How should I format Feedback-ID for Gmail?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Validity explains that Feedback-ID best practices include using a consistent format across all mailings and ensuring that the identifiers used are meaningful and trackable. They recommend using a combination of identifiers such as campaign ID, customer ID, and mailing ID to maximize the effectiveness of the Feedback-ID.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that Google seems to base this on the volume of data they have for each identifier in terms of the number of complaints.
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that using Feedback-ID improves email deliverability by allowing senders to track and analyze complaint data effectively. By correctly formatting the Feedback-ID, senders can pinpoint issues causing complaints and take corrective actions, leading to better inbox placement.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that D is usually there to identify the sending platform or ESP, then C to identify the account, then B to identify the mail steam or list, and A to identify the specific mailing.
Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that a sample structure for the feedback ID can be like this, `Feedback-ID: 12345:67890:abcde:fghij`, where each string of letters and numbers represents an ID related to ESP, Account or list. Using this data you can track complaints. Using more unique IDS makes it easier to track individual email responses.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that typically you read them in reverse, D to A from largest bucket to smallest.
Email marketer from Email Geeks says that If one of the identifiers is flagged and if Google decides showing it wouldn’t result in being able to reverse identify an individual complainer they will be different.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that she’s never seen an A variable return anything, B only very rarely, but often C will just show the client’s account ID at the ESP.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that the Feedback-ID is structured using colons as separators. The best practice is to follow the convention of D:C:B:A, where D is the ESP/Platform, C is the Account ID, B is the Mail Stream/List, and A is the specific Mailing ID. This is read in reverse.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the Feedback ID supports 4 variable slots: A:B:C:D.
Email marketer from Sender.net shares that Feedback-ID is essential for monitoring and improving email deliverability. By correctly formatting the Feedback-ID header, senders can gain insights into the reasons behind complaints and adjust their sending practices to improve inbox placement and sender reputation.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) responds that Feedback-ID is a helpful diagnostic tool when the Gmail spam filter is misclassifying messages, but it can't overcome a bad sender reputation. Senders need to establish a solid reputation before Gmail starts actively using it. However, once this is done, feedback from Feedback-ID becomes really important for troubleshooting delivery issues.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that they don't usually get all 4 identifiers, maybe 1 or 2 regularly and anything that looks like it could be a unique ID will be stripped.
Expert from Spamresource explains that while Feedback-ID is useful for tracking and feedback loops, it's crucial to ensure that the data included doesn't compromise user privacy. They recommend using anonymized or hashed identifiers where possible, rather than including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) directly in the Feedback-ID header.
Expert from Email Geeks shares an alternative like ClientID:YYYYMMDD_HH:MailType:Platform where mail type could be a custom client tag like OTP, Digest, transactional, or something else.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that when implementing Feedback-ID, it is crucial to maintain consistency in the order of identifiers and to ensure that each identifier is relevant and helps in the identification process. They recommend using identifiers that are unique to the mailing, campaign, or account to allow for effective feedback loop analysis.
Documentation from RFC-8260 describes that the Feedback-ID header field is intended to provide a structured method for feedback loops to identify specific mailings and track complaints. It allows for the inclusion of several identifiers to pinpoint the origin of the email and assist in troubleshooting deliverability issues.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that the Feedback-ID header field can contain up to four identifiers, separated by colons. The suggested format is `Feedback-ID: a:b:c:d`, where each letter represents a different identifier, like a mailing ID, campaign ID, or customer ID.