Ensuring users' email addresses are kept up to date

Question

My site needs users to register with email addresses that are not freely available, like company or university email addresses. When users register, they get sent an email containing a link to click on so that we know the address is valid at that time. However, after a while, people are going to move companies, leave university etc. I would like to ensure that these email addresses are kept up to date. How can I do that whilst being as least annoying as I can? (eg every X months I could send an email saying please verify this is still your email address, but it seems fraught with danger.)

Nash · Answer

You could think about changing your login method to mailing people magic links to login (and abolishing passwords in the process). This way you always know that the email address is in use as they would have to use it to login.

Answered by Nash on December 29, 2021

Serg · Answer

According to your reply to my comment I think the best way will be to ask for email verification just at the moment when user wants to access protected staff on your website. When user clicks access button you may warn him to make sure that his registered email is still valid. In this case you don't need to send verification email but just ask question using dialog. If user really wants the staff he either will go to his profile and change email or will use current email.
Asking for periodical email verification looks like asking client to visit a shop each month for verification his loyalty card to get free Christmas cake.

Izquierdo · Answer

Verify the email address every time you send something to the user at that address. For example, Airbnb will validate an address each time it sends a booking confirmation or receipt to an address, and prompt the user if the address bounces back.

Answered by Izquierdo on December 29, 2021

Ensuring users' email addresses are kept up to date

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