How to Apply for Feedback Loops

If you aren't familiar with what an email feedback loop is, or why you would want to set one up, please read Email Feedback Loops first, then come back here.

Prerequisites

Before getting started on the application process, let's make sure that we have some prerequisites in place:
  1. A list of the IP addresses that you use to send email. This is needed for most feedback loops, with the notable exception of Yahoo.
  2. A list of the DKIM key(s) that you use to sign email. This is needed for Yahoo's feedback loop.
  3. An email address to receive complaints at. This email address should either have no spam filtering in place, or white list the addresses that complaints are sent from.
  4. A method for processing spam complaints as they are sent by the feedback loop provider.

Apply

With the prerequisites out of the way, you're now ready to start sending in feedback loop applications.

First Tier Feedback Loops

In most cases, I recommend starting out by applying to the following feedback loops. The reason for this is that these ISPs have both a substantial customer base, and a reasonable application process. In other words, you get the most bang for your buck by starting with these:

Second Tier Feedback Loops

After you've sent in the first tier application, I recommend also applying to the ISPs listed below. These are ISPs which in most cases won't have as many customers that you're sending to as the first tier ISPs. Still, if you're sending enough email to consider feedback loops, then at least some of them are probably going to recipients at these ISPs. These ISPs all have a straight forward feedback loop application process:

Third Tier Feedback Loops

The following feedback loops have more complicated and/or restricted application processes than those in the first and second tier. I recommend evaluating these feedback loops on a case by case basis to determine if you qualify: