Feedback loops (FBLs) are programs run by mailbox providers (Microsoft JMRP, Yahoo CFL, Comcast, and others) that send you a copy or notice whenever a recipient marks your message as spam.
What good looks like#
- Done: Register your sending IPs and domains with each provider's FBL.
- Done: Route FBL messages to an automated parser.
- Done: Suppress every complainer from all future marketing.
- Done: Report complaint rate per campaign and per acquisition source.
What bad looks like#
- Seen in audits: Registering but never processing the reports.
- Seen in audits: Gmail has no traditional FBL; use Postmaster Tools spam rate instead.
How to move from bad to good#
Work through the good list in order and re-verify after each change. Most teams find one or two items from the bad list already present; fixing those usually produces the largest improvement.
Frequently asked questions#
Does Gmail offer a feedback loop?
Only an aggregate one via Postmaster Tools using the Feedback-ID header. Gmail does not return individual complaints.