Summary
FBL reports are crucial for senders to monitor their reputation and improve deliverability. Typically, spam reports based on IPs go to the delivering address. Forwarding can disrupt FBLs, potentially directing reports to the forwarder's IP, especially with SRS. Google's FBL reporting helps identify spam campaigns through specific headers, while Microsoft's SNDS tracks complaint rates impacting reputation. Implementing FBLs, often through ESPs, involves setup, header embedding, and designated reporting addresses. Managing FBLs proactively helps maintain clean lists, protect dedicated IPs, and identify issues like unwanted content, all leading to a stronger sender reputation.
Key findings
- IP Based Reports: Spam reports typically target the IP address that delivered the email.
- Forwarding Problems: Forwarding can misdirect FBL reports to the forwarder, obfuscating the original spam source, especially with SRS.
- ISP Reporting Mechanisms: Google and Microsoft offer FBL reporting services (Gmail FBL and SNDS) to track spam complaints and IP reputation.
- Proactive Management is Key: Proactive management through FBL implementation is necessary to maintain a clean list and optimal deliverability.
- Importance of FBLs: FBLs are essential for understanding when recipients mark an email as spam, allowing senders to identify and address issues.
Key considerations
- Header Implementation: Ensure the correct header implementation in emails to receive FBL data from providers like Gmail.
- Forwarding Implications: Understand how forwarding and SRS can affect FBL accuracy and take steps to mitigate issues.
- Regular Monitoring: Regularly monitor FBL reports and SNDS data to proactively address spam complaints and protect IP reputation.
- ESP Integration: Set up FBLs correctly with the Email Service Provider, following their best practices.
- Clean List Maintenance: Promptly remove users who mark emails as spam from mailing lists.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
Feedback Loops (FBLs) are crucial for senders to monitor and manage their email reputation. When recipients mark emails as spam, ISPs send notifications to senders via FBLs. This allows senders to identify and address issues like unwanted content or poor list hygiene. Implementing FBLs helps improve deliverability, maintain a clean list, and protect dedicated IP reputations by promptly removing complainers.
Key opinions
- Reputation Management: FBLs are a critical mechanism for senders to monitor and manage their sender reputation by identifying and addressing issues causing spam complaints.
- Improved Deliverability: Using FBLs to identify and remove users who mark emails as spam from mailing lists improves overall deliverability.
- Clean Email List: Leveraging FBLs is vital for maintaining a clean and engaged email list by providing direct insight into which recipients are marking emails as spam.
- Dedicated IP Protection: Using FBLs with a dedicated IP address allows senders to closely monitor their reputation and ensures their sending reputation is not affected by other senders.
- Key tactic for improving deliverability: Using FBLs is a key tactic for improving email deliverability.
- Crucial for dedicated IPs: FBLs are crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation, especially when using dedicated IPs.
- Critical Component: FBLs are a critical component in managing sender reputation.
- Improves deliverability: Setting up FBLs with an Email Service Provider (ESP) can significantly improve deliverability.
Key considerations
- Prompt Removal: Promptly remove subscribers who mark emails as spam from the mailing list to reduce complaint rates and improve sender reputation.
- Proactive Approach: Take a proactive approach to maintain a healthy email program by actively managing FBL reports.
- ESP Guidelines: Follow the ESP's guidelines for FBL setup to receive reports of spam complaints directly from mailbox providers.
- Sender reputation impact: Sender reputation is critical, so consider using feedback loops to help maintain a good sender reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that setting up Feedback Loops (FBLs) with an Email Service Provider (ESP) can significantly improve deliverability. By following the ESP's guidelines for FBL setup, senders can receive reports of spam complaints directly from mailbox providers. This allows them to promptly remove users who are marking emails as spam from their mailing lists, improving overall deliverability and sender reputation.
30 Sep 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view
Email marketer from StackExchange shares that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation, especially when using dedicated IPs. High spam complaint rates reported through FBLs can negatively affect the reputation of the dedicated IP, leading to deliverability issues. Monitoring and acting on FBL data is essential for protecting the IP's reputation and ensuring emails reach the intended recipients.
30 Dec 2023 - StackExchange
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
FBL reports tied to IP addresses typically target the deliverer of the email. Forwarding can cause issues as spam reports might hit the forwarder's IP instead of the original sender, especially with SRS. Forwarding can lead to being identified as a spam source, even without originating it. Utilizing FBLs and sender rewriting schemes (SRS) can inadvertently cause issues with feedback loops. Feedback loops in general are essential to understand complaints and solve problems with your program.
Key opinions
- IP-Based Reporting: Spam reports based on IPs usually go to the address that delivered the email.
- Forwarding Issues: Forwarding can lead to spam reports hitting the forwarder's IP, causing deliverability problems.
- SRS and FBLs: SRS can modify sender addresses, causing FBL reports to be misdirected to the forwarder.
- Essential channel: Feedback loops provide a direct channel to understand complaints.
- Essential practice: Feedback loops are essential for maintaining good reputation.
Key considerations
- Forwarding Risks: Understand the risks of forwarding and potential negative impacts on IP reputation.
- SRS Implications: Be aware that SRS can obscure the original source of spam complaints in FBL reports.
- Proactive Management: Actively manage and interpret FBL data to identify and address underlying issues in your email program.
- Consider forwarding alternatives: Consider other options to forwarding, to avoid being blocked.
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource explains that forwarders can sometimes inadvertently cause issues with Feedback Loops (FBLs). When a forwarder uses Sender Rewriting Scheme (SRS), it modifies the sender address. If a recipient marks a forwarded email as spam, the FBL report may go to the forwarder's domain rather than the original sender. This can obscure the original source of the spam complaint.
16 Mar 2023 - Spamresource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that even if you're not originating spam but forwarding it, you're still sending spam and can get blocked as a result.
20 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
FBL reporting helps senders identify spam campaigns. Gmail uses specific headers for reporting, sending data to designated addresses. Microsoft's SNDS provides data on sending IP addresses, where high complaint rates impact reputation. SRS can disrupt FBL reports by modifying sender addresses, redirecting reports. Proper FBL setup involves requesting access, embedding headers, and designating reporting addresses, crucial for addressing spam and maintaining reputation.
Key findings
- Gmail FBL Reporting: Gmail's FBL reporting helps senders identify spam complaints via specific headers and designated reporting addresses.
- Microsoft SNDS: Microsoft's SNDS provides data on sending IP addresses, with high complaint rates negatively impacting sender reputation.
- SRS Disruption: SRS modifies sender addresses, causing FBL reports to be sent to the SRS server instead of the original sender.
- Proper FBL Setup: Setting up FBLs involves requesting access, embedding headers, and designating reporting addresses for effective spam management.
Key considerations
- Header Implementation: Ensure proper embedding of specific headers in emails to receive FBL reports from Gmail.
- Monitor SNDS: Regularly monitor SNDS data to track complaint rates and address any issues affecting sender reputation.
- SRS Compatibility: Understand that SRS can interfere with FBL reporting, potentially obscuring the original sender of spam complaints.
- Request Access: Request FBL access from various mailbox providers and properly configure reporting addresses.
Technical article
Documentation from Validity (formerly Return Path) explains the process of setting up and managing Feedback Loops (FBLs). This involves requesting FBL access from various mailbox providers, embedding the required headers in your emails, and designating a reporting address to receive FBL notifications. Properly configuring FBLs is essential for identifying and addressing spam complaints, improving sender reputation, and maintaining optimal deliverability.
8 Jun 2022 - Validity
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that Feedback Loop (FBL) reporting helps senders identify campaigns that are generating spam complaints from Gmail users. Senders embed a specific header in their emails, and when a Gmail user marks the email as spam, Google sends an FBL report to the designated reporting address. This allows senders to monitor and improve their sending practices to reduce spam complaints.
10 Nov 2023 - Google
Are abuse reports and feedback loops (FBLs) still useful in email marketing, and how do they work with different email clients?
Are there any current issues with Yahoo FBL emails?
Can ESP clients sign up for Validity FBL and how do they validate their IPs/domains?
Can I use DMARC with shared IP addresses?
Do ISPs provide 'not spam' feedback data, and how can ESPs use it?
How can I accurately monitor complaint rates for email marketing using Google Postmaster Tools, Yahoo FBL, and my ESP?
How can I contact Yahoo's postmaster team for FBL access and troubleshoot setup issues?
How do ESPs collect Yahoo FBL data using double DKIM signing?
