Why the latest Gmail Unsubscribe changes are good for marketers

The guys at Google have been busy implementing changes to the Gmail interface again, this time with an alteration to how users unsubscribe from unwanted communications.

What’s new?
Google has simplified the unsubscribe process with the addition of a new button. The link automatically appears beside sender details in the header of emails that Google detects may be email marketing communications.

The change was announced last week at an industry conference in San Francisco held byMAAWG, an anti-abuse messaging group – and rolled out thereafter. The button allows users to unsubscribe from unwanted emails without leaving Gmail. Clicking on the link won’t direct you through to the marketer’s unsubscribe process; instead Google will contact the marketer directly to request that they remove you from future mailings.

The change is a development on the 2009 feature which would offer users an unsubscribe button, but only after they had reported an email as spam. The button is now available for most promotional messages that already feature an unsubscribe link in the body of the email.
At the moment, the change hasn’t filtered through to Gmail users on the mobile site or the Gmail app, but as these sites are increasingly being used by Gmail subscribers I would expect these changes to come in time.

What’s in it for marketers?
Quite a lot actually, it’s widely recognised that email marketers should make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe from communications. If the process is difficult, it’s likely your recipients will become frustrated and treat your email communications (that they previously opted in to receiving) the same way they treat true spam – by clicking the “report spam” button. Long term this can have a detrimental effect on your delivery rate.

The button provides your recipient with greater control over what they receive and as it simplifies the unsubscribe process; it reduces the likelihood of your emails being falsely classified as spam.
In a more general sense, you don’t want recipients on your mailing list who don’t want to be there. Allowing them to leave easily, without a fuss is only going to have a positive effect on your campaigns.

How should we react?

1. Deliver value to your subscribers, constantly
Aim to ensure you always meet your recipients’ expectations and deliver them the value you promised when they signed up. No one ever unsubscribed from an email that was valuable to them! Most subscribers will forgive you the occasional email that misses the mark, but set your standards high and aim to deliver value constantly.

2. Maintain a good quality mailing list
Always review and cleanse your data to ensure you’re sending to the most relevant people who are expecting to receive your emails. If you have a large number of inactive subscribers, carry out a re-engagement campaign to tidy up your data set and talk to those subscribers who haven’t interacted with you for a while less frequently.

3. Send targeted, relevant communications
Collect preferences in order to personalise your communications to individual recipients. Include engaging subject and super subject lines and clear calls to action.

4. Test
Research how often your subscribers want to hear from you. It’s easy to test and will ensure they are getting the emails as frequently as they want to. Remember it is possible to be sending them to few emails as well as too many.

5. Be responsive
The number of emails read on mobile devices is continuously increasing so it’s important to ensure you’re providing your recipients with the best possible experience for the device they’re viewing your email on. Utilising a responsive email design will ensure your emails work equally well for Gmail subscribers on desktop and mobile devices.

Overall, this new update can only be good news for email marketers. The fact that Google is working with legitimate senders, holds benefits for both email marketers and more importantly, our recipients.

By DMA guest blogger James Bunting, Co-founder, Communicator Corp