The Three Dots – Edition #1
👋 Hey there, lifecycle marketers! Welcome to the first edition of The Three Dots, where we share the three things you need to know about what’s happening in our space.
Join our Slack community and Substack to stay up-to-date on the latest.
📉 Open Rates Dip? Here's What We Know
Starting the week of Nov 11, many email marketers reported a sharp drop in open and click rates, especially for Gmail users. While inbox placement tests and reputation tools showed no major deliverability issues, Gmail appears to be tightening its filtering standards—possibly due to seasonal email overload or stricter thresholds for spam complaints. Some suspect hidden factors like shifts in Gmail’s algorithmic preferences. If you’re seeing similar trends, scaling back sends to low-engagement segments might help smooth things out. Join our Slack community to share your experiences and strategies.
📲 Apple’s iOS 18.2: What You Need to Know
Apple iOS 18.2 launches today. iOS 18.2 introduces Apple Intelligence, which enhances email experiences with features like AI-driven summaries and inbox categorization. Users can now see their inbox divided into tabs—Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions—similar to Gmail but processed entirely on the device for unique, personalized categorization. AI summaries offer quick overviews of emails, though the feature prioritizes privacy by keeping all data on the user's device. Marketers should prepare for more dynamic inbox layouts and optimize emails to stand out in specific tabs while focusing on clarity in subject lines and content for the new Digest View
📝 Preview vs. Preheader Text: What’s the Difference?
The email world is still debating whether to call it “preview text” or “preheader text.” Technically, preheader refers to the HTML section above the header, while preview text is what shows under the subject line in an inbox. While the terms are often used interchangeably, alignment within your team matters most. Pro tip: Ensure this text is intentional and compelling—it’s prime real estate for increasing open rates
Wouldn’t be a complete email with a reminder CTA, right? (IYKYK)
Join our Slack community here and Substack to stay updated on the latest.
Support our early growth by forwarding this email to a another lifecycle marketer.
Lifecycle Luminaries is supported by Sortment during its early days to help fuel our growth. That said, maintaining a vendor-agnostic, neutral environment will always be my top priority.
