Gmail 'Promotions Tab' paranoia

[FirstPageResults]

If you haven't already heard, Gmail is introducing a series of tabs that filter emails based on content.

This has alarmed some marketers as email newsletters will likely land under the new 'Promotions' tab, rather than the primary inbox:

There's been a lot of chatter online ever since Google unveiled it's new "social," "promotions" and updates tabs for Gmail earlier this summer. Especially about the promotions tab. Emails that people often receive from businesses -- like promotions and special offers -- are now being filtered into the tab, which is separate from a user's primary email stream.

Since then, the web has errupted with marketers crying foul. In an amount of several hours, for instance, I've received about a half dozen emails -- from newsletters that I've subscribed to -- providing instructions on how to ensure their emails land in my "primary" tab.

....

While I agree that having your emails land next to "spammy Promotional emails" is not a good thing, I'd argue that if you have "spammy Promotional emails" in your inbox, you need to start unsubscribing or marking them as spam. There is no reason to be getting unwanted emails anymore.


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227668#ixzz2bufkSP5h

Here are some emails I have received recently:

Here is another one:

Here's all you have to do: REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE by clicking “Reply” right now and pressing "Send". If you’re lost for words -- you can say: “Hi Avaaz.” Once you've sent the message you're all done.

Replying now is the simplest way to send a signal to Gmail that you want to receive Avaaz emails. And if we all do, it could show Gmail that Avaaz is valuable, and help ensure that thousands of members who might miss this email to still receive Avaaz alerts, and have a chance to continue to take action with us.

What does everyone think? Is it worthwhile segmenting your list and sending instructions?

Another way to go is to include instructions on an auto responder.

My biggest list indicates that 3.5% of subscribers are Gmail users.

 

[chris]

What does everyone think? Is it worthwhile segmenting your list and sending instructions?

Another way to go is to include instructions on an auto responder.

My biggest list indicates that 3.5% of subscribers are Gmail users.

Not sure FirstPageResults, I'd be interested in what others are doing about it.

You would think it will have to negatively impact on open rates.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[FirstPageResults]

You'd think so. Having said that, if you have quality content that people activitly go looking for (and subsequently click on links within) then you'd think that might send some good signals...

 

[chris]

True. I wonder if Google are going to keep it, or change what ends up there.

I like The Iconic example above, it would be interesting to know how many people follow the instructions.

 

[chris]

Moz.com just shared a post from the MailChimp blog on this, good reading for anyone interested:

http://blog.mailchimp.com/how-gmails-new-inbox-is-affecting-open-rates/

http://kb.mailchimp.com/article/how-do-i-get-my-emails-to-the-primary-tab-in-gmail

Cheers,
Chris

 

[findtim]

another sign of google turning into the next microsoft

tim