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Issue #163 All About Email

Issue #163 All About Email

Will Email Marketing Change?

Simon Harper
October 28, 2024

Hi, friend. 👋

Welcome to Issue #163 of All About Email!

Last week, I shared my updated content framework, which you might find very helpful if you need structure and processes to help you write email newsletters or when you get stuck.

This week, we discuss Apple Business Connect, Branded Email and its impact on email marketing.

Let’s go! 👇

Big Changes to Apple Business Connect

Introduced in 2023 (although I only recently became aware of it), Apple Business Connect is a free tool that allows businesses of all sizes to customise how their information appears across Apple apps.

🔥 Now that sounds awesome. Think of Google Business, but on steroids, specifically for the Apple environment.

👀 However, a recent announcement (about two weeks ago) caught my eye…”Apple expands tools to help businesses connect with customers,” and a change that will impact email.

A wide, animated-style illustration of apple-like creatures in a whimsical village scene. Each creature resembles a different type of apple—red, green, and yellow—with small limbs and expressive faces. The apple characters are gathered, actively building, stacking colorful blocks, and interacting in small groups, creating a sense of a cooperative community. The background is bright and minimal, featuring a park-like setting, enhancing the friendly and collaborative atmosphere.

With Apple Business Connect, businesses of all sizes, regardless of whether they have a physical location, can create a brand that appears to over 1 billion Apple users.

So What’s Happening With Email?

🧠 Well, first, this is different to BIMI.

Al Iverson doesn’t see it as a BIMI replacement or competitor, and I would agree with Al.

In her weekly newsletter, Naomi West asked, “Can it be taken advantage of?” I would wholeheartedly say “yes”!

Apple has a video, but if you want the TLDR, this is it. 👇

🎨 Through new capabilities within Business Connect, businesses can sign up to display their brand in the Mail and Phone apps and customise their logo in Tap to Pay on iPhone.
👀 With Branded Mail, businesses can display their brand name and logo in emails to customers, so their emails stand out in the Mail app and are more easily recognisable.
⏰ Businesses can sign up for Branded Mail today, and their logo will begin appearing to customers later this year.

What Will It Look Like?

This could change, but you can see Branded Mail in action in the video link above and the screenshots below.

Image One

On iPhone 16 Pro, a user’s inbox shows Branded Mail from several companies.

Image cc Apple.com

Image Two

On iPhone 16 Pro, a Branded Mail item from United Airlines shows up in a user’s inbox.

Image cc Apple.com

Should I Use Apple Business Connect?

⚡️ Yes! It’s free, and you absolutely should friend.

We don’t know how Apple Intelligence will impact this feature yet, but with 53.67% of inboxes using Apple Mail, you can’t ignore Apple Business Connect.

💡 If Apple will take control of inboxes regardless but offers us an element of control, we should take it.

🚨 Your colleagues and competitors won’t be ignoring it.

Apple has a brilliant guide on how to get started, and you need a free Apple account to sign up.

That’s it for This Week 👋

⏭️ Next week, “should I link or out or not link out?” That is the question.

🎃 🧙 I managed to restrain my spookiness this week despite wanting to be playful with subject lines and preview text, but you might have Spooky Season fatigue at this point.

🍬 If you want more treats for your inbox, check out my Halloween-themed email from last year.

🚨 If you’re interested in sponsoring the “All About Email” newsletter, you can find all the details in this Google Doc. I currently have “Classified” slots and a Main Sponsor slot available.

Email Marketing News & Tips

This week's excellent and insightful email news & tips:

Inbox Freedom - Personalised to your work and beautifully designed - Notion Mail is the only inbox that makes life simpler. (Notion)
AI Summaries - Everything you need to know about AI email inbox summaries. (Action Rocket)
Elevate Email Marketing - The 9-Minute B2B Email Marketing Ebook. (ZeroBounce)
Faux Video - A Fallback for Video in Email. (Litmus)
Question - Can I send to this list? (Alison Gootee)
Linktree - Drive newsletter signups from social media. (Naomi West)
AI Email Marketing - Get Started With These Top 8 Tools. (Tooltester)
More Questions - 11 Super Common Newsletter Questions, Answered. (Inbox Collective)
Warm It Up - Email warmups are stressful. Messy. Downright awful. But it doesn’t have to be. (Lauren Meyer)
Mailchimp Q&A - Ask a Mailchimp Expert Anything (Webinar). (Emily Ryan & Kristy McCarley)

If you have a question about this email or email marketing, reply, and I will answer you as soon as possible.

I hope you have a great week! 👋