Relevance or Bust: What Gmail’s New Subscription Manager Means for Marketers

Gmail’s new Manage Subscriptions feature offers users greater control over their inbox. While at first glance it may seem like a threat to marketers, it’s actually a timely reminder to rethink how we earn our spot. Brands that respect relevance, deliver real value, and communicate with purpose will continue to thrive—no matter how inbox experiences evolve.

The News in a Nutshell

On July 8, 2025, Google announced a new Gmail feature called Manage Subscriptions, a centralized dashboard that displays a list of a user’s active email subscriptions, sorted by the most frequent senders, along with the number of emails received in the past few weeks.

From there, the user can click on any of the senders to view all the emails they’ve sent, or opt out in one click by letting Gmail send an unsubscribe request to that address on their behalf.

‍Note: Manage Subscriptions is currently live on Web and Android. iOS support is expected to begin July 21, 2025.

The Feature: Friend or Foe?

At face value, this update could pose a risk, as it makes it all too easy for subscribers to opt out of marketing comms. But in practice, the impact may be minimal.

First, because this feature requires multiple steps (navigate to the menu bar, select manage subscription, then unsubscribe) and exists outside the core email workflow, adoption is likely to be limited. 

Additionally, this enhancement does not apply to all consumers with a Gmail email address. If someone chooses to view their Gmail messages on a third-party client like Apple Mail or Outlook, they will not have access to this new feature. Only users of the Gmail App (which currently only accounts for 30% of the email client market share) will be impacted. 

Three Smart Moves to Stay Ahead

While the short-term impact may be limited, Gmail’s update reinforces a long-term truth: Marketers who prioritize the customer will always outperform those who simply push products. Here’s how to stay ahead:

1. Personalize Every Send 1:1

Happy readers don’t go looking for unsubscribe buttons. If users continually get value from your communications, the likelihood of them adopting this new feature (or unsubscribing in general) is low. 

The best way to achieve that? Autonomous Marketing. With this approach, AI-models determine which experience each customer should receive and Agents then independently manage, execute, and optimize those campaigns within marketer-defined guardrails. It’s a win-win. Customers feel understood and valued, leading to higher satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value while marketers are free to focus on strategy and creativity.

2. Master Frequency Management

Even great content becomes noise if it’s sent too often. Communicating too frequently is the number one reason why customers unsubscribe. Audit your calendar regularly for over-saturation points, and be sure to implement a frequency personalization strategy that analyzes your cadence on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis.

3. Reimagine Your Subject Lines

Since users can now see every subject line in one scrollable list, bland or repetitive messaging becomes instantly obvious. To stand out for the right reasons, continuously A/B test your subject lines to ensure each is distinct enough to spark interest, yet cohesive enough to encourage continual engagement and reinforce your brand identity.

Relevance Always Rules

Inbox experiences will keep evolving, but the winning formula never changes: add value, reinforce why customers should continue to allow you in their inbox, and treat every send as part of an on-going relationship. With those three pillars in place, your file will become healthier than ever - and your bottom line will too.