CCing in Gmail can be an incredibly useful tool for staying organized and ensuring information is passed along to the right people. It lets you easily share emails with multiple recipients at once, cutting down on the time it would take to forward multiple messages.
Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to be aware of when using CC in Gmail. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to CC in Gmail, as well as discuss the drawbacks and potential solutions to help you use this tool in the most efficient way possible.
So, if you've ever wanted to learn how to CC in Gmail, this article is perfect for you! Let's get started.
How to CC in Gmail in a few easy steps
CC stands for ‘’Carbon Copy’’ and it is used to send the same message to multiple recipients. It differs from BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) in that with CC, the recipients of the email can see who else was CC’d on the message. It’s a great way to keep multiple people in the loop during an email conversation rather than having to forward the messages to each recipient one by one.
For example, if you are discussing a project in an email thread with one of your colleagues, you may want to CC another colleague on the conversation who needs to be aware of the progress. Or, if you are sending an email to an external customer and need your manager’s input, you can CC them on the message as well.
So, when the primary recipient replies to the message, all of the CC’d recipients will be able to see and respond to the email thread as well.
Now that you understand what CC is and when to use it, here's how to CC in Gmail:
Step 1: Go to Gmail
The first step is to open up your Gmail account by navigating to Gmail. Then, log in with your username and password.
Step 2: Compose your email message
Once you’ve logged in, click on the ‘’Compose’’ button at the top left corner of the screen to start creating a new email. A pop-up window will appear where you can type in the email address, subject line, and message body.
Step 3: Add email addresses in the “To” and “CC” fields
Next, add the email addresses of the primary recipient in the “To” field and any additional recipients you want to CC in the “CC” field.
For example, if you want to CC your colleague on the message, you can type their email address in the “CC” field and they will be added to the conversation. In the ''To'' field, you would add only the email address of the primary recipient such as your boss or the customer.
These fields are separated so that you can easily distinguish between the primary recipient and any additional people you want to include.
Step 4: Send out your email
Once you’ve filled in all of the necessary fields, click on the ‘’Send’’ button to send out your email. The CC’d recipients will be included in the conversation and can respond to the message as well.
Drawbacks of CC in Gmail to be aware of
CC emails are more prone to errors
Since you are sending the same message to multiple people, this means that if there is a mistake in the email, it will be sent to all of the recipients. This can result in confusion and time wasted in having to go back and forth with all of the recipients to clarify any potential errors.
Also, there’s more margin for error when entering email addresses manually. If you end up mistyping an address, it could cost you a hard bounce, which you don’t want!
Emails cannot be tracked
Another potential issue with regular emails is that they cannot be tracked. This means that if you are looking to keep tabs on who has responded to the email and who hasn’t, you won’t be able to easily do so. This goes for CC emails, too.
Since CC emails cannot be tracked, you won’t have access to any stats or analytics regarding the email. This means that if you are looking to gauge the success of certain emails, you’ll have to do it manually or through other means.
Not ideal for mass emails
It is important to note that CC emails are not ideal for mass emails. If you are looking to send out a message to a large group of people, using CC can quickly become overwhelming for both you and the recipients.
Why? Entering emails manually or copying/pasting them takes a lot more time than you’d think if you’re sending emails out to upwards of 50 people at one time. Remembering to include someone in the CC field for each email would be a hassle each time.
Lacks personalization
Finally, CC emails lack personalization. Since the same message is sent out to multiple recipients, there isn’t much of an opportunity to craft a tailored and personalized message for each recipient. This can cause the message to lose its impact, as it may feel generic or unengaging.
Therefore, it’s best to use a mass emailing platform such as YAMM for this purpose as it can help you personalize each message and track results.
Use a mail merge to send mass emails easily
Ultimately, CC emails are a great way to include additional recipients in an email conversation. If you are looking to send out emails in bulk, it is best to use a mail merge tool such as YAMM. With YAMM, you can even add someone in the CC or BCC fields on your email draft or give them their own personalized column on your contact spreadsheet. This ensures that you add those recipients when sending mass emails.
Mail merges can help you send out personalized emails in bulk, without any of the drawbacks of CC emails. With YAMM, you can easily manage and track mass emails and get detailed analytics on open rates, click-through rates, and much more. They’re easy to use, and they automatically personalize each email.Try YAMM for free today to experience the power of mail merges!