Gmail is the most popular and best online email service which is offering you complete set of features. Now most of the individuals and organizations have stopped using installed mail clients due to capabilities in Gmail.
But one of the major missing features in Gmail is scheduling. If you need to send a email in a given time, there is no inbuilt feature to get it done. Previously I introduced you Boomerang and Web browser plug in which is adding feature Schedule email to Gmail.
Quick Catch-up
- Add Scheduling to Gmail with Boomerang
Today I’m going to introduce you another tool which is going beyond email scheduling and offering your Email tracking as well. This comes as a web browser plug-in same as Boomerang and its name is RightInbox. This plug-in is specially designed to work with Gmail and after successful installation it will add new options to Gmail mail composer.
How to Install RightInbox?
- Go to RightInbox from your browser. It supports only FireFox, Chrome and Safari.
- Click on install now there.
- Proceed with the installation step by step and finish installing it.
- After the installation you will have to grant required permissions for RightInbox.
- Now you are done and you can start using RightInbox with Gmail.
- After installation refresh your Gmail page.
- Click on compose you will be able to see two new options in the mail composing window.
- Fill the other fields as usual and click Send later button.
- It will give you few options to select the time of sending.
- Choose available shortcuts of specify the exact time.
- Once you select the time it will go to drafts with altered subject indicating scheduling details. Don’t worry, only the original subject will be send to recipient.
- Before the scheduled time you can go to drafts and alter the scheduled time, change email or discard it as you want.
- Go to Gmail composer to fill the other field of email.
- You can find check box right next to send later button labeled as track. Check it in.
- Then send the email to recipient. You could use send later feature as well.
- Once the recipient opens the email you will get notified by another email from RightInbox.
- Once recipient click on any of URLs in the email, you will get notified again.
This is the first question that came to my mind once I tried RightInbox. I won’t be able to tell you what is the exact underlying technology they are using, but I have a good guess. For the email scheduling they must be using details in email subject. Once you schedule it alter the subject with sending time and save in draft. RightInbox could come in to my drafts and send it in given time. That’s why we have to grant access permissions in the first place.
When it comes to tracking they are using very simple technology.
They are inserting html img tag at the end of each tracking enabled email. Once the recipient open the email, img tag will get interpreted and given src URL will get accessed. The URL is unique and through that they can figure out the opened time of email. Since HTTP request contain IP adddress of origin RightInbox can get that data and give the location of recipient. Then they generate email notification and send it to you. Entire URLs in the email also modified to go through RightInbox server, so they can track them easily as well.
Wrapping Up
The RightInbox plug-in worked great with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. I didn’t test it with Safari, yet I expect the same. The additional options are getting integrated with Gmail seamlessly. You will never feel that they are not original options in Gmail.
Reliability of scheduling and tracking are at its optimum level. This comes in hand for many business people to schedule their email and even track them. RightInbox email tracking is not only for opening, but for clicking on its links as well. So you can get a very clear picture about recipient actions.
However, the free version of RightInbox is giving you limited number of emails per month to schedule and track, If you need unlimited version you must purchase the PRO version.
Try this great plug-in to schedule and track your email and never forget to share your experience here with NOG community.
Tags: #Email #Gmail