Sending Email to Many Recipients

Challenge

In an effort to reduce spam and phishing, Google enforces limitations on mass email. These limitations apply to the number of messages a user can send from their email account in a day, and the number of recipients that message can be sent to. If you reach Google’s limit on either of these, you will receive an error message from Google. After receiving this message, you will be unable to send additional emails for up to 24 hours. Using a mass email or collaboration tool will help you avoid Google’s limitations.

Solutions

Not only are mass email and collaboration tools the preferred option when sending to a large number of recipients, there are other situations when these tools are the best choice.

When should you use a mass email or collaboration tool?

• Sending email to a large group: You send messages to more than 25 recipients at a time.
• On-going communications: You send regular emails to a group.
• One-way communication: You send an “email blast” to inform a group.
• Email includes shared documents or interactions with your group: A collaboration tool, such as Google Groups, would provide useful built-in features such as document sharing.

Other considerations

• Can your recipients unsubscribe? Unless you are sending required University communications, recipients must be able to easily unsubscribe from future emails. If you do not provide this option, your email will be considered spam.
• Is the email going to a non-U of M audience? If so, University Relations has some additional requirements when sending to an external audience which can be found on their Mass Email Requirements page.

The University’s Mass Email Privacy Policy

If you use a mass email tool, you should familiarize yourself with the University’s Mass Email Privacy Policy. The University of Minnesota respects the privacy of recipients of mass electronic mail to the extent permitted by law. This privacy statement informs users of the ways in which the standard mass electronic mail system used by the University collects information, the uses to which that information will be put, and the ways in which the University will protect any information obtained.