You depend on emails to communicate with customers and keep leads warm, but Gmail continues its crackdown on marketing messages to help consumers avoid content they consider spam. In a Google+ post entitled “Unsubscribing simplified,” Gmail announced it will be moving unsubscribe links to the top of messages, with an example showing the option just to the right of the sender’s email address.
There’s no more downplaying the unsubscribe option
The consequences are multifaceted. This change threatens to undo the hard work you’ve invested in cultivating a contact database and crafting custom messages, chock full of interesting brand content. Recipients don’t even have to give your email a chance before electing to unsubscribe. But at the same time, it’s a challenge to improve your marketing campaigns.
Studies have proven time and time again that email is reliably the best way to reach customers and prospects online. Around 7 out of 10 marketers say it’s good or excellent for driving ROI. But with steady success comes the risk of complacency. Are you spending as much time brainstorming subject lines, mulling over the best hooks or hand-picking blogs for each each message as you did when you launched an email campaign? The answer for many marketers is “No,” and consumers deserve better, especially if you’re trying to win them over as customers.
Easy opt-outs could be an asset in the long-run
Gmail is right in the desire to unburden users of having to weed spam messages out of their inboxes, and it claims this is also good for brands sending out massive blasts. With easy opt-outs, email senders reduce their risk of being marked as ‘spam’ by people who don’t want to receive messages anymore. Simple unsubscribes could become an asset as spam laws tighten (See Canada’s recent update with a $10 million price tag).
As Gmail seeks to improve on the experience its users have with the service, so should marketers. This is a reminder to make sure subject lines are as tight as they could be (because they might be your only chance to retain readers) and confirm that the following copy is direct and valuable to readers. A well-executed email campaign could be one of the best tools in your belt to drive ROI and get brand content in front of the intended audiences – your prospects and customers.
Here are our some of our latest tips about crafting stronger emails:
