Answer: A feedback loop is an email communication between you and your email subscriber's ISP. It launches when the ISP forwards a notice that your recipient has marked your email message as spam, or if you send a message to an address the ISP has designated a spam trap. The ISP message includes a request that you remove that recipient's email address from your database.

Feedback loops were developed several years ago after ISPs and email senders began working together on ways to stop spam without blocking "good" email. Spam complaints are a signal that something has gone wrong with your email program, especially if the number is growing, or if one domain generates significantly more complaints than others.

Because a good sender reputation enhances your email deliverability to ISPs, you should treat notices you receive through feedback loops as unsubscribe requests and remove those email addresses from your list immediately.

Q. How do I sign up for feedback loops?

A. Not every ISP offers a feedback loop, but those that do provide information on their Web sites, usually on the Postmaster or "FBL" pages. The links below take you to the feedback-loop information pages for the major ISPs:

• AOL: http://postmaster.info.aol.com/Postmaster.FeedbackLoop.html

• MSN/Hotmail: https://support.msn.com/eform.aspx?productKey=edfsjmrpp&page=support_home_options_form_byemail&ct=eformts

• Yahoo: http://feedbackloop.yahoo.net/ (requires a Yahoo! ID to create or sign in to an account)

• BlueTie: http://feedback.bluetie.com/

• RoadRunner: http://feedback.postmaster.rr.com/

• Comcast: http://postmaster.comcast.net/feedback-loop.aspx

• Cox: http://fbl.cox.net/index.php

• USA.net: http://fbl.usa.net/

The sign-up process is just about the same. Fill out each registration form, completing all the blanks. You must know your "from" domain, or the email address you use to send messages, and in some cases your sending IP address or range of addresses.

Create a unique email address just for receiving feedback-loop messages, such as This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or create one address for each ISP: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Q. If I sign up, am I automatically added to the feedback loop?

A. No. Most ISPs restrict feedback-loop participation only to legitimate email senders with good reputations. Some ISPs will even revoke your feedback-loop membership if you generate too many complaints or fail to remove complaining subscribers.

Q. How do I know which subscribers to delete if I get complaints?

A. The best way is to create a unique identifier for each subscriber, because feedback-loop messages usually scrub out the recipient's email address. When you receive a complaint, use the identifier to find the subscriber and remove the address to a "do not email" list to avoid accidentally emailing the address again.

You can even add a message or source identifier to pinpoint sources. Some message types or opt-in sources might generate a disproportionate number of complaints.

Q. What happens after I sign up on a feedback list?

A. When a subscriber marks your email message as spam, the ISP will send a message to the email address you provided at registration.

The message content will vary by ISP. Some forward the entire message marked as spam, with additional headers. Others will forward the message but remove the complainer's email address. Others will simply send you the email address you must remove.

Monitor this mailbox regularly. Some ISPs forward spam complaints immediately while others send in batches. Check the mailbox before, during and after you send an email marketing campaign.

When you receive a spam complaint via the feedback loop, delete the address immediately, even if the subscriber didn't specifically ask to be unsubscribed.

Ignoring spam complaints and sending more messages to addresses that generate spam complaints is a sure way to lose your feedback-loop membership and get your email deliveries blocked at that sender.

Q. I use an email service provider (ESP) to host my list and provide support. Do I still need to sign up for feedback loops?

A. If you are a Lyris client, all feedback loop support and management is provided in your service agreement. If you use a different ESP, check to see if this service is included. If it is, then you need not sign up yourself. But be sure your ESP reports feedback-loop activity to you.

Q. Do feedback loops exist for B2B email marketers who have more corporate domains on their mailing lists than consumer services such as Yahoo!, AOL and MSN/Hotmail?

A. Corporate domains don't offer feedback loops comparable to the Web-email ISPs. Instead, B2B marketers must reach out to the administrators of each corporate domain to resolve spam-complaint or blocking issues, usually by asking to have the sending IP addresses whitelisted.

Want to Know More?

Download A Guide to Feedback Loops and Whitelists for more detailed information and specifications.

If you're a Lyris client, contact your account manager to learn more about feedback loop management and how you can use the information you get through feedback loops to improve your entire email marketing program.

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About the Author

David Fowler is the director of email strategy, deliverability and privacy compliance for Lyris. He consults with email marketers to help them get better results from their email programs.

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