This document discusses Gmail's tabbed inbox and its potential impact on email engagement. It outlines the pros and cons of tabs, such as pre-qualified recipients in the promotions tab but possible latency in opens. It also shows how some brands are addressing tabs through dedicated messaging and instructions. While consumers report tabs haven't changed their email habits, data suggests engaged users are reading more and placement is up for medium/low engaged users. It's advised to monitor key metrics for Gmail subscribers and include dynamic language for them.

1. Gmail’s Tabbed Inbox.
What’s the Impact?
Kara Trivunovic,
VP Strategic Services

4. Consumers Taking to Facebook

5. On the Docket
• The Pros’s and Con’s of
Gmail Tabs
• How other brands are
addressing tabs
• Impact of tabs on
engagement
• Considerations for your
program

6. The Pro’s & Con’s of Gmail Tabs
•
•
• Customer is in a
shopping mind-set
• View and click activity is
pre-qualified
• Messages are separated
from other inbox clutter
• Possible latency in open
activity
• Requires additional
action by the subscriber
• Mis-categorization of
certain types of content

7. Subject Line:
Friends-With-Benefits
Brands Respond
• Dedicated messaging with
summary instructions
• Brings fun tone and context that
aligns with brand voice

8. Brands Respond
Subject Line:
Don't miss a single message.
• Dedicated messaging
with paragraph-style
“how-to”
• Subject line is clear for
the recipient

9. Subject Line:
Keeping Tabs on Our Best Guests
Brands Respond
• Dedicated message with step-by-step
instructions
• Focused on “best guests”
• Includes an offer

10. Subject Line:
Gmail users: Never miss an offer from Gap!
Brands Respond
• Reference Gmail in subject line
• Dedicated message with step-by-step
instructions
• Includes an offer

11. Brands Respond
• Dedicated message with
step-by-step instructions
• Includes a pre-header that
reads “drag and drop me in
to your Primary tab”
• Reinforces the “tabs”
messaging in the header of
subsequent messages

12. Consumers Respond
Report that Tabs have NOT impacted
the way they engage with Brand email
Percent of Consumers claiming to spend the
same amount of time on Brand email
Consumers report checking the promotions tab:
20%
15%
19%
46%
Multi Times Daily
Once per Week
Less than Once per Week
Less than Weekly

13. What’s the Impact?
•
•
•
According to Return Path: Gmail Tabs Analysis report “Gmail Tabs Don’t Stop Shoppers”
Highly engaged email users are reading at a higher rate than before
Inbox placement for Medium and Low engaged email users is up since the rollout

14. What’s the Impact?
Decrease in Open Activity
CTO activity changes vary dramatically
Fluctuations in
been
have
impacted

15. What To-Do Next
• Monitor key engagement
metrics for Gmail
subscribers
• Include dynamic language
for @gmail.com in
header/footer to address
placement concerns
• Just keep doing what you’re
doing

16. Questions?
THANK YOU.