What does the identifier count in Google Postmaster Tools Feedback Loop mean?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that a feedback loop message is sent when the complaint rate exceeds a certain threshold.
Email marketer from Litmus explains Feedback Loops (FBLs) are a way for mailbox providers to provide feedback to senders about complaints. High complaint rates reported through FBLs can negatively impact sender reputation.
Email marketer from StackExchange explains that the purpose of the Feedback-ID (identifier) is to allow you to tie complaints back to specific mailings or segments, helping identify the source of spam complaints within your email program.
Email marketer from EmailonAcid explains that a sudden spike in FBL reported complaints often indicates a problem with a recent email campaign, such as poor targeting or misleading content, and requires immediate investigation.
Email marketer from EmailGeeks explains that a count in the feedback loop means that an actual feedback loop message has been sent because the complaint rate was over a certain threshold.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that the FBL identifier value represents the number of complaints associated with that specific identifier, pointing towards potential issues with the mailing using that identifier.
Email marketer from Quora emphasizes that ignoring FBL data is a mistake, as it provides valuable insights into how recipients perceive your emails. Regularly reviewing FBL reports can help proactively identify and resolve deliverability issues.
Email marketer from Mailjet suggests implementing Feedback Loop identifiers (FBL IDs) to monitor complaint rates and improve email deliverability by identifying problem areas in your sending practices.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares their experience that closely monitoring FBL identifiers and correlating them with specific email content or sending practices has helped them significantly reduce spam complaints and improve overall email performance.
Email marketer from Validity highlights the importance of maintaining low complaint rates as indicated through FBLs, noting that exceeding acceptable complaint thresholds can lead to deliverability issues.
Email marketer from SendGrid points out that FBLs help monitor spam complaints by allowing senders to track which campaigns or segments generate the most complaints, thus enabling them to address the underlying issues.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource highlights that Feedback Loop (FBL) identifiers are specifically useful for Email Service Providers (ESPs) to pinpoint and address abuse originating from their platform, enhancing the overall quality and reliability of their services.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that only one of the IDs with complaints is reflected in the FBL identifier count.
Expert from Word to the Wise answers the Feedback-ID header is valuable as it allows senders to see spam complaints in aggregate, connecting them to a specific campaign, client, or mail stream, facilitating the identification and remediation of the sources of issues.
Expert from Email Geeks states the number shown in the identifer count reflects the number of people who complained about mail with that identifier.
Expert from Email Geeks shares their understanding that you had to register identifiers but also suggests that Google may make educated guesses. They also clarify the FBL is useful for ESP's.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help states that the Identifier count reflects the number of unique identifiers for which users marked messages as spam.
Documentation from SparkPost describes Feedback Loop identifiers and states using identifiers helps trace abuse back to the originator. They emphasize that while Gmail doesn't directly provide details about complainers, FBL data offers insights into overall complaint trends.
Documentation from Google Support explains that the Feedback Loop (FBL) helps identify campaigns spoofing your organization's headers. By embedding a unique identifier in the message headers, you can pinpoint the source of abuse.