When an email references external images, Gmail usually doesn't display them automatically. Instead we show placeholders and present you with the option to "Display images below" or "Always display images from" that sender.

We do this to help protect your privacy from spammers, who can use images and links to verify that your email address is real.

But often the messages you get with images are from friends or family and there's no reason to worry about your privacy — you just want to see the photo of your newborn niece or the invitation design they're sending you. So, in these cases, we've decided to start displaying images by default. Now, whenever someone you've emailed at least twice sends you a message containing images, you'll see them right away. Note that we picked this threshold of two messages to start with, but we may tweak it if it doesn't seem right going forward. And we only display images by default for authenticated messages (using SPF or DKIM). Gmail and other big mail providers usually authenticate their mail, but other services might not, so it's possible you'll get an email from one of your contacts where images aren't displayed by default.

I was speaking at a webinar this week and the moderator said, "Stephanie, we have 30 seconds. How can marketers avoid being filtered as spam?!"

No pressure, right? Luckily, I talk fast!

I responded with something like this:

"Reaching the inbox is the only way you can earn a response. So it's pretty important to focus on this.
"Avoiding the spam filters is simple in concept: You must be welcome in the inbox - and you must maintain an ongoing reputation for being welcome in the inbox. The minute you bore me, or abuse my trust or send something irrelevant, you are spamming me.

"It's simple in concept, complex in practice. Being relevant and earning a high sender reputation is not a box you can just check off. It's an attitude. It's got to infuse every aspect of your email marketing approach - your content strategy, your frequency caps, your permission practices, your metrics and tracking, how you source your data, process your bounces, and in the approach of every person you hire and train and reward around email marketing success.

"Every time you send an additional mailing this week to pump up revenue, or you mail to a list with a dubious source or you send the same promotion to every person on your file; you are putting your sender reputation at risk. And you are also leaving money on the table.
"There is no good reason NOT to track your inbox placement and work a bit harder to be welcome in the inbox. It's too easy for subscribers to ignore us. And that isn't just for today's mailing, a poor sender reputation will harm you for all your mailings.

It's that time of year again. If you're an email marketer, you're probably not thinking about hosting a back yard BBQ or staking out a spot on your favorite beach. Your head (and your company's bottom line) is much more focused on what's going to be in Santa's sleigh this year and how you can use email to ensure that your customers will be decking their halls with your products this holiday season.

Most email marketers plan their holiday strategy in the summer, and this year is no different. However, this year does bring with it a greater set of challenges. The current economic climate is stagnant at best. While the financial pundits predict signs of an upturn any day now, that hasn't translated to consumer spending. Purse strings are tight and marketers are going to have to work harder than ever this year to stand out from the rest of the holiday inbox clutter, resonate with their customers and provide relevant messaging that encourages brand loyalty and purchasing activity.

So what can a forward-thinking marketer do? The first step is to break free from the same type of "Free Shipping" messaging that was sent last year (and possibly the year before that, and the year before that). While discounts and savings are certainly relevant this year, sending the same one-dimensional messaging throughout the holiday season will only lead to subscriber fatigue (and possibly opt-outs and complaints) and won't differentiate your brand from the competition. Instead, consider implementing these tips to help you stand out:

If you don't know what your subscribers want to receive from you this holiday season, ask! The pre-holiday season (basically now through early October) is a great time to send out a subscriber survey that gives you insight into how you can really resonate with your subscribers this holiday season. What did they like (or not like) about your emails last year, in terms of content, offers, and frequency? What do they need the most help with? How much are they planning to spend, and on who? How can you help get them into the holiday shopping spirit? Offering an incentive (like an entry into a holiday contest, prize give-away or a coupon code) could improve response rates, and once you've received answers and feedback, be sure to actually use this data to make adjustments to your email program strategy.

Count down the season with a special holiday series. Ask subscribers for permission to send a new gift-giving series. Send the series once a day for a week or once a week for a month. Content can include gift ideas for her, for him, for the kids, for a budget ($50 and below), for the hard-to-shop-for friend or family member, or feature non-traditional gifts or eco-friendly items. Track sign-up rates and subscriber behavior across the series. Do all messages in the series perform well? Which ones get the most clicks and conversions? Which categories generate the most interest? The least? Start promoting the series in your fall campaigns and make it easy to sign-up for. Be sure that you set clear expectations about what subscribers will be getting, when they'll get it and for how long.

Give a little something extra. While sending email is first and foremost about driving sales, show your subscribers that you can still embrace the true meaning of the holiday season. Inspire them to tap into their holiday spirit and connect with friends and family by featuring extra helpings of content in at least one promotion a week. Consider sending a favorite cookie recipe (and give subscribers a forum for sharing theirs), instructions for a family-friendly craft idea, how subscribers can start a new holiday tradition, ideas for festive activities, or a how-to guide for hosting a great party or mixing the perfect cocktail.