Gmail + Multiple Addresses Per Contact + Groups

Colorful flat flowers on black background
Smiling woman holding pink flowers

Stephanie Pleasants

A web designer and digital strategist helping women entrepreneurs create stress-free websites that attract clients and grow with their business. Through Instanticity, I share simple web design, blogging, and SEO tips to help you show up confidently online.

Ebook on tablet displaying 'The Blog SEO Handbook'

One feature that Gmail is lacking is the ability to send an email to multiple addresses for a single contact when using groups. Say you have a soccer team, each child has two parents with seperate email addresses. You put the child’s name in your contact list, add each parent’s email address, then create a group to send mass emails to your entire team. Gmail only includes the first (primary) email address per contact. You need to include both email addresses. Previously, you needed to add each child in multiple times so that each email address is seen as a primary. I have a simple fix to keep your contact list from growing too large!

In the first email line type in your first address. Follow that address, in the same line, with >, < then include your second address. It should look something like this [email protected]>, <[email protected]. I know, Gmail doesn’t like that when saving, but do it anyway. When Gmail adds your contact address to the To: line, the address is placed in brackets and seperated by a comma. In this way, you’re tricking Gmail into seeing two different addresses in the To: line. Gmail will automatically open the brackets on the first address and close the brackets on the second, or final. You just need to put the middle part in there so that both addresses are recognized as valid when the email is sent. Now, add your contact to the group you need and you’re all set.

Go ahead! I know you want to try it. Add yourself as a contact, add two emails for yourself (I know we all have a bazillion). Click your name from the contact list and email yourself.

You May Also Like.

Your social media is thriving, but is your business actually protected? Here's why relying only on Instagram or TikTok is risky, and how a website you own keeps your business safe no matter what the algorithm does next.
Small websites are getting sued over everyday tools like Google Analytics and old Facebook pixels. Find out if your site needs a cookie consent banner, what the CIPA lawsuit wave means for you, and how to get protected in about an hour (no law degree required).
I've designed websites for 20-plus years, so refreshing my own brand should've taken a weekend. It took 18 months. Turns out branding your own business is a whole different beast, because it asks you to see yourself clearly first. Here's the honest story, and what it means for your site.