Small Business Quick WINS Episode Summary
Episode Title: EMAIL MYTH BUSTED! Gmail Tabs & How to Measure Real Email Performance
Host: Jay Schwedelson
Presented By: Thryv
Release Date: March 13, 2025
Introduction
In this episode of Small Business Quick WINS, host Jay Schwedelson delves into the pervasive myths surrounding email marketing, specifically focusing on the impact of Gmail's Promotions tab and Apple's new email categorization features. Jay aims to equip small business owners with actionable insights to enhance their email marketing strategies and accurately measure email performance.
Myth Busting: Emails in Promotions Tabs
Key Points:
- Common Misconception: Many business owners believe that having their emails land in Gmail’s Promotions tab adversely affects their email performance.
- Reality Check: Jay clarifies that this concern is largely unfounded due to the declining usage of Promotions tabs.
Notable Quotes:
- “Less than 30% of Gmail users actually have their tabs enabled, and that number's even shrinking.” [(02:30)]
- “The promotions tab is not your junk folder. It's part of your inbox... When they're in their promotions tab, they're in there looking for offers, deals, things.” [(04:15)]
Insights:
- Declining Usage: The majority of Gmail users do not utilize the tabbed inbox feature, meaning most emails land in the Primary tab by default.
- Engaged Audience: For the subset that does use Promotions tabs, about half check these tabs daily, presenting a viable audience for promotional content.
- Apple's Mail App Update: Similar to Gmail, Apple's AI-driven categorization places emails into various buckets, including Promotions. However, adoption is low due to hardware restrictions and user preferences.
Assessing True Email Performance
Key Points:
- Segmentation Strategy: Jay recommends segmenting your email list by isolating engaged users—those who have opened or clicked emails in the past six months.
- Performance Metrics: By focusing on this engaged subset, businesses can more accurately gauge the effectiveness of their email campaigns without the noise of inactive subscribers.
Notable Quotes:
- “Take your database and put aside anybody who has not opened or clicked one of your emails in six months... then send your regular emails to the remaining engaged portion.” [(10:45)]
- “If you don't see your metrics completely rise... then you have a major problem.” [(12:10)]
Actionable Steps:
- Identify Engaged Subscribers: Filter out non-engaged users to focus on those who actively interact with your emails.
- Send Regular Campaigns: Dispatch your standard email content to the engaged segment and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like open rates and click-through rates (CTR).
- Analyze Results: A significant improvement in KPIs indicates healthy email performance. Lack of improvement suggests deeper issues such as deliverability problems or outdated marketing tactics.
Addressing Potential Email Issues
Key Points:
- Beyond Promotions Tabs: If segmented campaigns do not yield expected improvements, the issue may lie in deliverability or marketing strategies.
- Comprehensive Testing: Jay emphasizes the importance of testing various aspects of email marketing, including subject lines, headlines, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, and landing page content.
Notable Quotes:
- “Email marketing in general is always going to be about a series of little things that you have to look into. It's never going to just be one thing.” [(18:20)]
- “What are our subject line tactics? Are we trying new things? What's the headline in our email?” [(19:05)]
Recommendations:
- Optimize Subject Lines: Experiment with different phrasing and personalization to increase open rates.
- Refine CTAs: Ensure that your CTAs are clear, compelling, and strategically placed within the email.
- Enhance Landing Pages: Align the messaging and design of landing pages with email content to improve conversion rates.
- Test Send Times: Analyze the optimal days and times for sending emails to maximize engagement.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Jay Schwedelson wraps up the episode by reiterating that the Promotions tab should not be a primary concern for most email marketers due to its limited usage. Instead, businesses should focus on engaging their active subscribers and continuously refining their email strategies through testing and optimization.
Notable Quotes:
- “Promotions tab put that off to a side. You don't have to worry about that one.” [(22:00)]
- “Every little thing matters and it adds up.” [(22:30)]
Final Recommendations:
- Stay Focused on Engagement: Prioritize strategies that enhance engagement with your most responsive audience.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly assess and tweak your email marketing tactics to adapt to changing behaviors and preferences.
- Leverage Tools: Utilize business management software like Thryv’s Marketing Center to streamline your email campaigns and gain deeper insights into customer interactions.
Additional Resources and Next Steps
- Thryv Marketing Center: Jay highlights the benefits of Thryv’s all-in-one business management software, encouraging listeners to explore their tools for managing workflows, teams, and client interactions. A special 25% discount offer was mentioned, accessible via thrive.com/wins.
- Subscribe and Engage: Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the podcast for weekly actionable tips and to leave a five-star review if they found at least one new idea applicable to their business.
Key Takeaways
- Promotions Tab Misconception: Most email marketing performance issues are not due to emails landing in Promotions tabs, as their usage is declining.
- Focus on Engaged Users: Segment your email list to target engaged subscribers for more accurate performance measurement.
- Comprehensive Testing: Regularly test and optimize various elements of your email campaigns to improve overall effectiveness.
- Utilize Business Tools: Leverage platforms like Thryv to enhance your marketing efforts and manage your business operations efficiently.
By debunking the myth surrounding Gmail’s Promotions tab and providing a robust framework for evaluating email performance, Jay Schwedelson equips small business owners with the knowledge and strategies needed to enhance their email marketing efforts and achieve significant business growth.