OT: Any help with large email lists using Outlook running on Gmail?

[RU848789]

This board is often a good source of useful info/help on many topics, so here goes. I'm new to GMail on my home laptop, so it's possible I just don't understand it well enough. My issue is I'm retiring in 2 weeks and using my work email (Outlook) I've been sending weather-related emails to about 300 people (a nearly static list that might add a few people every month or so) without any issue whatsoever for many years. However, I recently tried sending a weather email from my home PC via GMail (using Outook) to a subset of about 120 of my regular recipients as a test and 37 of the emails were bounced back to me with the message: "Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients" followed by a list of 37 people that didn't get the email. There appeared to be two types of rejected email error codes (of the 37) within the email detailing the rejections and these are below.

I've been reading a lot of discussions on line on what to do about email recipient limits, especially for new Gmail users as a way to prevent spamming, but I'll admit I'm confused by all the info. Some say use Google Groups, since my list is fairly static, as I'm not marketing anything, just providing a service to friends and coworkers, but that kind of looks like a group forum more than a way to use large email lists, while others say to try GMass or third party email services like MailChimp or ConstantContact. I'd much, much prefer to stay with GMail and Outlook, as I've been using Outlook for ~20 years and am quite fluent in it and loathe the idea of having to learn a whole new email program.

Any insights into how I can keep using Gmail/Outlook on my home PC to send occasional emails to about 300-400 recipients maybe 1-2 times a day (basically I send emails with very simliar info to what I post here; I'm also considering a web page or a FB page, but certainly won't have either of those ready in 2 weeks) would be hugely appreciated. I've tried the Gmail community with not a lot of success. I'd pay somebody a reasonable fee if they had a straightforward answer and could help me set it up. Thanks!

Error Code Examples from the "undeliverable" email that bounced back to me:

'Person X' on 11/4/2019 12:36 AM

Server error: '452 4.5.3 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=TooManyRecipientsError w26sm7418780qkf.59 - gsmtp'


'Person Y@gmail.com' on 11/4/2019 12:36 AM

Server error: '553 5.1.2 address. w26sm7418780qkf.59 - gsmtp'

 

[e5fdny]

If your emails are as long as this post, I think we have found one of your problems. LOL

 

[DJ Spanky]

Consider getting a free Outlook Live account? I have a bunch of Hotmail accounts that got converted to Outlook Live: they're all free accounts. Given how Microsoft has been standardizing everything, you may be able to just export/import your contact list.

 

[RU848789]

Consider getting a free Outlook Live account? I have a bunch of Hotmail accounts that got converted to Outlook Live: they're all free accounts. Given how Microsoft has been standardizing everything, you may be able to just export/import your contact list.

I have Outlook on my home laptop, running on Gmail, since my email address is a Gmail one. So not sure how that's different from an Outlook Live account. Below are a couple of articles on line describing some of the issues and work arounds. I have a friend who does a charity bike ride and has an email list of 1200 and he uses Constant Contact for $20/month. It's not so much the money as the thought of having to use a different email system after 20+ years of Outlook, which I've become very fluent in (outside of understanding large email lists, lol - never had any limitations sending to 400 people from work!).

https://support.google.com/mail/thread/2372914

https://www.contactmonkey.com/blog/gmail-email-limit

 

[RU848789]

If your emails are as long as this post, I think we have found one of your problems. LOL

My weather emails have been posted a few times here and yeah, they're long, usually, although I usually have a summary and then all the details so people can skip the crap if they want. The emails are usually longer than my posts here, since I only send those once a day, typically, as I don't want to be spamming people, whereas here it's easier to post a bunch of times, as it's way easier for people to just ignore posts. Long term I think a web page (maybe on FB maybe not) is a better way to go, but I'm just not ready for that yet and simply want to figure out how to do what I used to do at work without having to even think about it.

 

[DJ Spanky]

I have Outlook on my home laptop, running on Gmail,

I have no idea what this means, other than it is NOT Microsoft. Go here and create a free account, which runs under Microsoft. I would imagine that this includes tools to migrate from one version of Outlook to another:

https://outlook.live.com

 

[DJ Spanky]

Just a quick search found this:

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...csv-file-578cca22-3550-4c73-b3f0-9978cfeac83f

 

[MadRU]

BTW, congratulations on retirement, you will love it. I retired January 1st of this year and love it. Keep busy.

 

[newell138]

Sounds like its time for your own local cable show. Better yet, there is an opening at CBS Philly, Katie Fehlinger just left, since your retiring you should give them a call

https://wpst.com/cbs-3-meteorologist-katie-fehlinger-announces-departure-from-station/

 

[Upstream]

There are 300 people who want to receive your weather emails twice a day?

 

[rutgersal]

Try keeping the number of email recipients to fewer than 100 and see if that works.

a Facebook weatherman page is probably your best solution long term.

 

[iReC89]

MailChimp - 10,000 email/mo up to 2000 contacts - free

 

[RU Golfer]

This board is often a good source of useful info/help on many topics, so here goes. I'm new to GMail on my home laptop, so it's possible I just don't understand it well enough. My issue is I'm retiring in 2 weeks and using my work email (Outlook) I've been sending weather-related emails to about 300 people (a nearly static list that might add a few people every month or so) without any issue whatsoever for many years. However, I recently tried sending a weather email from my home PC via GMail (using Outook) to a subset of about 120 of my regular recipients as a test and 37 of the emails were bounced back to me with the message: "Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients" followed by a list of 37 people that didn't get the email. There appeared to be two types of rejected email error codes (of the 37) within the email detailing the rejections and these are below.

I've been reading a lot of discussions on line on what to do about email recipient limits, especially for new Gmail users as a way to prevent spamming, but I'll admit I'm confused by all the info. Some say use Google Groups, since my list is fairly static, as I'm not marketing anything, just providing a service to friends and coworkers, but that kind of looks like a group forum more than a way to use large email lists, while others say to try GMass or third party email services like MailChimp or ConstantContact. I'd much, much prefer to stay with GMail and Outlook, as I've been using Outlook for ~20 years and am quite fluent in it and loathe the idea of having to learn a whole new email program.

Any insights into how I can keep using Gmail/Outlook on my home PC to send occasional emails to about 300-400 recipients maybe 1-2 times a day (basically I send emails with very simliar info to what I post here; I'm also considering a web page or a FB page, but certainly won't have either of those ready in 2 weeks) would be hugely appreciated. I've tried the Gmail community with not a lot of success. I'd pay somebody a reasonable fee if they had a straightforward answer and could help me set it up. Thanks!

Error Code Examples from the "undeliverable" email that bounced back to me:

'Person X' on 11/4/2019 12:36 AM

Server error: '452 4.5.3 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=TooManyRecipientsError w26sm7418780qkf.59 - gsmtp'


'Person Y@gmail.com' on 11/4/2019 12:36 AM

Server error: '553 5.1.2 address. w26sm7418780qkf.59 - gsmtp'

Gmail has specific limitations set to prevent spamming.

1 - You can can only send to 100 addresses at a time with a POP or IMAP client (Outlook is one)
2 - You can only send 500 mails a day.

Your best bet is create a group and assign it an email address and send to that so you are only sending to one address. Additionally it is always best to log into Gmail to do this and do not use an email client. You can set various permissions for the group when you create it. Since you are just looking to distribute information I would just give create a gmail ID for the list and put that in the BCC line of your mail when sending so people do not do "reply all" when they receive (if that is your intent). If you do go the group route notify people that you are prior to creating the group so they know a notification is coming, as you add people to a group they get a notification saying so.

Quick edit: you can only add 100 emails to a group a day. so it will take you a few days to make your group.

Here is a link regarding Google groups and various help topics. https://support.google.com/groups/answer/2464926
Below is the basics of creating and managing groups.

Create a group & choose group settings
You can use Google Groups to create an online group for your team, organization, class, or other group to do things like:

• Email each other
• Host group discussions
• Collaborate on projects
• Organize meetings
• Find people with similar hobbies or interests

You can also change your group's type, name, or description, and choose who can join, post, and view topics.

Create a group

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Near the top left, click Create group.
3. Enter info and choose settings for the group.
4. Click Create.

Google Groups.

• Click My groups.

• Choose a group.

• Near the top right, click Manage group.

• On the left, click Information
  
  Advanced.

• To select a new group type, next to "Select a group type," click the Down arrow
  
  . You can choose between:
  
  • Email list: Members communicate with each other using a single email address.
  • Web forum: Members use Google Groups to communicate with each other.
  • Q&A forum: Members ask and answer each other's questions.
  • Collaborative inbox: Members assign topics to each other and track topics as tasks.

• Click Reset this group.

• In the box that pops up, click Reset group.

Change your group’s name, description & email settings

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Click My groups.
3. Choose a group.
4. Near the top right, click Manage group.
5. On the left, click Information
   
   General information.
6. Make your changes.
7. Click Save.

Set features included in every email
You can set:

• A subject prefix: This helps identify email as group messages.
• A footer: This can helps users access subscription settings and find the post on Google Groups.
• Auto replies: This lets you respond automatically to members and non-members.

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Click My groups.
3. Choose a group.
4. Near the top right, click Manage group.
5. On the left, click Settings
   
   Email options.
6. Make your changes.
7. Click Save.

Set how members display their identity
You can allow members to post with a display name or require that each member be linked to their Google profile.

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Click My groups.
3. Choose a group.
4. Near the top right, click Manage group.
5. On the left, click Settings
   
   Identity.
6. Select one of the required forms of identity.
7. Click Save.

Set who can post, view topics, and join the group

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Click My groups.
3. Choose a group.
4. Near the top right, click Manage group.
5. On the left, click Permissions
   
   Basic permissions.
6. Select the permissions you want for your group.
7. Click Save.

 

[rurichdog]

If your "Outlook is running on GMail", it sounds like Outlook is your email client, but GMail is the provider of the service (you are sending from an @gmail.com email address). If that is the case, then yeah, you're probably going to have to switch providers to something more geared towards a small business than individual use. The outlook live suggestion would probably work, though YMMV.

 

[Crazed_RU]

I think this is not just a gmail issue but also could be an incoming mail server issue. The way it was described to me one time is think about the real postal mail system. You may put a 10 stacks of bulk letters in a mailbox and say ok I’m done - but in reality those 10 stacks may go to 10 different post offices and each one of those post offices may have different requirements on how they want to receive bulk mail. Some want it sorted. Some want it bundled. Some want it sorted and bundled. Etc. Think of all the ISP incoming mail servers as different post offices. I learned this while researching why my wife was not getting bulk email sends from the local dance school that was using Chimpmail I believe to deliver bulk messages. Comcast was blocking at the server because the mails were not tagged properly.

 

[iReC89]

Gmail is not going to work for multiple updates to 300 a day.

A more contemporary way to push might be to tweet a link to an updated post. Anyone who want to follow you can and then you don’t have to worry about distribution ever again.

 

[rurichdog]

Gmail is not going to work for multiple updates to 300 a day.

A more contemporary way to push might be to tweet a link to an updated post. Anyone who want to follow you can and then you don’t have to worry about distribution ever again.

Or maybe he needs his own app...

 

[RU4Real]

Your best bet is create a group and assign it an email address and send to that so you are only sending to one address.

This doesn't make sense. At the SMTP level, there's no such thing as a "group address". Any distribution list address, while appearing as a single entity at the client level, is broken down at the sending SMTP server.

 

[bac2therac]

Time for a youtube channel...but maybe Amy Freeze can read while you stay hidden

 

[RU Golfer]

This doesn't make sense. At the SMTP level, there's no such thing as a "group address". Any distribution list address, while appearing as a single entity at the client level, is broken down at the sending SMTP server.

You have to create the group using google groups, the group will get an email address such as "group name"@googlegroups.com. Use gmail to compose your mail and send it to group email address and google handles it. My buddy uses it extensively for fantasy leagues and mails to over 900+ address multiple times a week.

 

[RU848789]

Time for a youtube channel...but maybe Amy Freeze can read while you stay hidden

Winner right here - this cracked me up.

Thanks, all for the responses so far. No time to respond until later...

 

[WhoRU?]

Congrats on your retirement! I'm a couple hours away in NY and there is a guy here who has made a small business out of microforecasting. At work everyone, checks the site regularly as weather approaches. I'm guessing it started as an email list, then facebook page, then facebook and a website: https://hudsonvalleyweather.com/. I can't imagine it makes very much, but I get the sense that it started as a hobby for him as well.

As for the email list, I'd cut and paste your list into a file and edit out everything except the addresses separated by commas. Then you can paste it into gmail. It'll take you a half hour to edit the file the first time. Alternately, create a small excel file with a column of email addresses. You can copy-and-paste the row into gmail.

 

[RU4Real]

You have to create the group using google groups, the group will get an email address such as "group name"@googlegroups.com. Use gmail to compose your mail and send it to group email address and google handles it. My buddy uses it extensively for fantasy leagues and mails to over 900+ address multiple times a week.

So then Google has a policy exception for internal groups.

That doesn't negate my point - at the SMTP level, there's no such thing as a "group address".

 

[RU85inFla]

I would:

1. Use a chimpmail account or something similar.
2. Set up a twitter account and a FB account.
3. When you send your emails, have them posted to those sites automatically.
4. Add opt in/ opt out ability to emails that are posted on FB / twitter.

 

[RU Golfer]

So then Google has a policy exception for internal groups.

That doesn't negate my point - at the SMTP level, there's no such thing as a "group address".

Never negated your point as I do agree with it. Just trying to tell the man how to do it.

 

[RU4Real]

Never negated your point as I do agree with it. Just trying to tell the man how to do it.

Gotcha.

 

[srru86]

My issue is I'm retiring in 2 weeks

I think you buried the lead. Congratulations and best wishes. (He says with a hint of jealousy).
More time for road trips!
Good for you.

 

[RU848789]

There are 300 people who want to receive your weather emails twice a day?

Actually more. My friends/family email list is about 120 and my work list is about 400. At work it's not email, per se. I use the same content for both groups, but at work I post the content to a MS Sharepoint site which people subscribe to and set up alerts and when I post something Outlook emails automatically go out to these 400 people (it all started as emails about 20 years ago, but an IT suggested we switch it over to the Sharepoint platform about 7-8 years ago when the email list was at around 200). I probably send out about 40 notes per year on winter weather and maybe 20 on tropical systems, depending on the seasonal activity, of course. I rarely send more than 1 per day, though, unless there is some late breaking change just before or during a storm, as I hate bothering people. I've also been told by many of the email recipients that they forward my notes to 10-20 people and I've actually met people who get my emails from 1-2 forwards, so I really have no idea how far and to how many these notes eventually go.

I also ask at least twice a year if anyone wants to be taken off the email list or the Sharepoint work site (they can do it themselves) and I've yet to have anyone say they don't want them anymore. Surprises me, to be honest. I know folks like to bust chops here about my info sometimes being wrong, just like any other forecaster (and I'm not a pro and I rely on info from the web and pros to inform my posts/emails, as I'm not "generating" my own forecasts, per se), but the loyalty and feedback is off the charts good from the folks who get my emails.

Pretty sure some of that is because I've had timely, useful info on some pretty big events. I was literally imploring people at the Shore to evacuate and take their valuables with them 3 days before Sandy hit. There have also been winter storms like the one last Nov 15th, where I went against the grain and warned people that the NWS and many others were likely downplaying that storm (based on the Euro/NAM showing much more snow) and I strongly warned folks that we might get a lot more snow than the forecast the night before and then the following morning, when it was obvious the storm was overperforming to our SW, I basically told people to either leave work by 1-2 pm or wait until after 6 pm (many folks heeded that and avoided hours stuck in traffic).

I post the same info here and on Facebook and this site is the only place where I ever get even minimal grief for it. Not sure which is more odd - not getting crap from friends, family and coworkers when the info is wrong (I get very gentle teasing at most) or getting a ton of crap here, even when things are only a bit off. Interesting from a psychological perspective - guessing much of it is due to the fact that message boards are anonymous, plus some of us have a history of arguing here about many things and it just spills over into weather threads. I don't generally mind the arguing, as I know the info is sometimes wrong, which is simply unavoidable - it's only the over-the-top trolling that gets annoying. Anyway, time to respond to some of the ideas here...

 

[RU848789]

BTW, congratulations on retirement, you will love it. I retired January 1st of this year and love it. Keep busy.

I think you buried the lead. Congratulations and best wishes. (He says with a hint of jealousy).
More time for road trips!
Good for you.

Thanks! I was actually planning a separate thread on the retirement thing, but had to mention it here as part of the context for what my issues are. Haven't quite figured out my future, though. Likely going to take a contracting offer for ~10 hours/week at a very nice rate at my current company for the next 9-12 months and consider some other kinds of work (maybe consulting), but the option of just goofing off and enjoying my many hobbies and more time with my family is also in play, as we're in pretty good shape financially. I'm sure I'll post more here, lol...

 

[RU848789]

Thanks folks - trying to digest some of these and had a few minutes so here's a reply with some questions. Need to get back to work though, soon, lol - even though only 8 days left, still a ton to do!!

I have no idea what this means, other than it is NOT Microsoft. Go here and create a free account, which runs under Microsoft. I would imagine that this includes tools to migrate from one version of Outlook to another:

https://outlook.live.com

I have a Gmail email address, but I also have Outlook on my laptop, which is what I've used for 20+ years at work, so I'm not willing to give that up. As far as I know, Outlook works through Gmail, somehow, since all my emails come to my Gmail address. I have no idea if I could use Outlook by itself on my laptop without using a Gmail address. Like I said not too savvy on this - after working for a huge company with IT support for so long, I simply never had to worry about any of this crap, lol.

MailChimp - 10,000 email/mo up to 2000 contacts - free

That's an option, as is Constant Contact, which my friend uses and loves for his 1100 email recipients. What I don't know is, especially for MailChimp, which is free, is whether that means I have to do all of my emails through MailChimp or can I use that just for the large email recipient lists for my weather notes. I don't do any other large group emails over about 75 recipients, so if I could still use Outlook for all of that and MailChimp for the weather notes, that might work.

Gmail is not going to work for multiple updates to 300 a day.

A more contemporary way to push might be to tweet a link to an updated post. Anyone who want to follow you can and then you don’t have to worry about distribution ever again.

Have had a few folks recommend twitter, but I've never used it and I thought it had a 140-character limit, which there's no friggin way would work for me, lol.

You have to create the group using google groups, the group will get an email address such as "group name"@googlegroups.com. Use gmail to compose your mail and send it to group email address and google handles it. My buddy uses it extensively for fantasy leagues and mails to over 900+ address multiple times a week.

Thanks for the detailed note earlier. In my original post I had said I was thinking about Google Groups, but had heard it was more of a group forum, but it sounds like it can be used to send emails to a large group, which sounds good (and it's free). Does it work as something within Outlook at all or do I have to use it with just Gmail? I had also heard that it takes time to "build" the large groups, but that's a tiny issue for me as my list is fairly static - I've seen growth of maybe 30-50 people per year.

I would:

1. Use a chimpmail account or something similar.
2. Set up a twitter account and a FB account.
3. When you send your emails, have them posted to those sites automatically.
4. Add opt in/ opt out ability to emails that are posted on FB / twitter.

Since my emails are so long, how would that work with Twitter? Wouldn't the content be too long to go onto Twitter?

 

[RU Golfer]

Thanks folks - trying to digest some of these and had a few minutes so here's a reply with some questions. Need to get back to work though, soon, lol - even though only 8 days left, still a ton to do!!



I have a Gmail email address, but I also have Outlook on my laptop, which is what I've used for 20+ years at work, so I'm not willing to give that up. As far as I know, Outlook works through Gmail, somehow, since all my emails come to my Gmail address. I have no idea if I could use Outlook by itself on my laptop without using a Gmail address. Like I said not too savvy on this - after working for a huge company with IT support for so long, I simply never had to worry about any of this crap, lol.



That's an option, as is Constant Contact, which my friend uses and loves for his 1100 email recipients. What I don't know is, especially for MailChimp, which is free, is whether that means I have to do all of my emails through MailChimp or can I use that just for the large email recipient lists for my weather notes. I don't do any other large group emails over about 75 recipients, so if I could still use Outlook for all of that and MailChimp for the weather notes, that might work.



Have had a few folks recommend twitter, but I've never used it and I thought it had a 140-character limit, which there's no friggin way would work for me, lol.



Thanks for the detailed note earlier. In my original post I had said I was thinking about Google Groups, but had heard it was more of a group forum, but it sounds like it can be used to send emails to a large group, which sounds good (and it's free). Does it work as something within Outlook at all or do I have to use it with just Gmail? I had also heard that it takes time to "build" the large groups, but that's a tiny issue for me as my list is fairly static - I've seen growth of maybe 30-50 people per year.



Since my emails are so long, how would that work with Twitter? Wouldn't the content be too long to go onto Twitter?

See my second post......you can add 100 a day. Use gmail to send to the group list. You can try to use outlook to send to the group email id and see if it works but I am not sure it will.