Have you enabled your Google’s new Gmail tabs
feature? Here at the office, a few of us have made the switch on our
desktops and on our mobile devices. However, not everyone is convinced
the new Gmail interface is worth the switch. With an entire tab devoted
to weekly coupons, sale updates, and reminders that today is the last
day for 20% off, deleting unread emails is even easier than before. So
what does Gmail’s new tabs mean for email marketers?
First
things first: let’s review the change. The new Gmail gives you the
option to organize emails into 1 of 5 tabs (though you can choose how
many tabs you would like to use). The tabs include: Primary, Social,
Promotion, Updates, and Forums. Though the organization is intriguing,
the Promotions tab is what might not sit well with email marketers.
Gmail seems to put emails that have an unsubscribe link into this tab.
Emails from blogs, newsletters, and promotional lists are lumped
together in one spot. Sounds great, right? It would be great if it
sorted consistently.
The “Updates” tab occasionally
holds spill over from the “Promotions” tab--some newsletters and blog
subscriptions are in Updates, while others are in Promotions. Even
though emails are arriving from the same blog feed/sender, each emails
seems to be treated differently.
Back to the real
question...How can email marketers ensure their emails are filtered
into the correct tab, let alone checked? Here are a few items to
consider:
- Choose an Enticing Subject
Salesforce.com reported (via Adestra) that subjected with fewer than 10 characters received a 58% open rate. Not to mention, Convinceandconvert.com reported
that 33% of email recipients open emails based on subject alone. Your
subject is your most vital asset. A brief, attention-grabbing subject
will increase your chances of gaining a higher open rate, no matter
which tab it lands under in Gmail.
- Address the Change and Inform Your Users
Tell
your customers that they can ensure they see your emails by starring
them or moving them to the “Primary” tab. Gmail will remember a user’s
preferences when once he/she stars or moves an email to a different tab.
Who wants to miss out on a serious deal or delicious recipe just
because it lands in the wrong tab? Incorporating a friendly reminder
about the change and offering quick tips to make your emails readable,
customers will appreciate the thought and may even make the changes.
- Reconsider Your Timing
Users
might set aside particular times of day to read their “Updates” or
“Social” emails, so any time sensitive deals might be missed. Even if
your customers are not that scheduled, it may take time to
adjust to the new layout and to get all their emails sorted properly.
Whatever you decide, be sure to consider your audience to determine the
best course of action, if any.
- Utilize Mobile Strategies
About half of emails are being opened on mobile devices these days, and TopRankBlog
states that 64% of decision-makers read emails on their mobile devices.
Just consider your target audience and remember, there’s a good chance
your customer opened the email on his/her phone and may not have the
Gmail app installed. Though the Gmail tabs are much more user-friendly
on the mobile app, the iPhone inbox is still one continuous stream of
emails. Mobile email apps are constantly evolving and advancing, so
don’t change everything because of one Gmail update--it surely will not
be the last.
- Remember the Basics
With
email marketing, it’s all about monitoring your success and adjusting
as necessary. Gmail’s new layout may take some time to adjust initially,
but as long as you continue to deliver valuable, relevant content,
customers and subscribers will look forward to your emails--and even
search through tabs to find them!
Watch the video and
consider giving it a test drive by clicking “configure inbox” under the
settings menu. If you have made the switch--what do you think so far?
Article courtesy of Social Media Today
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