This week Microsoft introduced SNARF, an organization tool that groups e-mail by social networking conventions based on information available on your computer system. I expect there to be some backlash about Microsoft spidering desktops in the name of e-mail management, but there’s another point that’s more relevant to marketers. How will SNARF affect e-mail campaigns?
If the e-mail addresses you most correspond with get the highest placement, what does that do to the visibility of newsletters and e-mail campaigns that are typically one way communications? Will these e-mails be relegated to the folder above spam? If I visit Amazon.com often, will e-mails from them move higher up in my inbox and leave less frequently visited retailers drowning?
The advisory for newsletter recipients to add a newsletter’s e-mail to their address
book is already ignored not only by consumers, but many marketers who send these e-mails. New practices to get your e-mails noticed will become more important if SNARF becomes mainstream.