Summary
The discrepancy between a high spam rate and a 0% Feedback Loop (FBL) spam rate in Google Postmaster Tools stems from a combination of factors. Google's spam rate reflects emails marked as spam (directly or filtered), particularly focusing on active and inboxed users. The FBL, however, requires explicit setup and authentication with Google; a 0% rate indicates this is missing, meaning complaint data isn't being reported back. List hygiene, content relevance, email design, and sending frequency also play significant roles. Email authentication, while crucial for general deliverability and sender reputation, doesn't directly impact the FBL rate. Poor list hygiene, irrelevant content, spam trigger words, poorly designed emails, and high sending frequency increase spam rates. Addressing these factors, particularly FBL setup and list management, is crucial.
Key findings
- Different Metrics: Spam rate includes all spam reports (direct and filtered), while FBL counts only explicit 'Report Spam' clicks.
- FBL Setup Essential: 0% FBL rate means the Feedback Loop is not set up or authenticated, preventing complaint data retrieval.
- Focus on Active Users: Google's spam rate calculation focuses on the experience of active users who received the email in their inbox.
- List Health Matters: Poor list hygiene (outdated addresses, inactive users) significantly contributes to higher spam rates.
- Content is Key: Irrelevant, poorly designed content, and spam trigger words increase the likelihood of users marking emails as spam.
Key considerations
- Configure Feedback Loop: Prioritize setting up and authenticating the Feedback Loop with Google to gain visibility into spam complaints.
- Clean Your Lists: Implement rigorous list hygiene practices to remove inactive users and outdated addresses.
- Segment and Target: Segment your audience and tailor content to be relevant and engaging for each recipient to reduce spam reports.
- Optimize Design and Content: Ensure emails are well-designed, mobile-friendly, and free of spam trigger words to improve user experience.
- Control Sending Frequency: Monitor sending frequency and adjust based on recipient engagement to avoid email fatigue and spam complaints.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
The discrepancy between a high spam rate and a 0% Feedback Loop (FBL) spam rate in Google Postmaster Tools arises from several factors. The spam rate reflects all emails marked as spam, including those filtered to the spam folder. The FBL rate, however, only counts complaints reported via the 'Report Spam' button, which triggers feedback to the sender. Inactive users, poor list hygiene, and irrelevant content can inflate the spam rate. Furthermore, if senders haven't properly set up and authenticated the FBL, Google won't provide complaint data, resulting in a 0% FBL rate. Email content, design, and sending frequency also play crucial roles in managing spam complaints.
Key opinions
- Calculation Differences: Spam Rate includes all emails marked as spam, while FBL only counts 'Report Spam' clicks.
- Inactive Users: High spam rates can be caused by inactive recipients marking emails as spam.
- FBL Setup: A 0% FBL rate often indicates the sender hasn't properly set up and authenticated the Feedback Loop with Google.
- List Hygiene: Poor list hygiene leads to more spam complaints from outdated or unengaged addresses.
- Content Relevance: Irrelevant or poorly designed emails increase the likelihood of users marking emails as spam.
Key considerations
- Verify FBL Setup: Ensure the Feedback Loop is correctly set up and authenticated with Google to receive complaint data.
- Improve List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists to remove inactive subscribers and reduce spam complaints.
- Target Content: Segment email lists and tailor content to be relevant to each recipient's interests and demographics.
- Optimize Email Design: Create well-designed, mobile-friendly emails with working links to improve user experience and reduce spam flags.
- Manage Sending Frequency: Establish a consistent and appropriate sending frequency to avoid recipient fatigue and spam complaints.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that a high spam rate might be influenced by a large number of inactive users on the email list. If a significant portion of recipients haven't engaged with emails for a while, their spam reports may be weighted differently or not factored into FBL calculations. Focus on engaging active users to improve metrics.
4 Jan 2022 - Mailjet Blog
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that a very high spam rate could mean a lot of recipients are inactive.
20 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
The discrepancy between a high spam rate and a 0% Feedback Loop (FBL) spam rate in Google Postmaster Tools can stem from Google's reporting focusing on active users who inboxed the email. This means the spam rate reflects the percentage of active recipients who marked the email as spam. A 0% FBL rate, despite the high spam rate, often indicates that the sender hasn't properly set up and authenticated the Feedback Loop with Google. Without proper authentication and configuration, Google won't send complaint data back to the sender, resulting in the discrepancy.
Key opinions
- Active Users Focus: Google's spam rate calculation is based on active users who received the email in their inbox.
- Unconfigured FBL: A 0% FBL rate indicates the Feedback Loop isn't correctly set up and authenticated with Google.
- Missing Complaint Data: Without proper FBL setup, Google does not report complaint data back to the sender.
Key considerations
- Verify FBL Authentication: Ensure the Feedback Loop is properly authenticated and configured with Google to receive accurate complaint data.
- Implement Headers: Verify that the necessary headers for FBL registration have been implemented correctly.
- Monitor Active User Engagement: Pay close attention to the engagement of active users and address any factors causing them to mark emails as spam.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource responds that a potential reason for the discrepancy is not properly setting up the Feedback Loop. If you haven't set it up correctly you might not be notified of spam complaints through the feedback loop, leading to a 0% rate despite a high spam rate. Ensure you have implemented the necessary headers and followed Google's FBL registration process.
29 Jan 2025 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that discrepancies between spam rates and feedback loop (FBL) rates can occur when senders aren't properly authenticated with Google's FBL program. A high spam rate indicates users are marking emails as spam, but if the sender hasn't registered for and configured the FBL, Google won't send complaint data back to them, resulting in a 0% FBL rate. This requires specific header implementation and domain registration.
10 Mar 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
The high spam rate in Google Postmaster Tools indicates the percentage of emails marked as spam, directly reported or filtered. While a high spam rate can negatively impact sender reputation, a 0% Feedback Loop (FBL) rate often points to a failure in setting up and authenticating the FBL with the ISP, preventing the sender from receiving complaint data. Although authentication standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for deliverability and sender reputation, they don't directly influence the FBL spam rate reported by Google Postmaster Tools. Similarly, following email standards like SMTP doesn't guarantee FBL data without proper setup.
Key findings
- Spam Rate Meaning: Spam Rate reflects the percentage of emails marked as spam by users and those filtered to the spam folder.
- FBL Setup Required: Feedback Loops require specific setup and authentication to receive aggregated spam data from ISPs like Google.
- Reputation Impact: Spam complaints negatively impact sender reputation across various ISPs, affecting overall deliverability.
- Authentication Indirect Influence: Email authentication standards improve deliverability and sender identity but don't directly affect the FBL spam rate.
- Email Standards Not Enough: Adhering to email standards and protocols is crucial, but doesn't guarantee FBL data without proper setup.
Key considerations
- Authenticate FBL: Ensure proper registration and implementation of the Feedback Loop to receive complaint data from Google.
- Improve Sender Reputation: Monitor and maintain a good sender reputation by reducing spam complaints across all ISPs.
- Implement Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate email messages and improve deliverability.
- Adhere to Standards: Adhere to email standards and protocols like SMTP to ensure proper email transmission.
- Review Content: Review content to reduce reasons for end users to mark your email as spam.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that the Spam Rate reflects the percentage of emails marked as spam by users. This includes emails directly reported as spam and those filtered to the spam folder. The rate is calculated daily. A high spam rate could indicate issues with sender reputation or email content.
10 Feb 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that Feedback Loops (FBLs) require specific setup and authentication. The ISP (like Google) provides senders with aggregated data about users marking their mail as spam, but only if the sender has properly registered for and implemented the FBL. If the sender hasn't, they won't see any FBL data, even if the spam rate is high.
17 Jul 2021 - SparkPost Documentation
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