Let’s talk about the new Gmail unsubscribe link and what it means for you as an email marketer!
What has Gmail changed?
Recently, Gmail added an additional “Unsubscribe” link that will display in some bulk emails next to the “from” name.
Here’s an example :
If a recipient clicks the unsubscribe link, a pop-up appears asking if the reader really wants to unsubscribe from the list.
If the Unsubscribe link is clicked, Gmail will send an automated email to us, letting us know this person wants to be unsubscribed. We’ll suppress the contact for you.
How does the Gmail Unsubscribe link affect you?
It might not :-) Not every email sent to a Gmail address from Mad Mimi servers will have this link. Gmail says, “Also, please note that we are unable to provide the Unsubscribe option for all mailing lists.” Clearly, it’s a new feature for Gmail and like all new features, there are adjustments and improvements (and inconsistencies). We’ll keep you informed of any universal changes to this feature.
What does seem clear is that Gmail is only including this additional option when emails meet certain criteria:
- First of all, they need “mailto” information in the List-Unsubscribe header, which is how Google knows where to send the unsubscribe message. Mad Mimi always provides that data in outgoing emails.
- Gmail is also looking for information that makes it clear that the sender is legitimate, and isn’t going to spam or abuse their users. Mad Mimi provides a few different kinds of authentication to help with that, and we always work hard to ensure we have the best possible reputation with Gmail and other inboxes.
- Gmail knows and trusts Mad Mimi and our mailing servers, but your reputation, stats, history, and other less predictable variables will also affect the way they see your emails.
If you have the new Unsubscribe link added to your emails, don’t panic. It really just means Gmail trusts you as a sender. Gmail is offering this option to reduce the likelihood of someone marking your email as spam. Yes, there may be a slight increase in your unsubscribes, but it will limit complaint rates and help you maintain a healthy email list.
It’s easy to focus on your Unsubscribe stats as a negative indicator, but truly, they’re a part of healthy sending as far as deliverability is concerned. Emails ‘marked as spam’ are far more damaging to your sender reputation (and our servers) than high unsubscribe rates. You probably won’t do a happy dance when people unsubscribe from your emails, but try not to take it personally. It’s part of respecting your customers and the privacy of their inboxes.
What’s with all the changes, Gmail?
First came the ‘Promotions’ tab in Gmail inboxes. Now, the unsubscribe link. It seems like the name of the game here is transparency. Gmail’s goal is to limit sender abuse, and this is a good thing.
Gmail’s trying to help their customers out by making their lives’ easier. We don’t fault Gmail for that — in fact, we’re into it!
Ultimately, Gmail’s changes will result in less jam-packed inboxes, because fewer unwanted, non-opt-in emails will be received. It will make checking a Gmail inbox a more pleasant, less dread-inducing experience. We’re all in favor of that.