Unlock the full potential of Gmail promo tabs with Stripo
Use Gmail Promo BuilderSummarize
Gmail promo tabs are another tool that you can use to stand out in the crowded inboxes of your audience. Showcase deals, featured products or categories, sale duration, and product images to give recipients a sneak peek into your email’s contents and grab their attention. Since these promo tabs were created to make your life easier, that’s what we’ll do, too. In this article, we’ll show you how to create promo tabs using our builder and editor.
Building email annotations with Stripo’s external Gmail promo annotations builder
The first option we’ll show you is our dedicated Gmail promo annotations builder. We created it for all marketers so that they can create promotions quickly and easily, and they don’t have to be Stripo users.
The example below shows all the details you can include in your promotional email (in this case, “Single image preview”). The banner will be displayed for those who create promos with a single image preview, and all the discount information with coupons and expiration dates for those who choose the Single image preview option.
With our builder, you can create three types of promotional emails:
- product carousel;
- single image preview;
- deal annotation.
Product carousel
Product carousels are an excellent way to display multiple image previews for a promotion, enabling you to feature up to 10 unique images in a single carousel. Let’s take a closer look at the process of creating product cards.
First, insert a link to an image of your logo in the designated field (use an HTTPS (not HTTP) URL). This logo will appear in Gmail’s inbox for the recipient to see. Enter a compelling subject line for your email in the space provided.
Use the “plus” sign icon to create the desired number of product cards for your carousel. To navigate between cards or delete unwanted ones, simply click on the corresponding number.
Input a headline that will appear beneath the image on the product card. On the following line, insert a link to the image you wish to feature on the product card. Specify the URL for your product, noting that recipients will be redirected to your webpage immediately upon clicking the image without opening the email itself. Please note that all links to products must be unique and must use the https:// protocol (if the protocol is http://, the annotation will not be shown).
Input the product’s price, select the appropriate currency, and include any relevant discounts. Click the “Generate” button to obtain your code.
Copy in either JSON format or Microdata format; they both work well in our editor.
To paste the embed code in your email, you need to open an HTML code editor, then insert the code where necessary: JSON goes in the <head> of your email, and MicroData goes in the <body>.
Important note: All images must share the same aspect ratio: 4:5, 1:1, or 1.91:1.
Deal annotation
Deal annotations provide an effective way to showcase text-based promotional information, such as promotion codes or expiration dates. Let’s go straight to the process of creating a deal annotation.
Begin by inserting the path to your logo in the designated field, ensuring that it accurately represents your brand, and fill in the subject line for your email, capturing the essence of your promotion.
Enter the following information about your promotion:
- Description: Enter a description of your offer.
- Discount code: Provide the specific code that recipients must use to claim the discount.
- Expiration date (if necessary): Select the date when the promotion ends.
Click the “Generate” button to obtain your code for the deal annotation.
Single image preview
Single image preview is another effective way to showcase promotional information with your image.
To create a single preview image, fill out the required information in the “Sender details” section, including the path to your logo and a captivating subject line for your email. In the “Image details” section, provide all necessary information, such as the image link and any relevant accompanying text. Click the “Generate” button to receive your code for the single preview image.
Image requirements
Google has eased image requirements but added a new rule: images should have minimal text and accurately represent the message. Most common image aspect ratios are supported, with recommended ratios including 4:5, 1:1, and 1.91:1.
See best practices for images:
- the image preview of the email in PNG or JPEG format;
- images are center-cropped automatically;
- for product carousels, each image must have a unique URL and use the same aspect ratio;
- use HTTPS (not HTTP) for image URLs.
Building email annotations with the Stripo editor
The next way you can create your email annotations is using our editor, which is perfect if you are a Stripo user since all your annotations code is automatically added to your template. To start creating, go to the Message Settings and enable our Email annotations for Gmail option.
Once enabled, a whole new menu appears where you can make all the necessary tweaks.
First of all, you need to pick your annotation type, and you have two options to choose from:
- Product Carousel;
- Deal Annotation;
- Single Image Preview is currently in development, so stay tuned for the updates.
Product carousel
This type of annotation is selected by default, so we’ll start with it. The first thing you see is a preview of your annotation. It’s dynamic and changes depending on the elements you can add below.
For example, once activated, you can see how the headline and price appear on the preview.
Now, let’s add some content. First of all, we’ll add our logo by clicking on the Drag-n-drop field. Once clicked, you’ll see our menu for adding images. You can upload an image from your device, paste a URL, pick from Photostock, or use other options to find the perfect image for your annotation.
Important note: All images must share the same aspect ratio: 4:5, 1:1, or 1.91:1.
For our example, we’ll upload an image from the device. Once uploaded, you’ll see it in your preview. This goes for all options tweaks you make, so we’ll skip this part for the other options and just show you what else you can add to your annotation and how.
The next thing to add is your promo image, which can be your product or something else that you need for your annotation. The process of adding these images is the same as for the sender logo.
After adding the promo image, paste your product card URL in the corresponding menu, write a catchy headline, and set your product price by picking your currency and discount (if any).
The first slide of your carousel is done. To make tweaks to the next one, click on the second button to open its settings. To add more slides to your carousel, just click the plus button. You can delete slides by clicking on the Delete Slide button (you’ll delete the current slide you are editing, so keep this in mind).
Once you’ve done editing, click here to save your changes.
Deal annotation
Creating a deal annotation option is pretty much the same as the product carousel in most aspects, so we’ll focus on the things that are different and that you should pay attention to.
First of all, deal annotation is all about those tasty deals designed to grab attention. So, to begin with, you need to add a deal description in the corresponding field. In addition, you can start a discount campaign with promo codes, so it would be wise to add your promo codes to your annotation.
And just as all good things come to an end, so does your promotion. You can set a precise end date for your promotion by setting the desired date and time, which will be displayed as a warning indicating how much time remains until the end.
Here’s how your deal annotation will look on our preview once you finish editing:
Single image preview
This option is currently under development, but we are actively working to bring this feature to you in our editor very soon. Stay tuned for news and updates.
Deal cards
This is another promotional tab option you can use to promote your events, sales, and other activities. At its core, you have a visual summary of your sale with two buttons, as shown below.
(Source: Google Workspace)
Email annotations testing
It’s vital to test the deal annotations you create, whether they are designed using our Gmail promo annotations builder or created using our editor. But don’t worry: the testing process is quite easy, as you’ll use an official Preview your annotations tool from Google.
Click on the link above to open Google’s testing tool. After that, paste your email with promo annotation (or the code from the promo annotation, if you created it with our builder) into this window and click the Preview button. Below are our test results with the email template that includes a deal annotation that we quickly assembled in our editor. There is no deal card preview, as our template doesn’t have any.
Here’s what our carousel looks like in this testing tool:
Important note: Keep in mind that Google itself tells you what your promo annotations will look like, so there are no guarantees that it will look 100% the same in your recipients’ inboxes.
Performance tracking
To track the performance of email annotations, you can add a tracking pixel to the image(s) in the single image preview or product carousel. Although the links in product carousels remain untrackable, the pixel shows how many times recipients have viewed the product cards.
Knowing this data, you can run an A/B test to measure OR:
- segment your contacts and choose only those who use Gmail;
- divide this half in two;
- group A receives a regular email without annotations;
- group B receives an email with email annotations with the tracking pixel embedded;
- check how many times recipients saw your email annotations and how many of them opened your emails;
- compare OR for both groups.
Stripo, along with other brands, is running A/B tests to demonstrate the benefits of these annotations. Our team is exploring a potential method for measuring the conversion rate of emails with annotations. As we conduct tests to determine its reliability, rest assured that we will share the results and provide a detailed explanation of the method if it proves to be effective.
Current limitations
- Gmail annotations are exclusively available for whitelisted email senders. Wondering how to get whitelisted? Simply email Google at p-gmail-outreach@google.com. Keep in mind that test sends (test emails) won’t work. Google employs an internal tool to determine if an email is a single or mass message. The workaround? Try sending yourself a simulated mass email.
- Currently, email annotations are designed to work exclusively on mobile devices.
Wrapping up
Harnessing the power of Gmail promotional tabs with Stripo offers a remarkable opportunity to boost your email marketing strategy. You can create eye-catching emails that drive subscriber engagement and conversions by utilizing deal annotations, product carousels, and single images. Implementing best practices and staying up to date with our latest features will ensure your promotional emails stand out, maximizing the impact of your campaigns. Embrace the potential of annotated emails and elevate your brand’s reach with Stripo. Happy annotating!