What Is USPS Informed Visibility?

Key Takeaways

• USPS Informed Visibility is a service that allows mailers to view data regarding how their mail is progressing through the postal network.
• A mail piece’s Intelligent Mail barcode plays an important role in Informed Visibility.
• Informed Visibility and Informed Delivery are two different services that are offered by the USPS.
• Informed Visibility is not the same as a package tracking code and shouldn’t be used to confirm that a piece of mail has been delivered.
• Campaign managers can use Informed Visibility to understand their campaign’s status and timing better, as well as to help coordinate other marketing activities.

What is USPS Informed Visibility?

You’ve handed your mail over to the USPS. Is there a way to see where your mail is in the process? Are they moving through the USPS postal network without issue? Have portions of your mail reached their destination areas, and when should you start to expect responses to arrive? The USPS offers Informed Visibility Mail Tracking & Reporting, which can help mailers to answer those questions that they might be having. But, while Informed Visibility is a useful tool to use, it shouldn’t be confused with traditional package tracking or proof of delivery.

How Does Informed Visibility Work?

As mail that has been accurately and appropriately barcoded moves through USPS processing, the Intelligent Mail barcode has the ability to be scanned at different points in the postal network. Informed Visibility utilizes mail-processing data, as well as certain events as it moves through the postal network to give the mailer information regarding how their mail is progressing.

What Can Informed Visibility Tell Me?

As your mail moves through USPS processing equipment, information that can be determined via your Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) can provide visibility data.

Informed visibility can tell you:

• Where and when various USPS processing events occur
• How portions of your mail are progressing through the postal network
• If mail has progressed towards its destination area
• Information that can assist mailers with campaign timing

Can I Use Informed Visibility to Track Individual Direct Mail Pieces?

Informed Visibility can provide the mailer with useful processing information if the mail piece has been barcoded correctly. However, Informed Visibility is not the same as traditional package tracking, and can’t display the exact, precise location or status of delivery.

Can Informed Visibility Confirm a Mail Piece’s Delivery?

No, Informed Visibility can’t be used to confirm delivery to its targeted recipient. Informed Visibility is more of a tool to generally view information regarding mail processing and other visibility events and can’t be used to confirm that the targeted recipient has received the mail. For more information on delivery expectations for direct mail, read Geon’s article here.

How Does the Intelligent Mail Barcodes Relate to Informed Visibility?

The IMb is a tool that carries encoded information that is used in the processing of commercial mailings and can be used to support mail visibility. If you want to learn more about the IMb and the information that it contains, read Geon’s guide to the Intelligent Mail barcode here.

Informed Visibility vs. Informed Delivery

USPS Informed Visibility and Informed Delivery are not the same thing and don’t provide the same uses. While Informed Visibility can help the mailer to understand their mail’s processing status, Informed Delivery helps the recipient preview what their incoming mail is.

How Can Mailers Use Informed Visibility?

Coordinate Other Marketing Efforts

If you’re following your direct mail with other types of marketing campaigns, like email, social media, outbound calls, or other channels, Informed Visibility can give mailers additional information when trying to coordinate between channels.

Understanding Your Campaign’s Progress

If the responses don’t start coming in using your chosen response mechanism, mail visibility data from Informed Visibility can provide additional information regarding whether portions of your mail are still moving through the postal network.

Helping to Plan Future Campaigns

USPS Informed Visibility can be used to combine visibility information with your campaign’s records, knowing how long it takes for your campaign to move through different stages of the postal network. This can be used to help set up long-term direct mail success.

Can Informed Visibility Tell Me When I Should Start Measuring Campaign Results?

While Informed Visibility won’t directly tell the time to start analyzing your results, it can provide additional context for timing for your campaign. It’s important to still give the recipients of your mail piece time to respond to your mail piece, as there’s a chance that your mail piece won’t arrive on the same day.

Who Handles Informed Visibility for My Direct Mail Campaign?

Depending on how your campaign is managed, Informed Visibility could be managed by a lettershop, mail-service provider, a piece of mailing software, or another service provider. Not every lettershop or mail-service provider will offer Informed Visibility management. If you’re curious about this or other mailing services, contact your lettershop or mail-service provider directly to inquire further.

Is Every Piece of Mail Eligible for Informed Visibility?

No, not every piece of mail is eligible for Informed Visibility. Informed Visibility has specific requirements regarding the type of mail, barcoding, presorting/preparation, and other factors that determine whether a piece of mail is eligible for the service. Mailers shouldn’t assume that every piece of mail will automatically have Informed Visibility data generated for it just because it was entered into the USPS network.

Are Informed Visibility and USPS Package Tracking the Same Thing?

No, Informed Visibility is not the same as USPS Package Tracking. Informed Visibility is more about mail-processing visibility and status reporting, whereas USPS Package Tracking is designed to provide tracking events and other information for individual packages as they move through the postal network, and could include information regarding delivery, if applicable.

FAQ

• Q: What is USPS Informed Visibility?
  • A: USPS Informed Visibility is a tool that can provide mailers with information regarding how their mail is progressing through USPS processing.
• Q: Can I track my direct mail through USPS Informed Visibility, and does it tell me when my mail is delivered?
  • A: USPS Informed Visibility is not the same as a package tracking service, and processing information from USPS Informed Visibility shouldn’t be treated as confirmation that an individual received a piece of mail that was sent to them.
• Q: Do I need an Intelligent Mail barcode to use Informed Visibility?
  • A: Yes, mail pieces that are intended to generate Informed Visibility information is required to have an accurate Intelligent Mail barcode, as well as meeting the other USPS requirements to be eligible for Informed Visibility. For more information on IMb requirements for Informed Visibility, check out the USPS page on Informed Visibility requirements here.
• Q: Are Informed Visibility and Informed Delivery the same service?
  • A: No, they’re not the same. Informed Visibility is primarily a service for mailers to get visibility and reporting on the status of their mail, whereas Informed Delivery is for recipients of the mail to get previews of their incoming mail.
• Q: Can my lettershop give me direct mail tracking information?
  • A: They might be able to. Depending on the lettershop or mail-service provider, you could get mail-visibility information as a part of their services that they offer. Ask your preferred provider what tracking or visibility information they offer for your direct mail campaign.

Conclusion

Mailers can use USPS Informed Visibility to receive useful information regarding how their mail pieces are moving through the USPS network. This information can help with campaign timing, coordination, and understanding when portions of their mailing are moving towards their recipients. While Informed Visibility can provide assistance to mailers, it shouldn’t be confused with traditional package tracking services, or treated as proof that a piece of mail has reached its targeted recipient.

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