The Pekoe Group – Theatrical Marketing & Advertising

What Does Gmail’s New Look Mean for the Marketing Industry?

What Does Gmail’s New Look Mean for the Marketing Industry?

For those of you in the marketing industry that signed into your Gmail accounts recently and your heart skipped a beat, you are not alone. Gmail has a new interface, and it is slowly being applied to every user’s inbox.

If you haven’t received these changes yet, don’t worry. It’s nothing you can’t handle, but it is different and it could mean major changes in the world of online marketing.

Now when a user signs in, all mail will be sorted under 5 different tabs: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. It is essentially like having 5 inboxes in one, separated into categories. For example, emails from your mom will show up in Primary, while the latest Living Social deal will now show up under Promotions.

But what does that mean for those of us in the business of crafting subject lines and content to grab attention and make a sale? Are we going to be ignored all alone in our Promotions tab? Or worse, will we be deleted as part of an anti-selling mass inbox murder?

While reactions are mixed, it seems there may be no need to panic. The change seems to be an extension of Google’s priority mail system that caused panic two years ago. However, studies from September 2011 to May 2013 showed that the open percentage actually increased. Some are also saying that companies might benefit from not having to compete with all that so-called “important” mail. Not to mention that when a consumer does click on the Promotions tab, they are likely to be in the buying mood.

If you are still worried, here are a few helpful tips for marketers to stay relevant:

• Make sure your company is clearly identified as the sender.
• Put your best attention-grabbing efforts into the pre-header text.
• Take note of how it affects consumers. Do you need to change the time of your blast? Should you keep a deal going for longer to ensure it is seen?
• Stay on top of changes with Google. This format is in its early stages and is bound to grow and evolve. For example, as new systems are rolled out for the iOS app, they are revised and perfected for optimal capability.

Also, remember it is possible to choose to return to the old look, but don’t count on it. These things tend to stick. You can, however, drag the eblasts you know and love from the Promotions tab over to the Priority tab.

Our best advice? Take it as a new opportunity to learn more about your audience and get more creative!

(Photo Credit: JESS3)