How to identify the cause of a sudden spam complaint spike in Google Postmaster Tools when Klaviyo uses the same identifier for every email?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that ensure your email adheres to CAN-SPAM regulations. This includes having a clear unsubscribe link, valid return address, and accurate 'from' information. Non-compliance can lead to increased complaints.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that changes in email content can trigger spam filters. Reviewing recent email templates for potentially problematic keywords, excessive use of images, or changes in formatting can help identify the cause of the spike.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that subject lines play a big role in spam filtering. Analyse your recent subject lines for anything that might be deemed a spam keyword or phrased as clickbait, and maybe even a change in wording or the addition of an emoji may be enough to trigger a large spam response.
Email marketer from Sendgrid explains that you should A/B test your email. You could have accidently released a very bad email into the market which resulted in a very bad response from users.
Email marketer from Gmass explains that similarly to subject lines, preview text is important. An unexpected change can trigger spam filters and lead to a spike in complaints.
Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that a significant increase in sending volume without proper warm-up can lead to a spam complaint spike. Gradually increasing sending volume, especially when introducing new IPs or domains, is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that a sudden spam complaint spike could be due to sending to an unengaged or stale segment of your email list. Re-engaging inactive subscribers or removing them from your list can improve your sender reputation.
Email marketer from EmailGeek forum explains that check for any changes to your domain's SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Incorrect or missing authentication records can cause emails to be flagged as spam, leading to increased complaints.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog suggests monitoring IP reputation closely using tools like Sender Score. A sudden drop in IP reputation can correlate with a spam complaint spike. Investigating the IP's sending history and any recent changes in sending practices is crucial.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks directs Tabish to click on the date under the graph in Google Postmaster Tools to see the identifiers Google used, which could help in identifying the cause of the issue.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that rigorous list hygiene practices are crucial for mitigating spam complaints. Regularly removing inactive subscribers, suppressing complainers, and implementing a double opt-in process can help maintain a healthy sender reputation. They recommend segmenting lists based on engagement and sending targeted content to active users to minimize the risk of complaints.
Expert from Spamresource emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring complaint feedback loops (FBLs) from various ISPs, not just Gmail. A spike in complaints across multiple FBLs suggests a widespread issue, potentially related to recent changes in email content, audience targeting, or sending practices. Conversely, a spike isolated to Gmail may point to issues specific to Gmail's spam filtering algorithms.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests checking complaints from other Feedback Loops (FBLs) besides Google to see if there was a spike. They explain that other companies send complaint data back to ESPs like Klaviyo, and this data can help identify problematic emails by looking for corresponding spikes in complaints from places like Yahoo and Microsoft.
Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that while you can set the Feedback-ID, Google's ML engine might sometimes 'pick' a Feedback ID independently.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC states that while message-id's are important for email tracking, they don't directly correlate with Google Postmaster Tool data. Suggests looking into other identifiers.
Documentation from Microsoft states that using SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) can provide data on complaint rates specific to their users, offering a comparative perspective to Google's Postmaster Tools. Analyzing SNDS data might reveal if the spike is isolated to Gmail or affects other mailbox providers as well.
Documentation from Sparkpost emphasizes regularly reviewing and updating your suppression lists to exclude users who have unsubscribed or previously marked emails as spam. A failure to suppress these users can contribute to increased complaint rates.
Documentation from Google Support explains that participating in feedback loops (FBLs) can provide insights into spam complaints. By analyzing FBL data, senders can identify specific campaigns or email patterns that are generating higher-than-usual complaint rates, even when identifiers are not unique.