Summary
Gmail Feedback Loop (FBL) reports are triggered by a combination of high email volume and a significant number of spam complaints. If your sending volume is low, or your spam complaint rate is minimal, you likely won't receive FBL reports. A lack of reports often indicates a healthy email program, suggesting that recipients aren't marking your messages as spam. This can be a positive sign, indicating effective email practices and good list hygiene. High engagement and relevant content reduce spam complaints, thus reducing the likelihood of receiving FBL reports.
Key findings
- Volume and Complaints: Gmail FBL reports are generated when a significant volume of emails is sent and a noticeable amount are flagged as spam.
- Low Reports = Healthy: The absence of FBL reports often suggests a low spam complaint rate, indicating a healthy email program.
- Threshold Dependency: FBL data depends on hitting a certain volume threshold and a percentage of users marking emails as spam.
Key considerations
- Assess Sending Volume: Determine whether your sending volume meets the threshold required by Gmail for generating FBL reports.
- Monitor Complaint Rates: Continuously monitor your spam complaint rates to understand recipient engagement and identify potential deliverability issues.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Implement and maintain good list hygiene practices to minimize spam complaints and improve overall deliverability.
- Evaluate Email Content: Ensure your email content is relevant and engaging to reduce the likelihood of users marking your messages as spam.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Gmail Feedback Loop (FBL) reports are not guaranteed and depend on specific circumstances. A primary factor is sending volume: if your email volume is low, you likely won't receive reports. Additionally, a low spam complaint rate (meaning users aren't marking your emails as spam) also leads to fewer or no reports. This often indicates a healthy email program and good list hygiene, so the absence of reports isn't necessarily negative. Therefore, expect reports only if Gmail detects an unusually high volume of spam complaints relative to your sending volume.
Key opinions
- Volume Threshold: Gmail requires a significant sending volume before generating FBL reports. Smaller lists might not meet this threshold.
- Low Complaint Rate: A low spam complaint rate suggests that your email practices are healthy, resulting in fewer or no FBL reports.
- Healthy Program Indicator: The absence of FBL reports isn't necessarily bad; it often signifies a well-maintained email program with engaged recipients.
Key considerations
- Sending Volume: Assess whether your sending volume meets the threshold required by Gmail for FBL reporting.
- Complaint Monitoring: Continuously monitor your spam complaint rates to understand recipient engagement and identify potential issues.
- List Hygiene: Maintain good list hygiene practices, such as removing unengaged recipients, to keep complaint rates low and improve overall deliverability.
- Proactive Deliverability: Focus on proactive deliverability strategies, such as authentication and relevant content, to minimize spam complaints and potentially avoid the need for frequent FBL reports.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that you should not expect to get FBL reports from Gmail unless they think they see something unusually bad.
30 Oct 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that no news is good news regarding Gmail Feedback Loop reports.
17 Nov 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Gmail Feedback Loop (FBL) report generation depends on email volume and spam complaint rates. Low sending volumes are unlikely to generate FBL reports, irrespective of complaint rates. The absence of these reports often indicates a healthy email program, suggesting recipients aren't flagging messages as spam, which doesn't always require immediate correction.
Key opinions
- Volume Dependent: FBL reporting is heavily dependent on sending volume; low volume means no reports.
- Low Complaint Indicator: Absence of FBL reports often suggests a low spam complaint rate and healthy email practices.
Key considerations
- Volume Assessment: Assess if your sending volume meets the threshold for FBL report generation.
- Healthy Practices: Recognize that the absence of FBL reports can indicate a well-maintained email program.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that the absence of FBL reports often indicates a low spam complaint rate, and that this could mean your email practices are healthy; it is not necessarily an issue needing immediate correction.
24 Feb 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Gmail’s FBL reporting is heavily dependent on the volume of emails you send. If your sending volume is low, you are unlikely to receive any FBL reports, regardless of your spam complaint rate.
18 Nov 2024 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Gmail Feedback Loop (FBL) reports are generated when a substantial volume of emails is sent and a noticeable amount are marked as spam by users. Hitting a specific volume threshold and exceeding a certain percentage of spam complaints are necessary to trigger these reports. A healthy sending reputation, characterized by low complaint rates, often results in fewer or no FBL reports.
Key findings
- Volume & Spam Threshold: FBL reports require both a significant email volume and a noticeable spam complaint rate.
- Reputation Impact: A healthy sending reputation (low spam complaints) leads to fewer FBL reports.
- Trigger Conditions: Reports are triggered when users flag a significant amount of your mail as spam.
Key considerations
- Threshold Evaluation: Evaluate whether your email volume and spam complaint rate meet the requirements for FBL reports.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitor your sending reputation to gauge the likelihood of receiving FBL reports.
- Complaint Rate: Track and address spam complaint rates to maintain a healthy sending reputation and potentially reduce the need for FBL reports.
Technical article
Documentation from SendGrid Documentation explains that Gmail FBL reports are triggered when a significant amount of your mail is flagged as spam by users. Low complaint rates will result in fewer to no reports.
1 Sep 2021 - SendGrid Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost Documentation notes that FBL data depends on hitting a certain volume threshold and a percentage of users marking your emails as spam. It also states that a healthy sending reputation means fewer FBL reports.
16 Mar 2025 - SparkPost Documentation
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