Can I get access to Google Postmaster tools if I’m using an ESP?

The answer is almost certainly yes, but there are definitely cases where it the answer is no.

If you’re using your own domains for the return path and/or the d= value then you can set up postmaster tools for those domains. If you’re using a domain managed by the ESP, or a subdomain where the ESP manages the DNS, you may need your ESP to publish the correct key in DNS to authenticate the domain to Google.

If you, and you alone, are using a custom return path and/or d= value (even if it’s you.espdomain.example) then ask your ESP to authenticate the domain or grant you access. It’s not a big deal, just tell them what email address you’re using and have them authorize it.

If you’re using a shared return path and/or d= value you likely can’t have access for privacy reasons. No ESP wants customers to see other customers’ data.

ESPs should not prevent access even in the case where they control the domain if they are assigning subdomains per customer. Every customer with dedicated domains, even if those domains are owned or managed by the

I actually have access to GPT for many of my clients – I just add the domain to my dashboard and tell them to authorize access for my gmail address. Even better, when the contract is over they can remove my authorization and their new data is still private.

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Makes sense, right? Bad mail is blocked, good mail goes to the inbox. The bulk folder exists for mail that’s not bad enough to block, but isn’t good enough to go to the inbox.
Once we get to that model, we can think of filters as just different tolerances for what is bad and good. Using the same model, we can see aggressive filters block more mail and send more mail to bulk, while letting less into the inbox. There are also permissive filters that block very little mail and send most mail to the inbox.
That’s a somewhat useful model, but it doesn’t really capture the full complexity of filters. There isn’t just good mail and bad mail. Mail isn’t simply solicited or unsolicited. Filters take into account any number of factors before deciding what to do with mail.

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Google Postmaster bad IP reputation

There are widespread reports this morning (9/11/17) that Google postmaster tools is showing bad IP reputation for IPs starting on 9/9. This issue is affecting just about everyone. Looking through my client’s postmaster pages, I’m seeing red for IP reputation on every client. Even my clients with generally good reputation are seeing bad reputation since 9/9. 

This looks like a reporting or a display error on the part of Google. Many people who are reporting the bad IP reputation are not seeing any significant change in Gmail deliverability.
Looking through client data it appears that domain reputation reporting stopped on 9/8. I am seeing FBL reports for 9/9 and 9/10, for some but not all clients.
My current read on the situation is that something broke internally with the Gmail postmaster reporting. This does not currently appear to be affecting delivery of mail. (If anyone sees differently, drop me an email or tweet me @wise_laura).
I know folks are making sure Google knows. I know that some Gmail folks were directly notified and another Google person is active on Mailop. And we have confirmation that they are aware and are working on fixing it. I will let you know if I hear of a fix timeline.
EDIT: It’s been fixed. Google even fixed the older data. Same client, screenshot from this morning.

 

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