Anytime someone forgets to BCC a mass email, it serves as a reminder that Gmail wasn’t designed for large-scale sends. However, despite this limitation, people have found ways to conduct email marketing in Gmail. There are various Chrome extensions and feature-rich apps that enable you to send email campaigns through Gmail. Even Google itself suggests building a newsletter in Google Docs and then copying it into Gmail or directly sending it from Docs.
Now, Google has taken it a step further. Gmail provides built-in email newsletter templates and the capability to send emails to multiple individual recipients without the need for a BCC. Let’s explore how it all works.
How to Send a Newsletter in Gmail
Before we proceed, I must note that I don’t typically recommend using Gmail for email marketing. It’s more suitable for small operations or occasions such as sending out a fundraising announcement to your kid’s preschool. However, using Gmail can significantly enhance the professionalism of your emails.
Customize Email Layouts in Gmail
To create a fancy-looking newsletter template in Gmail, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Choose layout” icon located at the bottom of a new email.
- You’ll find six layout options, each with an “inverted” format that swaps the colors around a bit.
- Select “Default styling.” Under “Logo, colors & fonts,” upload your logo and choose your desired color and font. While you can use a hex code for the color, your font options are limited to Gmail’s defaults.
- In the “Footer details” section, include your business name and address, at the very least.
- Under “Links,” add as many links as you want to your website or social media accounts. These links will be displayed at the bottom of your email.
- Lastly, click “Save changes.”
Now, whenever you return to the main screen, all the layouts will be customized to reflect your brand. This eliminates the need to recreate the footer every time.
While composing your email, you can click on any element within the layout to edit it. Feel free to change images, add links, modify alt text, or remove sections entirely.
Gmail Newsletter Tips
Once you’ve customized your layouts, everything else should feel familiar as you’re working within a standard Gmail email. However, there are a few quirks to keep in mind. Here are some tips based on my experience testing this feature:
- Image dimensions: The templates will restrict you to specific image dimensions. So, if you have a portrait-mode photo of your dog in a fancy outfit, you may not be able to display the image fully. You’ll have to choose which part of the image you want to include, so try to find one with dimensions similar to the default templates.
- Change links and images: Don’t forget to update all the links and images. Gmail will kindly remind you if you overlook this step. Also, remember to change the alt text for the images.
- Save the layout as a template: If you plan on reusing images or content, save the layout as a template using Gmail’s template feature. This way, your logo, colors, and fonts will be saved, saving you time in the future.
Sending to Multiple Recipients with Multi-Send Mode
Now that you have your layout ready, you can send the newsletter to each individual recipient without the need for BCC. Here’s how:
- Click on the multi-send mode icon.
- The screen will adopt a Google Forms-style purple color, and the “Send” button will change to “Continue.” Click “Continue.”
- Initially, you’ll receive a reminder not to spam people. Click “Got it.” If you’re confident that future you will remember not to send unsolicited emails, you can select “Don’t show again.”
- You’ll have the option to send a test email to yourself. Simply click “Send preview.”
- Alternatively, click “Send all” to send the newsletter to everyone on your list.
Each person on your list will receive an email individually addressed to them.
Gmail Multi-Send Mode Tips
While making your emails visually appealing is important, sending to a large list requires some extra caution. Keep the following tips in mind:
- Mind the storage limits: Gmail imposes a daily limit of 1,500 emails for multi-send mode. However, each email will count as a “sent” email in your inbox. If your emails contain images, they can quickly consume your Google storage limits.
- Avoid CC or BCC: Although you can CC or BCC individuals, doing so will result in them receiving the email multiple times, once for each contact on your list. To prevent your business partner from getting the same email 1,500 times, it’s best not to use the CC or BCC field.
- Utilize Google Contacts: If you plan on repeatedly sending to the same list, leverage Google Contacts. This allows you to send to an existing list instead of manually entering email addresses each time. Google provides instructions on how to use this feature.
- Adhere to email marketing rules: Throughout the process, Google will remind you not to send unsolicited emails. Additionally, every email sent with multi-send mode will automatically include an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Remember, this is considered email marketing, and you should treat it as such.
Should I Use Gmail for Email Marketing?
In short, using Gmail for email marketing isn’t the ideal solution. If you’ve ever used dedicated email newsletter software, you likely understand why. However, let me explain a few reasons anyway:
- Personalization: Gmail doesn’t offer much flexibility for personalizing emails to recipients.
- Limited customization: There are only a few customization options available in Gmail.
- Basic contact management: Gmail’s contact management features are quite basic, making audience segmentation a challenge.
- Lack of analytics: Gmail doesn’t provide analytics to measure email performance.
- Inability to conduct tests: A/B testing subject lines or other email elements isn’t possible in Gmail.
The list goes on. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t valid use cases for Gmail email marketing. If you send newsletters infrequently or require one-off blasts, Gmail can suffice. It can also be a great choice for promoting one-time events related to organizations you’re affiliated with, where visual aesthetics matter. Alternatively, if you want to impress your colleagues by inviting them to the company picnic, go ahead and use Gmail.
But for most businesses, it’s recommended to bypass Gmail and opt for a dedicated email marketing tool.
