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An ongoing issue with Google’s Gmail is disrupting the normal functioning of email newsletter services.
The issue is causing many emails to be redirected to subscribers’ spam folders instead of their primary inboxes.
This problem came to light at Search Engine Journal in early June when our email newsletter open rates nosedived from our usual average.
A MailChimp representative confirms this isn’t an isolated incident.
The popular email marketing platform has been grappling with Gmail-specific delivery issues for an undisclosed number of clients.
“The issue is occurring within Google and the Gmail platform. We are working directly with them to aid our users in getting campaigns directed in the inboxes,” the MailChimp spokesperson stated.
However, MailChimp has had to admit the challenges of addressing this issue, given that it occurs outside its platform. “It’s hard to say when it will be fixed,” admitted the spokesperson. Despite this, it ensures it’s working directly with Google on a fix.
What Does This Mean For Publishers?
While delivery reports show that MailChimp campaigns are accepted by Gmail, it’s miscategorizing them as Spam.
This unusual sorting is a thorn for publishers, who rely on email newsletters to engage with their readers and distribute content.
MailChimp suggested a workaround in the interim. It advises publishers to communicate with their audience about the issue and request them to manually move the campaigns from the spam folder into their primary inbox.
So, that’s exactly what we’re doing.
If this issue impacts you as a subscriber, consider following the steps below to ensure you’re not missing your favorite newsletters.
How To Ensure You’re Not Missing Email Newsletters
- From your Inbox, click “More.”
- After clicking, you will see the “Spam” folder at the bottom.
- Click Spam. Look for emails from Search Engine Journal, Loren Baker (and all your favorite publishers.)
- If you want to move multiple emails, tick all of them and click “Not spam.”
- You can also do it by opening the email and clicking “Report not Spam.”
- There will be a prompt confirming moving it to the inbox.
Note that images will be downloaded once you check your inbox, and you can view the entire email.
More Details To Come
While we confirmed the Gmail disruption with MailChimp, it’s currently unclear whether this issue impacts other email newsletter platforms.
While the resolution seems to be in sight, it highlights the urgency of effective communication channels between tech platforms and their users.
Google and MailChimp haven’t provided a specific timeline for resolving the problem but have reiterated their commitment to resolving it as quickly as possible.
Featured image generated by the author using Midjourney.