How to Set Up Email Verification for Event Registrations Using Usebouncer

Ever had a bunch of fake or mistyped emails mess up your event registration? Yeah, it’s annoying. You waste time chasing ghosts, your attendee list gets messy, and worse—your emails bounce or land in spam. This guide is for anyone running events—online or off—who’s tired of cleaning up bad email data and just wants a simple, reliable way to verify emails as part of the signup process.

You don’t need to be a developer, but you should be comfortable editing a form or plugging in an API. We’ll walk step-by-step through setting up email verification using Usebouncer, a straightforward API service that checks if an email is real before it hits your list.

Let’s get your signups sorted.

Why Bother With Email Verification?

Look, you could skip this step and deal with the fallout later. But here’s what you’re risking: - Fake signups: Bots and trolls love open forms. - Typos: People are in a hurry. “gmial.com” isn’t getting your event updates. - High bounce rates: Too many undeliverable emails = bad sender reputation. - Wasted effort: Chasing down real people from fake emails is a slog.

Verifying emails up front saves time and headaches. And Usebouncer makes it pretty painless.

Step 1: Decide Where to Verify (Front-End, Back-End, or Both)

First, know where you want to check emails. You’ve got a few options:

  • Front-End (in the browser): Stops most typos and obvious fakes before the form is even submitted. Fast feedback, but not foolproof—tech-savvy folks can bypass it.
  • Back-End (server-side): Catches everything, including anything sneaky that gets past the front end.
  • Both: Best of both worlds. User gets instant feedback, and your server double-checks.

Pro tip: If you’re using a no-code platform (like Google Forms or Eventbrite), you’re mostly stuck with what they offer. But if you control the form (think WordPress, custom HTML, or a tool like Typeform with webhooks), you can plug in Usebouncer easily.

Step 2: Set Up Your Usebouncer Account

  1. Sign Up

  2. Go to usebouncer.html and make an account. You’ll get a free trial, but for larger events, plan to pay a small fee per verification. (Nothing’s truly free when it comes to stopping bots.)

  3. Get Your API Key

  4. Once you’re in, head to the dashboard and find your API key. Don’t share it around—treat it like a password.

  5. Check Your Usage Limits

  6. Know your quota. If you’re expecting thousands of registrations, double-check you have enough credits. Running out mid-campaign is embarrassing.

Step 3: Plug Usebouncer Into Your Registration Flow

How you do this depends on your stack. Here’s the honest rundown for the most common cases:

3.1. Custom HTML or JavaScript Form

This is the easiest place to add real-time checks.

Basic JavaScript Example:

javascript async function verifyEmail(email) { const response = await fetch('https://api.usebouncer.com/v1.1/email/verify', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'x-api-key': 'YOUR_USEBOUNCER_API_KEY' }, body: JSON.stringify({ email }) }); const data = await response.json(); return data.result === 'deliverable'; }

// On form submit: form.addEventListener('submit', async (e) => { e.preventDefault(); const emailInput = document.querySelector('#email').value; const isValid = await verifyEmail(emailInput); if (!isValid) { alert('Please enter a valid email address.'); return; } form.submit(); // Or use AJAX to send the form });

What works: Users get immediate feedback. Cuts down on junk before it hits your database.

What doesn’t: If someone disables JavaScript or fakes a request, they can bypass this. That’s why back-end checks matter.

3.2. Server-Side Validation (Node.js Example)

Node/Express Example:

javascript const fetch = require('node-fetch');

app.post('/register', async (req, res) => { const { email } = req.body; const response = await fetch('https://api.usebouncer.com/v1.1/email/verify', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'x-api-key': process.env.USEBOUNCER_API_KEY }, body: JSON.stringify({ email }) }); const data = await response.json();

if (data.result !== 'deliverable') { return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid email address.' }); }

// Continue with event registration logic });

What works: Nothing gets through unless Usebouncer says it’s legit. Good for peace of mind.

What doesn’t: Adds a second or two to registration time. If speed is everything for you, this can feel slow. For most, it’s fine.

3.3. Using Zapier or Make (No-Code Setup)

If your form tool supports webhooks, you can use Zapier or Make to connect Usebouncer.

  • Trigger: New registration
  • Action: Call Usebouncer API (Webhooks by Zapier)
  • Filter: Only continue if result is deliverable
  • Action: Add to your event list / send confirmation

What works: No code needed. Great for folks who like drag-and-drop.

What doesn’t: Zapier can get expensive if you’re running a big event. And there’s a slight delay—usually a few seconds.

Step 4: Handle Verification Results (Don’t Overthink It)

Usebouncer’s response has a lot of info. Here’s what you actually care about for events:

  • deliverable: Good! Add to your list.
  • undeliverable: Nope. Block this registration, or ask the user to try again.
  • risky/unknown: These are edge cases. For most events, treat as invalid. If you’re feeling generous, let the user know and let them try a different email.

Ignore the rest: Usebouncer gives you details like “role-based” or “disposable.” For most event signups, you don’t need to get fancy—just filter out emails that can’t receive your messages.

Pro tip: Don’t show users the raw error from the API. A simple “That email address didn’t work—please try again” is all you need.

Step 5: Test the Whole Flow

Don’t assume it works—test it yourself:

  • Try valid emails, typos, and known fakes (like test@example.com)
  • Register from a private window or different devices
  • Watch your logs for errors or weird edge cases

If you’re using a team, get someone else to try to break it. Better now than when registrations are live.

Step 6: Keep It Legal and Friendly

  • Tell users you’re verifying emails. Something like: “We check emails to keep our list clean. Thanks for understanding.”
  • Don’t store more data than you need. Just keep the email and the verification result.
  • Respect privacy. Usebouncer doesn’t store emails long-term, but you should double-check your own policies.

Bonus: What Not to Bother With

  • Double opt-in for event registrations: Unless you’re running a newsletter, don’t make people jump through hoops. One verification is enough.
  • Over-tuning for “deliverable but disposable”: If someone wants to use a throwaway email, let them. They probably weren’t going to show up anyway.
  • Manual review: Unless you’re running a super high-touch event, you don’t need to eyeball every registration.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate as Needed

Email verification isn’t magic, but it’s a solid filter for your event signups. Plug Usebouncer in where it makes sense, test your flow, and move on—you’ve got bigger things to worry about than cleaning up bad emails.

If you find yourself tweaking settings or chasing tricky edge cases, back up and ask: “Is this really worth the effort?” Often, the basics are enough. Start simple, improve as you go, and enjoy a cleaner, more manageable attendee list.