Do ISPs offer direct 'not spam' feedback loops?

No, ISPs do not typically provide explicit 'not spam' feedback data through standardized feedback loops. Their primary focus with FBLs is to report spam complaints, allowing senders to remove recipients who mark emails as unwanted.

Why don't ISPs provide 'not spam' data to ESPs?

ISPs could face significant security and privacy challenges if they were to offer 'not spam' feedback. Such a system might be exploited by malicious senders to artificially inflate their reputation or collect sensitive user data. Their focus remains on mitigating abuse.

How can ESPs infer positive engagement without direct feedback?

ESPs primarily use implicit signals like open rates , click-through rates, and replies to infer positive engagement. When a recipient opens an email, clicks a link, or moves it from spam to the inbox, these actions signal to the ISP that the email is desired.

What strategies can improve positive email engagement metrics?

Improving content relevance, maintaining a clean and engaged subscriber list, providing clear unsubscribe options, and ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are key. Consistently sending valuable, wanted emails will improve your sender reputation .

How do ISPs handle 'report spam' feedback?

When a user marks an email as spam, ISPs send a complaint report via a feedback loop. Your ESP then typically adds that recipient's email address to a suppression list, preventing future mailings to them. This helps maintain a healthy sending reputation.

Do ISPs provide 'not spam' feedback data, and how can ESPs use it? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

As senders, we constantly seek clear signals to optimize our email programs. One common question I hear is whether Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer specific feedback data indicating when a recipient marks an email as 'not spam,' similar to how they provide spam complaint feedback loops (FBLs).

The short answer is no. Unlike the mechanisms in place for reporting abuse, such as feedback loops for spam complaints, there isn't a standardized or widespread system for ISPs to communicate positive user actions like moving an email from the spam folder to the inbox, or clicking a 'not spam' button.

This might seem counterintuitive, especially since such data could be incredibly valuable for Email Service Providers (ESPs) and senders. Understanding why this data isn't shared and what alternative approaches ESPs can take to gauge positive engagement is crucial for maintaining strong sender reputation and improving email deliverability.

The reality of 'not spam' signals

ISPs primarily use feedback loops to gather data on unsolicited commercial email (UCE), commonly known as spam. This information is vital for their systems to identify, block, and filter unwanted messages, protecting their users from malicious or irrelevant content. When a user clicks 'report spam', that signal is transmitted back to the sender (often via an ESP) so they can suppress the complaining user and avoid further damaging their reputation. You can learn more about how this works in a feedback loop explanation.

The focus is almost entirely on preventing harm. Positive signals, while beneficial to a sender's reputation, don't pose the same immediate threat to user experience or network integrity as spam. Therefore, ISPs prioritize mechanisms that help them mitigate negative impacts.

Moreover, providing individual 'not spam' signals could introduce privacy concerns or open up new avenues for abuse. Imagine if spammers could simulate 'not spam' clicks to improve their perceived reputation. ISPs are incredibly cautious about any data sharing that could be manipulated.

Why ISPs don't provide 'not spam' data

The core reason ISPs do not provide 'not spam' feedback is rooted in their operational priorities and the inherent risks associated with such a system. Their primary directive is to protect their users from harm and maintain the integrity of their email infrastructure.

Spam complaint feedback loops (FBLs)

Purpose: To notify senders when a recipient marks an email as spam.
Actionable data: Allows ESPs to suppress recipients who complain, preventing further issues.
Security focus: Primarily designed to fight abuse and protect user inboxes from unwanted messages.

'Not spam' feedback

Purpose: Not directly provided by ISPs. Users might move emails to the inbox.
Actionable data: Senders must infer positive engagement from other metrics.
Security concern: A direct feedback loop could be exploited by malicious actors, making it a security risk.

Implementing a system for 'not spam' signals would be complex and carry significant risks, potentially creating loopholes for spammers to exploit.

Some ISPs, like Google and Yahoo, do offer sender tools that provide aggregated data, such as deliverability rates and complaint percentages. These tools give a high-level overview of performance but do not specify individual 'not spam' interactions. They are designed to give senders enough information to improve their practices without revealing sensitive user data or creating new attack vectors. For specific insights, understanding what ISP information is most useful for email deliverability is key.

Leveraging existing data for positive signals

Even without direct 'not spam' feedback, ESPs and senders can still gather valuable insights into positive engagement. We rely on implicit signals that indicate a recipient's interest and desire to receive emails.

Signal Type	ISP Perspective	ESP Interpretation
Spam complaints	Google and Yahoo use these for FBLs.	Direct negative feedback, leads to suppression.
Opens	A strong positive signal for engagement tracking.	Indicates recipient interest and inbox placement.
Clicks	The strongest explicit positive engagement indicator.	Confirms content relevance and user interaction.
Replies	Highly valued as a clear sign of desired communication.	Signals strong user engagement and inbox placement.
Added to address book	Strong positive indicator, signals desired sender.	Ensures future inbox delivery for that user.

By actively monitoring these metrics and adjusting sending practices accordingly, ESPs can indirectly infer positive engagement. A consistently high open and click rate, combined with low spam complaint rates, sends a strong signal to ISPs that your emails are wanted and valued by recipients. This positive behavior enhances your sender reputation and improves inbox placement.

Strategies for improving positive engagement

Since direct 'not spam' feedback isn't available, ESPs and senders must focus on cultivating behaviors that ISPs interpret as positive engagement. This involves a multi-faceted approach to email marketing and infrastructure management. Maintaining a clean and engaged list is paramount. Regularly removing inactive subscribers and those who bounce or complain helps keep your list healthy.

Best practices for positive engagement

Focus on permission: Ensure all subscribers have explicitly opted in to receive your emails. This is the foundation of good deliverability.
Relevant content: Send emails that provide value and are relevant to your audience's interests, leading to higher opens and clicks.
Clear unsubscribe options: Make it easy for recipients to opt out if they wish, reducing the likelihood of spam complaints.
Maintain proper authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your sending identity and build trust with ISPs.

ESPs play a crucial role by providing the tools and analytics necessary to monitor these implicit signals. They can help you track spam complaint rates, open rates, click-through rates, and other engagement metrics, allowing you to identify trends and areas for improvement. Regular monitoring of your domain reputation on various blacklists (or blocklists) is also essential to proactively address any potential issues.

Ultimately, the goal is to build and maintain a strong reputation through consistent, positive sending practices. ISPs notice patterns of good behavior and reward senders with better inbox placement. While a 'not spam' button might not send explicit data, the collective actions of your subscribers who engage positively with your emails serve as the most effective form of feedback.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Maintain a hyper-segmented list to ensure content relevance for each subscriber group.

Implement double opt-in for all new subscribers to verify their consent and reduce spam trap hits.

Regularly monitor your engagement rates, specifically opens, clicks, and replies, to identify trending issues.

Common pitfalls

Relying solely on open rates as a measure of engagement, as they can be influenced by pixel loading.

Sending to old, unengaged lists, which increases bounce rates and spam complaints.

Ignoring feedback loop reports, leading to continued sending to complaining subscribers.

Expert tips

Use inferred engagement signals, such as opens and clicks, to clean your list and identify truly active subscribers.

Focus on domain reputation as a holistic indicator of your sending health, rather than isolated metrics.

Remember that email deliverability is a continuous process of optimization, not a one-time fix.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says: ISPs do not provide "not spam" feedback directly, though some may offer summary data like mail delivery counts.

November 8, 2023 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says: It would be useful if "not spam" data was available, as recipients can accidentally mark emails as spam and then correct them.

November 8, 2023 - Email Geeks

Final thoughts on feedback data

While the absence of explicit 'not spam' feedback from ISPs might seem like a missed opportunity, it reinforces the importance of focusing on what we can control: our sending practices and the value we provide to our subscribers. ISPs prioritize filtering unwanted mail, and their feedback loops reflect this.

For ESPs and senders, the path to strong deliverability lies in maximizing positive engagement signals through relevant content, proper list management, and robust authentication. By consistently delivering valuable emails to engaged subscribers, we build a strong sender reputation that inherently communicates to ISPs that our mail is wanted.