How to Send the Same Email to Multiple Recipients Separately in Gmail

To send the same email to several people so each one gets their own copy, use a mail merge. Some paid Google Workspace plans have one built into Gmail, where it replaced multi-send mode. A Google Sheets add-on like YAMM works on every Gmail account, free ones and Business Starter included. Cc and Bcc won't do it, because they send one shared email.

How to send an email to multiple recipients individually in Gmail

Why Cc and Bcc don't send separate emails

Cc and Bcc both put everyone on the same message. The only difference is who sees whom:

• Cc (carbon copy) shows every recipient who else got it.
• Bcc (blind carbon copy) hides the list, so the recipients can't see who else was on it.

You can't greet each person by name, and a reply-all can reach the whole Cc list.

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With Gmail's mail merge (formerly multi-send)

Google's help page says it plainly: "Mail merge replaces multi-send mode in Gmail." Each recipient gets a separate email, can't see who else you emailed, and their reply comes back in its own thread.

It only works on these Google Workspace plans: Workspace Individual, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus. Free Gmail accounts and Business Starter don't have it.

1. On your computer, open Gmail and click Compose.
2. Add your recipients in the "To" line, or a Google Contacts label.
3. To the right of the "To" line, click Use mail merge and turn it on.
4. In your message, type @ and pick a merge tag such as @firstname.
5. Click Send.

You can also click Add from a spreadsheet to pull recipients from a Google Sheet. Gmail's mail merge sends to up to 1,500 recipients a day and adds an unsubscribe link to every email. It allows only one Cc or Bcc address, and none at all when your recipients come from a spreadsheet.

With a Google Sheets add-on (any Gmail account)

A mail merge add-on does the same job from a Google Sheet. Here's how to do it with YAMM, the add-on we make:

1. Write your email as a draft in Gmail. Add markers such as {{First name}} where each person's details should go.
2. List your recipients in a Google Sheet, one row per person, with a column for each marker.
3. Open YAMM from the Extensions menu of your spreadsheet and send yourself a test email.
4. Click Send emails. Each person gets their own copy, sent from your address.

Opens, clicks and replies then show up in your spreadsheet, so you can follow up with the people who didn't answer.

If your Workspace plan has Gmail's mail merge, it's fine for a quick announcement. It can't put a name in the subject line or schedule the send, though. YAMM does both. More than 18,000 users rate it 4.7/5 on the Google Workspace Marketplace.

What’s wrong with using Cc or Bcc for mass emails?

For a list of people, Cc and Bcc have some real drawbacks:

They lack personalization

When you use these methods to send emails, you are not able to personalize the email for each recipient. This can make the message seem impersonal or unimportant. Recipients can also feel like they are being spammed, as the message is sent to multiple people.

They're not as efficient

It can take a long time to compose an email when you use Cc or Bcc. You have to enter each recipient's email address separately and this can be time-consuming. It also takes longer to compose the message if you have to make sure it is suitable for all recipients.

They can lead to privacy issues

If you are using Cc or Bcc, it is possible that the wrong people could accidentally get access to the email. This could lead to a loss of privacy or unwanted disclosure of confidential information.

They're not as professional

Using Cc or Bcc can be seen as unprofessional and can give the impression that you are not taking the time to tailor your emails to the individual. It can also give the impression that you do not care about the quality or importance of the message.

They can't be tracked

Using Cc or Bcc makes it difficult to track responses. You cannot tell who has opened the message, who has read it, or who has responded. This can make it difficult to gauge the effectiveness of your message and may mean you do not get the desired results.

You might reach Gmail's daily limit

Gmail has a daily limit on how many emails you can send in one day. Every address in Cc or Bcc counts as a recipient, so a big list can reach this limit quickly. This can be inconvenient if you need to send out emails on a regular basis.

Overall, Cc and Bcc are fine for a quick update to a small group, but for more personalized communication, it’s better to use other methods.

Advantages of sending an email to multiple recipients using mail merge

Mail merge is an extremely convenient way of sending an email to multiple recipients quickly and efficiently. It can save you a lot of time, energy, and money, as you no longer need to compose individual emails for each receiver.

Here are some advantages of using mail merge.

Easily send a message to multiple contacts separately and simultaneously

Mail merge allows you to quickly send out an email newsletter or invitation to your entire list of contacts with just a few clicks. This is especially beneficial for companies or organizations that need to send out a large number of emails.

Automatically personalize your emails for individuals

With mail merge, you can automatically personalize each email with the receiver's name and other details that you have in your database. This makes the email more personalized and increases the chances of getting a response.

Track how contacts are interacting with your email

A mail merge add-on like YAMM also comes with tracking features that show you how your contacts are interacting with your emails. This helps you gain insights into what type of content works and what doesn't, allowing you to refine your email marketing strategy. Gmail's own mail merge doesn't track anything.

YAMM tracks the open rate and click-through rate of your emails in your spreadsheet. This information can be used to refine future campaigns, as well as identify contacts that may be more likely to respond positively.

Email multiple recipients while saving time and resources

Mail merge allows you to quickly send out emails without having to manually compose each one. This saves you a lot of time and energy, as well as money in terms of resources.

Improve accuracy while sending an email to multiple recipients

Names, addresses and other details come straight from your spreadsheet, so you don't retype them for every email. That means fewer "Hi Jonh" emails and less risk of mistyping an address, which would cause a bounce.

Integration with Google products

YAMM is integrated with some of the most popular Google products, including Gmail and Google Sheets. This integration allows you to quickly import your contacts and data from these services, which makes it even easier to create a successful email campaign.

In addition, the integration with Google Sheets makes it easy to track the results of your campaigns. This allows you to quickly identify which messages are working and which ones need to be improved.

Use a tool like YAMM to send Gmail mass emails

Sending the same email to multiple recipients separately is a breeze with YAMM. Simply install the tool, prepare your mailing list, compose your message, and you're all set to send out mass emails in Gmail.

YAMM also offers features like advanced scheduled and delayed sending, open and click tracking, and more. This makes it a great all-in-one solution for managing your email campaigns.

So why wait? Install YAMM today and start streamlining your Gmail experience!