How to Prevent the New Gmail Inbox From Hiding Your Emails

Recently, I was forced to change my email inbox.

Reluctantly (grumbling all the way), I accepted the new design of Gmail. The new inbox creates three tabs and filter emails according to where Gmail thinks they belong – Primary, Social and Promotions.

I had already spent countless hours setting up filters and labels to correctly file all of my emails the way I like them. Needless to say, the new inbox was not a welcome change.

I’m finding that I am ignoring the other tabs (Social and Promotions). I don’t check them until the end of the day, if at all, simply because I am used to emails going into my correctly and specifically designed labels.

Enough about me and my email OCD. I want to talk about your email marketing and how this change affects marketers.

Honestly I didn’t give much thought to how email marketing might be affected until I received an email from my friend Danielle of Healthy Mamas for Healthy Families. I subscribe to her newsletter as she shares valuable tips, recipes and inspiration for busy moms around nutrition. (Plus she’s an awesome person and always in a good mood.)

The subject line of her email read: Did Gmail put this email where you want it?

The email went like this:

Hi friends, 

As you may know, Gmail recently rolled out a newly designed inbox.

If you’ve been using the new design, you also know your emails are now being sorted into three+ tabs — Primary, Social, and Promotions. 

You may also have noticed that my emails (those from Healthy Mamas for Happy Families), maybe even this one, now appear in your Promotions or Updates tab. If you’d rather the informative emails I send end up in your Primary tab it’s simple to tell Gmail where these emails should go. 

Here’s how: *Drag and drop my email into your Primary tab and click “yes” when Gmail asks if you’d like future messages from this email address to go to your Primary tab.

That’s it!

I hope this email helps ensure you don’t miss out on important information to help you be the most healthy mom you can be! If you have any additional questions please let me know.

Be well, 
Danielle

What I love about this email is that it’s clear, concise and friendly. It’s not lecturing me, it’s not scaring me, and it’s not berating me into making drastic changes to my inbox.

It’s just a friendly reminder to not let these important emails slip by, along with a very useful and brief step-by-step as to how to fix it.

I suggest that you send a similar email out to your mailing list ASAP to let them know about the Gmail changes and how to keep getting your important news in their Primary inboxes.

What do you think about the new Gmail tabs? Do you like them? Loathe them?

photo credit: Social BIz Solutions via photopin cc