Why are my emails going to the promotions tab in Gmail? - Knowledge Base

Summary

Google Postmaster Tools v2 is being rolled out gradually, featuring a redesigned dashboard with a cleaner UI, improved authentication, enhanced spam rate monitoring, granular reputation data, and better delivery error tracking. The rollout is uneven, with variations in feature availability and data update delays. DMARC reporting can help identify unknown ESPs. Understanding IP/domain reputation and striving for a low delivery error rate are critical for deliverability.

Key findings

Gradual Rollout: Google Postmaster Tools v2 features are being rolled out in phases, with different users seeing different features at different times.
Redesigned Dashboard: The new dashboard has a cleaner, more intuitive UI for easier understanding of email performance data.
Improved Authentication: The authentication dashboard provides a clearer view of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass rates, making it easier to identify authentication issues.
Enhanced Spam Monitoring: Enhanced spam rate monitoring helps track spam complaints more accurately to identify issues affecting sender reputation.
Granular Reputation Data: Provides a more granular view of IP and domain reputation for better understanding of how Gmail perceives sending practices.
Better Delivery Error Tracking: Offers enhanced delivery error tracking to identify and address issues preventing emails from reaching recipients' inboxes.

Key considerations

Monitor Rollout: Be aware that the rollout is gradual and uneven, and not all features may be immediately available.
Track Authentication: Use the authentication dashboard to monitor and ensure proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration.
Manage Spam: Proactively monitor spam complaints and take steps to maintain a healthy sender reputation.
Analyze Reputation: Regularly review IP and domain reputation metrics to identify and address potential deliverability issues.
Reduce Delivery Errors: Focus on minimizing delivery errors to improve inbox placement and overall deliverability.
DMARC for ESPs: Consider leveraging DMARC reporting to track down any unknown ESPs sending on your behalf.

What email marketers say

11 marketer opinions

Google Postmaster Tools v2 introduces a phased rollout of new features, including improved authentication and encryption dashboards, enhanced spam rate monitoring, granular IP and domain reputation views, and better feedback loop data. The rollout is gradual and uneven, with users experiencing varying availability of features and potential delays in data updates. The new UI aims to simplify complex email performance metrics, while the encryption data section helps in understanding data security in transit.

Key opinions

Phased Rollout: The new features in Google Postmaster Tools v2 are being rolled out in phases, with some users seeing different features at different times.
Improved Authentication & Encryption: The authentication and encryption dashboards have been enhanced to provide clearer insights into SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass rates, and the percentage of emails encrypted in transit (TLS).
Granular Reputation Data: Google Postmaster Tools v2 offers a more granular view of IP and domain reputation, helping senders understand how Gmail perceives their sending practices.
Enhanced Feedback Loop: Improved feedback loop data allows for faster identification of campaigns generating high complaint rates.
UI Improvements: The improved user interface in Google Postmaster Tools v2 makes it easier to navigate and understand complex email performance metrics.

Key considerations

Uneven Rollout: Be aware that the rollout is gradual and uneven, so not all features may be immediately available.
Data Delays: Expect potential delays in data updates during the rollout; patience is required.
Monitor Authentication: Leverage the improved authentication dashboard to promptly identify and address authentication problems.
Data Security: Utilize the encryption data section to monitor and improve data security in transit.
Reputation Management: Regularly review IP and domain reputation metrics to understand and address potential deliverability issues.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Pro highlights that the improved user interface in Google Postmaster Tools v2 makes it easier to navigate and understand complex email performance metrics.

5 Sep 2022 - Email Marketing Pro

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that they had Feedback Loop appear this week, but haven't seen Authentication or Delivery Error yet, even when trying direct URLs.

29 Jan 2025 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

7 expert opinions

Experts indicate that Google Postmaster Tools v2 introduces new features being rolled out gradually, with variations in the menus available across different accounts. The reputation data in GPT v2 is crucial for identifying potential deliverability issues. DMARC reporting and IP reversing can aid in tracking down unknown ESPs. It's advised to strive for the lowest reasonably achievable rate for delivery errors. High complaint rates can lead to delivery problems, while the delivery error tab reports existing issues.

Key opinions

Gradual Rollout: New features are being rolled out gradually in Google Postmaster Tools v2.
Reputation Data: Reputation data in GPT v2 helps identify potential issues impacting sender reputation.
DMARC and IP Reversing: DMARC reporting and reversing IPs can help track down unknown ESPs.
Delivery Error Rate: Aim for the lowest reasonably achievable rate for delivery errors.
Complaint Threshold: High complaint rates can lead to delivery problems.

Key considerations

Monitor Reputation: Regularly check reputation data to identify and address deliverability issues.
Investigate ESPs: Use DMARC reporting and IP reversing to track down unknown or unauthorized ESPs.
Reduce Delivery Errors: Strive to minimize delivery errors to improve email deliverability.
Manage Complaints: Address the underlying issues causing high complaint rates to prevent delivery problems.
Understand GPTv2 Structure: Be aware of the difference between the complaints threshold and the delivery error tab - one indicates potential future problems and one indicates current problems.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that DMARC reporting should be able to help track down who those ESPs are, more so than GPT and that you can usually reverse IPs in the other GPT tools to a service.

13 Apr 2024 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the threshold for complaints can lead to delivery problems whereas the delivery error tab is just reporting the delivery problems you already have. It's cause --> effect (high complaints --> delivery problems) for the spam tab but it's effect --> report (high delivery errors --> these are the delivery problems you're currently having)

20 Dec 2023 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

5 technical articles

Google Postmaster Tools v2 introduces a redesigned dashboard with a cleaner and more intuitive UI, enhanced spam rate monitoring, and improved delivery error tracking. The new authentication dashboard provides clearer visibility into SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass rates. The updated UI for reputation metrics simplifies the identification of IP and domain reputation, and related API endpoints are highlighted.

Key findings

Redesigned Dashboard: A cleaner and more intuitive user interface for better user experience.
Enhanced Authentication Dashboard: Clearer visibility into SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass rates for identifying authentication issues.
Improved Spam Rate Monitoring: More accurate tracking of spam complaints to identify issues affecting sender reputation.
Enhanced Delivery Error Tracking: Better identification and resolution of issues preventing emails from reaching inboxes.
New Reputation Metrics UI: Simplified identification of IP and domain reputation, with highlighted API endpoints.

Key considerations

Authentication Monitoring: Regularly check the authentication dashboard to ensure proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration.
Spam Rate Management: Proactively monitor spam complaints to maintain a healthy sender reputation.
Delivery Error Analysis: Identify and address delivery errors promptly to improve inbox placement.
Reputation Assessment: Utilize the new UI for reputation metrics to assess and improve IP and domain reputation.
API Integration: Explore the API endpoints to integrate reputation data into existing monitoring systems.

Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that Google Postmaster Tools v2 offers enhanced delivery error tracking, helping senders identify and address issues that prevent emails from reaching recipients' inboxes.

6 Jul 2021 - Google Postmaster Tools Help

Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that the new authentication dashboard provides a clearer view of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass rates, helping senders quickly identify authentication issues.

3 Jul 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Help