Mailer Alert: A new Yahoo Mail feature—the "contacts button"—should make whitelisting even more important for email marketers.

"You get a lot of emails, some good (from friends, family, even favorite interests that you've added to your Address Book), and a lot of not-so-important emails (special offers, newsletters, emails you rarely read)," explains Rick Pal at the Yahoo Mail Blog. "All this has made your Inbox more work than fun."

Most recipients would probably agree, and many will likely use this apparently effective Yahoo Mail solution. In sample screen shots at Pal's post, we're shown his inbox before and after he clicks the "contacts" button—meaning only messages from senders in his address book will be displayed.

Prior to hitting the "contacts" button, we see what looks like personal correspondence from friends, along with a number of marketing messages from legitimate business like Chili's, the New York Times and Black Angus Steakhouse—all likely part of opt-in campaigns.

The second image, shot after the "contacts" button has eliminated senders who weren't whitelisted, presents a stark contrast. Only three unread emails remain—all personal notes. The sole "corporate" message is the announcement of a U2 concert tour. "I love U2 and added them to my Address Book," notes Pal.

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