If you’ve embraced Gmail’s tabs layout and even felt adventurous enough to go poking through the promotions tab, you’ve probably encountered some of these.
It’s Google’s new way of incorporating ads into the email space. Now, sponsored messages appear in the Promotions tab under the guise of email messages, much in the same way that sponsored results appear at the top of organic search results. Although this new format can provide new advertising opportunities for brands, there are also disadvantages associated with it. We took a closer look at the pros and cons associated with the new Gmail ads.
Pro
The ad’s appearance is similar enough to the format of an email that curious Gmailers will be tempted to give an appealing ad a click.
Con
Users familiar with sponsored search results, through Google and elsewhere, will not be fooled into accidentally clicking on the ad. To win them over, the copy will have to be very compelling.
Pro
The ad acts like an email message once a user clicks on the ‘subject line.’ It opens up and displays additional information, links and images to help entice recipients to click through to the brand’s site.
Con
The ads are relegated to the Promotions tab, making it less likely that users will see and click on them. If they appeared in the main Primary tab, the probability that they would be clicked would be much higher.
Pro
Recipients who find the ad useful can forward the message easily to friends and family who might also find it useful. It’s digital word of mouth and incorporates some of the best elements of social media.
Con
As easy as it is for users to forward the ads to friends, it’s just as easy to dismiss them. Great for users, not so great for brands.
Learn more about digital paid media opportunities and tactics here, or brush up on the art of email marketing here.
