Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Special Report on Google Gmail: Six Concerns & Three Solutions for Emailers

Worried about the ads Google serves into its Gmail email service? That could be the least of your problems.



Yes, you could find a competitor's ad right next to your customer's order confirmation, your company email newsletter or a solo ad mailing.



But, Gmail also currently blocks all of your ads and images on download. Senders may not be able to track opens and click rates properly. And, Gmail could deliver a body blow to viral marketing, not to mention disappearing permission mailers' messages without a trace in the spam folder.



Google's free, Web-based Gmail service is still in beta testing right now, with an estimated few thousand users; so, its effect right now on your email operation should be minimal. However, if it launches essentially as-is within a few months, it will be one bulk-email-unfriendly service.



Read the MarketingSherpa article By EmailSherpa Editor Janet Roberts quickly, it is on a time limit.



Useful links related to this story are Screenshots of how email newsletters from the Washington Post, MarketingSherpa, FlowGo, and MarketingVOX appear in Gmail. The Gmail and Privacy FAQ. And another MarketingSherpa article, Text-Only Email Design Pitfalls & Guidelines: More Critical Than Ever.

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