Avoiding the SPAM folder is the main challenge for companies that resort to sending emails to set appointments with their customers. Google Appointment Schedules is the solution that has emerged to combat this problem. Let’s explain step by step why it is so relevant.
What is Google Appointment Schedules?
Google Appointment Schedules is an innovative feature provided by Google that simplifies appointment and meeting scheduling. This tool allows users to create and share schedules online, streamlining the booking process with clients.
This feature, similar to Calendly, has the advantage of being integrated into Google Workspace, Google’s suite of productivity tools. Although it is not available in the Basic Starter plan, if you have access to Google Workspace, you will be able to use it.
And what is the big new feature it brings? The URL it generates for your appointments and meetings is https://calendar.google.com/, that is, Google’s domain. This allows you to take advantage of Google’s already established reputation, avoiding any negative impact on the reputation of your own domain, such as falling into SPAM.
This means that you can now incorporate this URL in all your prospecting emails without worrying about your domain being considered SPAM. It’s an excellent strategy for sending mass emails without compromising the effectiveness of your communications. How is this possible? We explain it below.
Custom Domain vs Shared Domain
When we talk about domain reputation, it is imperative to mention Custom Domain (custom domains) and Shared Tracking Domain (shared tracking domains). These are the ways in which you can track a domain, getting information about who visited it, what pages they viewed and what actions they took.
Using a custom domain means that instead of using email addresses with Google’s default domain (@gmail.com), you can use your own domain (@yourcompany.com). This provides a more professional look and feel consistent with your brand identity.
If you have a custom domain set up in Google Workspace, the URL generated by Appointment Schedules will be adapted to your custom domain. Instead of using Google’s default URL (https://calendar.google.com/), the URL will include your own custom domain, such as https://citas.tuempresa.com/.
In contrast, Shared Tracking Domains use a shared domain provided by the tracking service provider. This domain is used to track and collect data from multiple websites that use their service. This implies that multiple websites may be sharing the same tracking domain, which can penalize your domain and result in SPAM.
Using a custom domain is generally safer than using the shared tracking domains provided by your email platform. Sophisticated SPAM filters, such as Google’s, can recognize and penalize domains repeatedly used to send spam.
The Relevance of Whitelisted Links
Whitelisted links are associated with domains so important and trusted that they are not flagged as SPAM, regardless of the volume of emails sent from them. Google.com and Linkedin.com are notable examples of whitelisted domains.
Including these links in your emails can increase the credibility of your messages and ensure a higher delivery rate. They also establish trust with recipients, since these domains are recognized and widely accepted.
The advantages of using whitelisted links in your emails are as follows:
Higher deliverability rate
Whitelisted links are associated with trusted and reputable domains, which means that email service providers recognize them as legitimate and reliable sources. This reduces the chance of your emails being filtered or marked as SPAM, which in turn increases the likelihood of your messages reaching recipients’ inboxes.
Increased credibility
By including “whitelisted” links in your emails, you are using recognized and widely accepted domains, such as Google.com or Linkedin.com. This helps establish an image of trust and credibility for your messages, as recipients will be more likely to trust the links and content you’re providing.
Increased recipient trust
Links from “whitelisted” domains are generally considered safe and legitimate by users. By including these links in your emails, you are sending a message of trust to recipients, which can result in a greater willingness on their part to interact with your content, click on the links and perform the actions you want them to take.
Avoid SPAM false positives
By using “whitelisted” links, you reduce the chance of your emails being mistakenly identified as SPAM. Email service providers often have automatic filters that evaluate the reputation of links and domains in messages. By including “whitelisted” links, you are providing a clear signal that your emails are legitimate and should be delivered correctly.
These links are associated with trusted and recognized domains, which helps ensure that your messages reach recipients’ inboxes and generate a positive response.
How to set up Google Appointment Schedules
Before you start creating an appointment schedule in Google Calendar, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First, appointment calendars are a premium feature available only to individual Google Workspace. subscribers.
If you are using a work or school Google Calendar account, you must use the appointment slots or appointment calendars provided in that account. This is because Business Starter accounts do not have access to appointment calendars. Finally, to set up the appointment calendars, you need to use a computer.
Once you have taken these aspects into account, you can start creating your appointment calendar in Google Calendar by following these steps:
- Open Google Calendar on your computer.
- At the top left of the screen, click on “Create” or on the “+” symbol.
- A menu will pop up and you will need to select “Appointment slots.
- Next, enter a title for your appointment calendar. It is important to note that this title will be visible to anyone who links to your booking page. In addition, the title will also appear on your calendar for schedules and reservations.
- Set the duration of your appointments. By default, a duration of 30 minutes is shown, but if you wish to set a custom duration, you can click on the down arrow next to “30 minutes” and select the desired option. Note that appointments must have a minimum duration of 15 minutes.
- Now, set the date and time of your appointments. You can choose to set up a single appointment or a recurring calendar, depending on your needs.
7. To set how far in advance appointments can be booked, click the down arrow next to “Scheduling Window”. By default, someone can book an appointment with you from 12 hours to 60 days in advance. However, you can adjust these values according to your preferences.
8. Once you have set all the above details, click “Next”.
9. You will then be presented with additional options that you can customize to suit your needs. These options include changing your photo, setting the meeting location and more. If you wish to make changes, you can learn how to edit your appointment calendar here.
- After editing your appointment calendar and making sure everything is set up according to your preferences, click “Save” to finish creating your appointment calendar.
Note that, to create an appointment schedule, you can also click on any time in your calendar that does not have a scheduled event. In the window that appears, click on Appointment Calendar and then on Create a new appointment calendar or Add availability to an existing calendar. Remember that new appointments appear on your main calendar.
Applying Google Appointment Schedules to your Email Strategy
Now that you understand the difference between custom domains and shared tracking domains, and the importance of whitelisted links, let’s see how you can implement Google Appointment Schedules in your email strategy.
First, you must have a Google Workspace account. If you don’t have one, we recommend that you purchase one. Not only will you have access to Appointment Schedules, but also to a variety of other productive tools, including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive and more.
Once you have your Google Workspace account, you can start using Appointment Schedules. Create a new appointment or meeting, enter the relevant details (such as time, date and location) and then share the generated URL in your prospecting emails.
By doing this, you’ll be leveraging Google’s domain, one of the most recognized whitelisted domains in the world. Spam filters will be less inclined to mark your emails as SPAM, which means you’ll have a higher deliverability rate and hopefully a higher response rate.
In addition, if you have a custom domain, the URL generated by Appointment Schedules will be tailored to your custom domain. This not only provides a more professional appearance, but also allows you to stay consistent with your brand identity.
In conclusion, Google Appointment Schedules is a valuable tool for businesses that rely on email to schedule appointments and meetings. It allows you to simplify the scheduling process, improve your email delivery rate and strengthen your domain reputation. If you haven’t started using it yet, we encourage you to do so.
How to Leverage Google Appointment Schedules in Marketing
Beyond avoiding the SPAM folder and improving email delivery rates, Google Appointment Schedules can be a powerful tool in your marketing strategies. Let’s see how you can take advantage of it.
Improve conversion:
By making it easier to schedule appointments and meetings, you can reduce friction in the conversion process. Prospects can click on the link, view your availability and book an appointment without having to exchange multiple emails.
Increase efficiency:
There is no need to spend time coordinating schedules. All you need to do is share your Google Appointment Schedules URL and let customers choose the time that works best for them.
Reinforce branding:
By using your own custom domain in Google Appointment Schedules URLs, you reinforce your brand identity. Every time customers see your domain in the URL, they remember you.
Build trust:
Google is a trusted name. By using their domain in your URLs, your emails look more legitimate and trustworthy in the eyes of your customers.
Analytics and tracking
You can track how many people click on your Google Appointment Schedules link, how many schedule an appointment, and how many ultimately attend the appointment. This can provide you with valuable insights about the performance of your emails and the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.
In short, Google Appointment Schedules can be more than just a tool to avoid SPAM. With an effective strategy, it can become a key part of your marketing efforts, increasing conversion rate, efficiency and trust in your brand. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore all that this tool can do for your business.
Final tips
While this new feature is a great opportunity, it’s nothing if you don’t have a strategy to support it. With the help of these tips, you can make the most of it and guarantee results. Here they go!
Use links from trusted domains effectively
Although whitelisted links are useful for increasing the deliverability rate and credibility of your emails, it’s important not to overuse them. Avoid overloading your messages with too many links, as this can make them look suspicious or overly promotional. Instead, carefully choose the most relevant and useful links for your recipients.
Monitor Blacklists
Regularly check if your domain has been included in any spam blacklists. These lists are maintained by different email service providers and can affect the deliverability of your messages. If you discover that your domain is on a blacklist, take immediate steps to identify and resolve any reputational issues that may have caused the blacklisting.
Use email tracking services
Consider using email tracking services to get information about the delivery and opening of your messages. These tools allow you to track the performance of your emails, know when they are opened and if links are clicked. This gives you valuable information to improve your email strategies and optimize the deliverability of your messages.
Maintain a good domain reputation
In addition to using links from trusted domains, it is important to maintain a good reputation for your own domain. Avoid spamming practices, such as sending unsolicited bulk e-mails or buying mailing lists. Be sure to follow email marketing best practices, such as obtaining consent from recipients before sending them emails and providing clear opt-out options.
Personalize your messages
Add a personal touch to your emails to establish a stronger connection with your recipients. Use the recipient’s name in the salutation and consider personalizing email content according to their specific interests or needs. This will help build trust and increase the likelihood that your messages will be opened and read.
Remember that maintaining a good domain reputation and delivering relevant and useful messages to your recipients is critical to avoid being flagged as spam and ensure effective communication with your customers. Use the right tools and strategies, such as Google Appointment Schedules, to optimize your links and improve the effectiveness of your email communications.
Conclusion
Google Appointment Schedules is an exceptionally useful tool for businesses looking to streamline appointment scheduling and improve email deliverability. It avoids the SPAM tray and allows you to optimize domain usage without compromising your reputation. In addition, this functionality offers a number of significant advantages, from improving conversion and efficiency to reinforcing brand identity and building trust.
Furthermore, its implementation in marketing strategies can provide valuable insights and increase the effectiveness of your promotional efforts. By providing a more professional and consistent experience for your customers, and enabling accurate tracking, you can maximize the return on your email campaigns.
All in all, if you haven’t started using Google Appointment Schedules yet, now is the time to consider it. Not only will it allow you to avoid the SPAM folder, but it could also become an important asset to your marketing and communication strategies – take advantage of all that this innovative tool has to offer!
