Email marketing campaigns are an essential part of any business’s marketing strategy. Sending bulk emails is an effective way to reach a large audience with a single message. Gmail is a widely used email service that offers a free option for sending bulk emails. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to send bulk email from Gmail for free.
How to Send Bulk Email from Gmail for Free
To send mass email in Gmail, you have two options. The first is using a dedicated email service provider, and the second is using email marketing services/platforms. For both, you have plenty to choose from on the market. And all options are designed to handle large-scale email campaigns, as well as provide lots of features such as an email builder, email contact list management, email deliverability management, reporting, personalization, and more.
Using Mail Merge in Gmail for Sending Bulk Emails
Mail merge is a feature in Gmail that allows you to send personalized email campaigns, newsletters, and announcements to a wide audience. When you send a message with mail merge turned on, Gmail delivers a unique copy of the message to each recipient individually. When recipients open your message, the grouped recipients will automatically populate. Here are the steps to use mail merge in Gmail:
- Open Gmail and click on “Compose.”
- Next to the “To:” line, click “Use mail merge.”
- Turn on mail merge.
- In your message, enter “@.” and select a merge tag.
- Add recipients from a spreadsheet to your message.
- Preview the emails in the mail merge.
- Enable/disable email tracking and the send rate for this campaign.
- Once you’ve confirmed your requirements, you can start the mail merge.
Using BCC in Gmail for Mass Email
If you were to send an email from Gmail using the “To” field, each and every recipient would see the email addresses of all other recipients. If you’re sending a mass email via Gmail, you need to protect everyone’s privacy. To do this, you’re going to need to use the native “Bcc” functionality. Here are the steps to use BCC in Gmail for mass email:
- Head over to the “Compose” button and click it.
- In the “To” field of your compose window, you need to select “Bcc.”
- Add all the email addresses into the Bcc field, making sure to separate them with a comma.
- Add your subject line and body copy and click send.
Limitations of Mass Email in Gmail
It’s important to note that there are limitations to sending mass emails in Gmail. Despite the limitations, Gmail can be a good way to send mass emails to small numbers of recipients, quickly and for free. These include:
- You can only send 500 emails per day – as soon as you hit 500 emails, you’re going to have to wait 24 hours before sending more.
- Deliverability issues: your account can be temporarily disabled if you don’t follow the sender guidelines. You also need to make sure you’re using a legitimate email address, with a domain name.
How to Send Bulk Email from Gmail Using Third-Party Tools
There are several third-party tools available that can help you send mass emails in Gmail. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Right Inbox is a Gmail extension that allows you to schedule emails, set reminders, and use templates. It also has a mail merge feature that lets you send personalized emails to a large number of recipients. Here are the steps to use Right Inbox for mass email in Gmail:
- Make sure you’ve installed Right Inbox.
- Once you’ve signed up for Right Inbox, open up your Gmail account.
- You’ll see a mail merge button on the left of your Gmail inbox. Click on the mail merge button.
- Add your intended recipients to the mail merge.
- This part is optional and only if you used a CSV file. Now you must map the columns. Provide a default common value and uncheck the columns you don’t want to import.
- Add your email copy for this mail merge. Activate your email follow-ups for this campaign.
- Preview the emails in the mail merge.
- Enable/disable email tracking and the send rate for this campaign.
- Once you’ve confirmed your requirements, you can start the mail merge.
Gumbamail is a Gmail extension that allows you to design, schedule, and send email campaigns to your subscribers and contacts in the easiest and most comfortable way. Here are the steps to use Gumbamail for mass email in Gmail:
- Download the Gumbamail extension.
- Create a 100% free account, without obligation and for life, which will allow you to send up to 250 emails/month.
- Use the best template editor to design responsive emails that adapt to your brand image.
- Import your subscriber lists easily from a .csv file, a Google Drive spreadsheet, or from your Gmail contact groups.
- Schedule campaigns so that the newsletters are sent when you decide.
- Send promotions, offers, news, and other interesting content to your subscribers and customers without having to leave Gmail.
Conclusion
Sending bulk email from Gmail for free is a great way to reach a large audience with a single message. While there are limitations to using Gmail for mass email, there are also several third-party tools available that can help you send mass email in Gmail. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can send mass email in Gmail and take your email marketing campaigns to the next level.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I send Bulk Emails for free using Gmail?
Yes, you can send bulk emails for free using Gmail, but there are limitations, such as a daily sending limit of 500 emails.
What is the difference between using BCC and mail merge for sending Bulk Emails in Gmail?
BCC allows you to send emails to multiple recipients while hiding their email addresses from each other. Mail merge, on the other hand, allows you to send personalized emails to a large number of recipients.
Is there a limit to the number of recipients I can send Bulk Emails to using Gmail?
Yes, Gmail imposes a daily sending limit of 500 emails.
Can I use third-party tools to send Bulk Emails from Gmail?
Yes, there are several third-party tools available that can help you send bulk emails from Gmail, such as Right Inbox and Gumbamail.
Is it necessary to use a third-party tool to send Bulk Emails from Gmail?
No, you can use Gmail’s built-in mail merge feature to send bulk emails, but third-party tools offer more features and ease of use.
What is the difference between using Gmail's mail merge feature and third-party tools for sending Bulk Emails?
Gmail’s mail merge feature is limited in functionality compared to third-party tools, which offer more features such as email tracking, follow-ups, and advanced personalization options.
Are there any limitations to using third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail?
Third-party tools may have their own limitations, such as a free tier with a limited number of emails per month, but they generally offer more features than Gmail’s built-in mail merge feature.
Can I send bulk emails to recipients who are not in my Gmail contact list?
Yes, you can send bulk emails to recipients who are not in your Gmail contact list by using the BCC field or a third-party tool.
Is it safe to use third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail?
Yes, it is safe to use third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail, as long as you choose reputable and secure tools.
How can I ensure that my bulk emails do not get marked as spam?
To ensure that your bulk emails do not get marked as spam, follow best practices such as using a legitimate email address, providing a clear and concise subject line, and including an unsubscribe link.
What is the difference between sending bulk emails using BCC and using a third-party tool?
Using BCC allows you to send emails to multiple recipients while hiding their email addresses from each other. Third-party tools offer more features and ease of use, such as email tracking, follow-ups, and advanced personalization options.
Can I use Gmail's mail merge feature to send bulk emails to recipients who are not in my Gmail contact list?
No, Gmail’s mail merge feature requires you to use contacts from your Gmail account. To send bulk emails to recipients who are not in your Gmail contact list, you must use the BCC field or a third-party tool.
What is the difference between using Gmail's mail merge feature and sending bulk emails using the BCC field?
Gmail’s mail merge feature allows you to send personalized emails to a large number of recipients. The BCC field allows you to send emails to multiple recipients while hiding their email addresses from each other.
Are there any limitations to using Gmail's mail merge feature for sending bulk emails?
Yes, Gmail’s mail merge feature has limitations, such as the inability to send bulk emails to recipients who are not in your Gmail contact list.
Can I use Gmail's mail merge feature to send bulk emails to recipients who are not in my Gmail contact list?
No, Gmail’s mail merge feature requires you to use contacts from your Gmail account. To send bulk emails to recipients who are not in your Gmail contact list, you must use the BCC field or a third-party tool.
What is the difference between using Gmail's mail merge feature and sending bulk emails using a third-party tool?
Gmail’s mail merge feature is limited in functionality compared to third-party tools, which offer more features such as email tracking, follow-ups, and advanced personalization options.
Are there any risks associated with using third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail?
Yes, there are risks associated with using third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail, such as the potential for data breaches and the possibility of your account being suspended if you violate Gmail’s terms of service.
How can I ensure that my bulk emails are delivered to the recipients' inboxes?
To ensure that your bulk emails are delivered to the recipient’s inboxes, follow best practices such as using a legitimate email address, providing a clear and concise subject line, and including an unsubscribe link.
What is the difference between using Gmail's mail merge feature and sending bulk emails using the BCC field?
Gmail’s mail merge feature allows you to send personalized emails to a large number of recipients. The BCC field allows you to send emails to multiple recipients while hiding their email addresses from each other.
Are there any limitations to using third-party tools for sending bulk emails from Gmail?
Third-party tools may have their own limitations, such as a free tier with a limited number of emails per month, but they generally offer more features than Gmail’s built-in mail merge feature.