A feedback loop is a mechanism triggered when an email recipient reports a message as spam. There are many reasons this can happen. The recipient may not recognize the sender, or may be tired of receiving emails so often. Or, on the contrary, it may simply be a moment of distraction and a wrong click.
What happens in a feedback loop
When an email is reported as spam, the sender receives a kind of complaint report warning them that they can no longer send email to that address. Keep in mind that this notice can only be delivered if the email software provider has an agreement with the mailbox providers. Without one, the sender will never know about it. That is why it is always a good idea to set up this kind of agreement to fight the serious problem of spam.
Tips to prevent it
You can fight spam, and therefore keep feedback loop complaints from being triggered, with a few very simple precautions that can prove really useful for your business (in email marketing, for example). The golden rule every sender must follow is never to add to your mailing list people who have not explicitly asked to receive your emails. Your reputation depends on it. On the other hand, people who give you a chance by subscribing to your newsletter should always be able to leave at any time. By making the newsletter unsubscribe button clearly visible, you avoid being reported as spam and setting the feedback loop process in motion. You can also add a standard notice such as: “You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to our mailing list. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, click here“. This approach gives your contacts a way to step away from your service without marking it as spam. To avoid feedback loop complaints, it is also very important to keep the same sender name and address rather than changing it often, so your contacts always recognize you. If you do need to change it, let them know.