Apple Mail in iOS 18 is rolling out a feature, in September, that will change the way we handle emails: categorization tabs. Like Gmail’s primary, promotions, and social tabs, this update aims to make inbox management easier and more intuitive by automatically sorting emails into relevant categories.
What’s Changing?
Apple Mail will now categorize incoming emails into distinct tabs: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. For marketers, this means our emails will no longer land in a single inbox for Apple Mail users but will be filtered based on content type.
In September, this update will only impact iOS devices, meaning iPhones and iPads. Critical emails will go into the primary tab, while marketing emails will be directed into the Promotions tab.
When this change came to Gmail, all marketers were concerned, but the data ended up showing slightly lower open rates, but very similar click rates. 50% of people click their “promotion” tab daily in Gmail. Hopefully this update will help categorize member’s inboxes so they can better find your emails.
4 Things To Do To Prepare For The Change:
Be aware of the change and share this blog with anyone internally who will be concerned about the change.
Keep A Clean Email List: It’s more important than ever to follow best practices. Make sure your email list is clean and up-to-date. Avoid spammy tactics and focus on permission-based marketing to maintain a good sender reputation.
Authenticate Your Emails: Utilizing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to authenticate your emails is crucial. These measures will help prevent your emails from being flagged as spam and improve deliverability.
Create Valuable Content: High-quality, relevant content is key. Make sure your emails are something your members and subscribers actually want to read. Engaging content helps keep your emails in the Primary tab and out of Promotions.
Email Strategy Adjustments
Personalize Your Emails: Tailor your emails to different segments of your audience. Personalized messages that speak directly to your members' interests are more likely to be categorized as Primary.
Test sending newsletters from a person, rather than the Association, to see if it lands in the primary inbox more.
Optimize Promotional Emails: since your emails are most likely going to go to be categorized under Promotions, make sure yours stand out! Use compelling subject lines, clear calls-to-action, and visually appealing designs to grab attention.
Apple Mail’s new categorization feature in iOS 18 is a big step towards a more organized and user-friendly email experience. For marketers, it means adapting and staying on top of our game.
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