How can I track Gmail spam complaints and identify the cause?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from GlockApps Blog shares that Gmail deliverability issues can often be tracked using GlockApps own tool. Also, by combining their tool with Google Postmaster Tools, you can get a comprehensive overview of inbox placement, spam complaints, and authentication issues.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid Blog shares that analyzing email content, subject lines, and sender reputation are important for identifying causes of spam complaints. Also, to segmenting your audience, and optimizing send times.
Email marketer from SuperOffice Blog shares that spam traps are used by ISPs and blocklist providers to identify senders with poor list hygiene practices, and ending up on these lists can severely affect deliverability and increase spam complaints.
Email marketer from Senderlist Blog shares that email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is vital to ensure high deliverability and trust, making it less likely for emails to be marked as spam.
Email marketer from StackExchange user shares that they use the Gmail feedback loop and Google Postmaster Tools to monitor their deliverability and spam scores.
Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailExpert123 shares that implementing FBLs and monitoring Google Postmaster Tools are key to tracking spam complaints. Also you can correlate complaints with specific email campaigns using feedback-id headers.
Email marketer from MailerQ Blog states that being listed on a blacklist has a significant negative effect on deliverability and tracking user complaints.
Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog shares that monitoring your sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools is crucial. High spam complaint rates directly impact your reputation and deliverability.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that if you have a bad or low domain reputation, you are not going to get many spam reports on the spam report page... because they aren't delivering your mail to the inbox, so you have to use domain reputation screen as well.
Email marketer from Litmus Blog shares that to reduce spam complaints you should authenticate email, clean lists and give an opt out option.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that Gmail doesn't send individual FBLs, so the exact number of complaints is unknown. While a percentage can be obtained via Google Postmaster and feedback-id, Gmail may not display this data if they deem the sender unreliable.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that if your ESP publishes the campaign ID in the feedback header, you MIGHT get specific campaigns flagged in GPT.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that feedback loops (FBLs) are critical for identifying users who mark your emails as spam, allowing you to remove them from your list and prevent future complaints.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that seed lists can be used to monitor deliverability and can provide insights into spam folder placement, however, they are not a direct measure of user complaints but can indicate potential issues.
Expert from Email Geeks explains Gmail provides access to the percentage of complaints through Google Postmaster Tools and does not use a traditional FBL.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that forward to yahoo that has a DKIM based FBL is the cause.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the DKIM Feedback Report provides an automated mechanism for reporting spam complaints related to DKIM-signed email, facilitating identification of abuse sources.
Documentation from Mailjet explains that setting up a Feedback Loop (FBL) with Gmail (and other providers) allows you to receive reports about users marking your emails as spam, helping you identify problematic campaigns or content.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that analyzing bounce codes and FBLs allows you to pinpoint deliverability problems, including those caused by spam complaints. Also, they allow for action to be taken to resolve the root causes.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that you can use the tool to monitor spam rate, domain reputation, and feedback loop to understand email delivery issues and user complaints.