: Problems with the recipient's email server, such as maintenance or technical issues, can cause delays or failures in email delivery.
  3. Internet connectivity issues: Outages or slow internet connectivity can prevent emails from being delivered promptly.
  4. Spam filters: Some emails may be flagged as spam or held back by the recipient's email server's spam filters, causing delays or failures in delivery.

Trailing mail can be frustrating for email marketers, as it can lead to delayed or missed delivery of important emails. To mitigate the effects of trailing mail, email marketers may use techniques such as:

  1. Sending emails in smaller batches: Breaking up large batches of emails into smaller groups can help reduce the likelihood of trailing mail.
  2. Using email delivery optimization tools: Tools like email delivery platforms and email optimization software can help improve email delivery rates and reduce the impact of trailing mail.
  3. Monitoring email delivery: Regularly monitoring email delivery rates and tracking issues can help identify and address problems related to trailing mail.