Why is Google Postmaster API returning empty responses?
Summary
What email marketers say18Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Tech Support Forum suggests that improperly formatted or malformed API requests can result in the API returning empty responses, and advises validating the request syntax.
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms empty API responses since yesterday and asks if there is any chance v2 API was introduced instead.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Advice advises checking if the domains being queried have sufficient traffic and data to meet Google's minimum reporting thresholds, as low traffic may result in empty responses.
Email marketer from Email Deliverability Tips recommends checking for updates to the API client libraries being used, as outdated libraries can cause compatibility issues resulting in empty responses.
Email marketer from Webmaster Forum suggests verifying that the API key or OAuth credentials being used have the necessary permissions, as insufficient permissions can lead to empty responses.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips Blog notes that discrepancies between the time zones of the API server and the request can cause no data to be returned, and advises synchronizing server times to prevent this issue.
Email marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that the issue is just Spam Rate, is getting data via the API and see in the UI for all other metrics up to 11/6.
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms they don’t see any data post 11/2.
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms the issue started on Nov 2 and says it happens from time to time.
Email marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that the API does not have any data since 11/2 and the UI has the data for IP and domain reputation, but not Spam Rates.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests the Google Postmaster API often experiences glitches, especially after updates to Gmail's infrastructure, and advises checking the Gmail status dashboard for any reported issues.
Email marketer from Email Admins Blog notes that network issues, such as DNS resolution problems or firewall restrictions, can sometimes prevent the API from receiving data, resulting in empty responses.
Email marketer from EmailGeekForum mentions that scheduled maintenance on Google's servers can cause temporary outages and empty API responses, and that these periods are usually short-lived.
Email marketer from Email Geeks notes UI and API for V1 is missing data from 11/3 onward and V2 has Spam rate data.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that changes to the API's data structure, requiring updates to parsing scripts, could cause perceived empty responses. They advise checking the API's change log.
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms data can be seen via API now
Email marketer from Email Geeks reports data is back and you would be able also download it from Nov 2 via API
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that they have had no data since the 2nd.
What the experts say1Expert opinion
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atallah, responds that a user noticed discrepancies with the data available to them in the Postmaster Tools and asks if anyone else has seen the same. It has been observed that Gmail is recording messages received, however, the data available in the Postmaster Tools isn’t reflecting the numbers and is showing zeros.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Stack Overflow details that rate limiting can cause empty responses. They recommend implementing exponential backoff to handle these scenarios effectively.
Documentation from Google Developers Forum indicates that deprecated API endpoints or incorrect API versions in the request can result in empty responses. Developers should ensure the API calls are directed to the correct, current endpoint.
Documentation from Google Workspace Support advises checking the API's quota limits, as exceeding these limits results in empty responses. The documentation suggests monitoring API usage and adjusting the frequency of requests accordingly.
Documentation from Google Cloud Status Dashboard indicates that regional outages or specific service disruptions can affect the API's availability, leading to periods of empty responses.
Documentation from Google Developers explains that occasional delays in data processing can lead to temporary empty responses. They recommend implementing error handling and retry mechanisms in your application to manage such scenarios.