Summary
The Gmail Promotions tab has evolved to include the "Top Bundle," displaying ads and bundled promotional emails categorized by machine learning. Annotations allow marketers to highlight key deal information and improve engagement using logos, discounts, and images. To enhance visibility and performance, marketers should focus on relevant, personalized content, compelling offers, and following email best practices. Email senders need to maintain authentication, low spam scores, and easy unsubscribe options to avoid the Promotions tab and deliver mail to inboxes.
Key findings
- Layout Evolution: The Promotions tab includes a "Top Bundle" with ads and promotional emails.
- Annotations Advantage: Annotations help marketers highlight key deal information.
- Machine Learning: Gmail uses machine learning to bundle similar promotions.
- Content Focus: Relevant and personalized content increases engagement.
Key considerations
- Best Practices: Following email best practices can prevent ending up in the Promotions tab.
- Engagement Strategy: Building relationships with subscribers is crucial for ensuring emails are opened.
- Unsubscribe Options: Provide easy unsubscribe options and manage list hygiene
- Promotions can be a graveyard: The promotions tab can have low views so focus on staying out.
What email marketers say
15 marketer opinions
The Gmail Promotions tab has evolved to include features like the 'Top Bundle' which displays ads and bundled promotional emails, sometimes under different names like 'Top Picks'. Annotations are designed to help marketers stand out within this environment by allowing them to add logos, discount codes, expiration dates, and images to their emails. To improve visibility and engagement in the Promotions tab, marketers should focus on relevant, personalized content, compelling offers, and email best practices. They should also consider optimizing subject lines, email design, and segmentation. Building relationships with subscribers and ensuring emails are wanted is crucial, as many users may not regularly check the Promotions tab.
Key opinions
- Top Bundle: Gmail's 'Top Bundle' feature displays ads and groups promotional emails.
- Annotations: Annotations help emails stand out with logos, discounts, and images.
- Decreased Visibility: The Promotions tab can negatively impact open rates as many users ignore it.
Key considerations
- Personalization: Focus on personalized and relevant content to engage subscribers.
- Email Design: Optimize email design for mobile and compelling visuals.
- List Segmentation: Segment your email list to ensure relevant offers to the appropriate audience.
- Engagement: Building relationships with subscribers encourages opens no matter the tab placement.
- Annotations usage: Use annotations to make your promotional emails more appealing and easier to see key information.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks expresses cannot wait to see Annotations show up on desktop and that ads are very annoyingly placed, so hopefully they can find a layout that is more suitable.
12 Sep 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions the ads have been there for years, they are more prominent with the Top Bundle. Which he suspects is the whole idea.
2 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts agree that Gmail's Promotions tab uses algorithms to categorize marketing emails to help users manage their inboxes. Improving inbox placement relies heavily on sending relevant, wanted content to engaged subscribers.
Key opinions
- Categorization: Gmail uses algorithms to sort emails into tabs.
- Engagement: Sending relevant content to engaged subscribers is key for inbox placement.
- Filter Purpose: Promotions tab is designed to filter marketing and promotional emails.
Key considerations
- Relevance: Ensure your content is relevant to your subscribers' interests.
- Engagement: Focus on engaging your subscribers with wanted mail.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource shares that Gmail uses algorithms to categorize emails into tabs, including the Promotions tab, to help users manage their inbox and that focusing on sending relevant content to engaged subscribers is essential for inbox placement.
17 Apr 2025 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Gmail’s Promotions tab is designed to filter marketing and promotional emails, and that the best way to improve inbox placement is by focusing on sending wanted mail and engaging subscribers.
15 Jun 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Google's documentation explains that Gmail automatically sorts emails into categories like Primary, Social, and Promotions, with the Promotions tab specifically designed for marketing emails and offers. Annotations allow senders to highlight key deal information within the Promotions tab, enhancing the visibility of their emails. Machine learning is used to bundle similar promotional emails together. To avoid the Promotions tab altogether, bulk email senders should follow email best practices, ensuring proper authentication, low spam scores, and easy unsubscribe options.
Key findings
- Automatic Sorting: Gmail automatically sorts emails into categories.
- Annotations Enhance Visibility: Annotations highlight key deal information.
- Machine Learning Bundling: Machine learning bundles similar promotional emails.
- Best Practices Key: Following best practices can prevent emails from landing in the Promotions tab.
Key considerations
- Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication.
- Spam Scores: Maintain low spam scores.
- Unsubscribe Options: Provide easy unsubscribe options for recipients.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Developers details how annotations enable senders to surface key deal information, like discount codes, expiration dates, and attractive imagery, directly in the Gmail Promotions tab. This enhances the visibility of promotional emails.
13 Feb 2025 - Google Developers
Technical article
Documentation from Google AI Blog discusses how machine learning is used to bundle similar promotional emails together in the Gmail Promotions tab, making it easier for users to find relevant offers.
3 May 2023 - Google AI Blog
Do Google Annotations impact email deliverability or inbox placement?
How can I avoid the Gmail promotions tab and should I even try?
How can I prevent my emails from going to the promotions tab in Gmail?
How can I prevent my emails from landing in the Gmail Promotions tab?
How do I implement Gmail Annotations and troubleshoot common issues?
How does Gmail decide which emails go to the promotions tab?
