How do FBL reports work with forwarding and IP addresses?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
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.
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.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are a critical mechanism for senders to monitor and manage their reputation. When a recipient marks an email as spam, the ISP sends a notification back to the sender via the FBL. This feedback allows senders to identify and address issues that are causing recipients to mark their emails as spam, such as sending unwanted or irrelevant content, or having poor list hygiene. Using FBLs helps improve deliverability and sender reputation.
Email marketer from SparkPost explains that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are agreements between mailbox providers and senders where the mailbox provider sends reports back to the sender regarding recipients who marked emails as spam. Implementing FBLs allows senders to identify and remove users who are marking emails as spam from their mailing lists, improving overall deliverability. It's a crucial step in maintaining a good sender reputation.
Email marketer from Email On Acid explains that using Feedback Loops (FBLs) is a key tactic for improving email deliverability. By monitoring FBL reports, senders can identify subscribers who are marking their emails as spam. Promptly removing these subscribers from the mailing list helps reduce complaint rates, which in turn improves sender reputation and deliverability. FBLs are a proactive way to maintain a healthy email program.
Email marketer from Validity shares that understanding and leveraging Feedback Loops (FBLs) is vital for maintaining a clean and engaged email list. FBLs provide direct insight into which recipients are marking emails as spam. By promptly removing these recipients from mailing lists, senders can improve their engagement metrics and reduce the likelihood of being flagged as a spammer by ISPs. This proactive approach leads to better deliverability and sender reputation.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that using Feedback Loops (FBLs) in conjunction with a dedicated IP address allows senders to closely monitor their reputation. FBLs provide direct feedback on how recipients are perceiving your emails, and a dedicated IP ensures that your sending reputation is not affected by other senders. By actively managing FBL reports and maintaining a clean mailing list, senders can protect their IP's reputation and achieve consistent deliverability.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are a critical component in managing sender reputation. By using FBLs to identify and remove recipients who mark emails as spam, senders can improve their engagement metrics and reduce the likelihood of being blocked by ISPs. This proactive approach leads to better deliverability and a stronger sender reputation.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
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.
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.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are essential for responsible sending and maintaining a good reputation. FBLs provide a direct channel to understand when recipients mark an email as spam. This feedback allows senders to identify problems with their email programs, such as sending unwanted content, poor list hygiene, or compromised accounts, and address them to prevent future spam complaints.
Expert from Email Geeks recommends contacting John Levine from Mailop for advice on forwarding issues, and also suggests convincing customers never to mark forwarded mail as spam.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that spam reports based on IPs typically go to the address that delivered the email to the reporting system, as expected from any FBL system.
Expert from Email Geeks shares their experience of stopping forwarding mail due to spam reports hitting their IP and causing blocking issues.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
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.
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.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) provides data about your sending IP addresses, including complaint rates. High complaint rates, often based on FBL reports, can negatively impact your sender reputation and lead to deliverability issues. Microsoft uses FBL data to identify senders who are generating high volumes of spam complaints and may block or filter their emails as a result.
Documentation from RFC explains that Sender Rewriting Scheme (SRS) can cause issues with FBL reports. Since SRS modifies the original sender address, FBL reports generated from spam complaints may be sent to the SRS server rather than the original sender. This can make it difficult for the original sender to receive and act on FBL data, potentially impacting their ability to address spam complaints and maintain a good sender reputation.