Summary
Gmail's Top Promotions feature is an experimental carousel within the Promotions tab designed to highlight the most relevant and engaging marketing emails. It is primarily driven by individual user engagement, meaning higher open and click-through rates from a specific sender for a given user significantly increase visibility. However, a strong sender reputation, built on consistent email authentication and low spam complaint rates, is a foundational prerequisite for any email to appear in the Promotions tab and thus be considered for 'Top Promotions.' The algorithm also analyzes email content to identify legitimate promotional offers and ensure relevance, while avoiding spammy characteristics. Although user engagement is paramount, some observations suggest other factors might influence initial display, such as global engagement data, before individual user data fully takes over. The feature has seen a phased rollout across various platforms, starting with Android.
Key findings
- Purpose and Nature: Gmail's Top Promotions is an experimental feature, often appearing as a carousel within the Promotions tab, designed to highlight specific, highly relevant marketing emails already delivered there, not ads.
- Primary Driver, User Engagement: The feature is primarily driven by individual user engagement. Increased opens and clicks from a sender significantly push them towards the top, with consistent, high engagement being a strong indicator.
- Sender Reputation's Role: A strong sender reputation, based on factors tracked by Google Postmaster Tools, is a foundational element. Without a good reputation, emails are unlikely to reach the inbox or be considered for 'Top Promotions.'
- Content Analysis: Gmail's algorithm analyzes email content to identify promotional offers and ensure relevance, while simultaneously detecting and avoiding spam triggers. It considers visual elements and whether the content identifies deals.
- Rollout Status: The feature was noted as being live on Android, rolling out to iPhones, and anticipated for desktop, indicating a gradual, multi-platform implementation.
- Engagement vs. Appearance: While high engagement is a significant factor, some observations suggest that emails can appear in Top Promotions even with low engagement, indicating it's not the sole criterion and other factors like global data might initially play a role.
Key considerations
- Maintain Sender Reputation: A high sender reputation, built on consistent authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), low spam complaints, and minimal bounces, is fundamental for emails to reach the Promotions tab and be considered for prominent placement.
- Prioritize User Engagement: Focus on driving high open rates, click-through rates, and other positive user interactions. Segmenting lists, personalizing content, and using effective subject lines and calls-to-action are crucial to boost engagement and influence visibility.
- Deliver Relevant Content: Ensure your emails provide value and are relevant to the recipient. The algorithm assesses content to identify genuine deals and avoid spam triggers. Consistent delivery of high-quality, non-spammy content is key.
- Adhere to Google Guidelines: Follow Google's email sender guidelines meticulously. This includes authenticating emails, sending desired messages, and maintaining low spam complaint rates. These practices are prerequisites for any enhanced visibility within Gmail.
- Utilize Visuals and Structure: Consider visual appeal and clear calls-to-action to enhance engagement. Some sources also briefly mention that structured data, like schema markup, might enhance visibility.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Within Gmail's Promotions tab, the 'Top Promotions' feature serves to spotlight the most pertinent and engaging marketing communications. This dynamic display is heavily influenced by a user's direct interaction with a sender's emails, with strong open and click-through rates significantly boosting a message's chances of appearing at the top. Equally crucial is the sender's overall reputation, which is meticulously built upon factors like consistent authentication, low bounce rates, and a history of positive user interactions. Gmail's sophisticated algorithm also examines email content for its relevance and to identify legitimate promotional offers, while simultaneously detecting and filtering out characteristics associated with spam. Although individual engagement is the leading driver, the feature's behavior suggests a complex interplay of factors, potentially including broader engagement patterns, influencing initial placement. The 'Top Promotions' carousel has seen a gradual implementation across different platforms, including mobile and desktop.
Key opinions
- Individual Engagement Focus: Display is primarily influenced by individual user engagement, with increased opens and clicks from a sender being key indicators, and even prior purchases potentially contributing.
- Reputation as Prerequisite: A robust sender reputation, maintained through consistent authentication, low complaint rates, and minimal bounces, is essential for any email to even be considered.
- Sophisticated Content Scan: Gmail's algorithm performs an in-depth analysis of email content, evaluating relevance, identifying deals, visual elements, and ensuring it steers clear of spam triggers.
- Complex Ranking Factors: While individual engagement is paramount, observations suggest that factors beyond a user's direct interaction, such as potentially broader engagement patterns, might influence initial placement.
- Phased Feature Rollout: The 'Top Promotions' feature has experienced a gradual deployment across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, and is anticipated for desktop users.
- Existing Promotions Tab Emails: Importantly, only emails already successfully delivered to a user's Promotions tab are candidates for this feature, rather than being new advertisements.
Key considerations
- Maximize User Engagement: Implement strategies like list segmentation, content personalization, and compelling subject lines to drive higher open and click-through rates, directly influencing visibility.
- Build a Strong Sender Reputation: Consistently apply email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), minimize spam complaints, and ensure low bounce rates to establish a trusted sender profile with Gmail.
- Craft Relevant, Deal-Oriented Content: Design emails that clearly highlight valuable offers and deals, are visually appealing, and avoid any characteristics that might trigger spam filters.
- Comply with Google's Standards: Strict adherence to Gmail's sender guidelines is non-negotiable for successful delivery to the Promotions tab, which is a prerequisite for 'Top Promotions' consideration.
- Implement A/B Testing: Regularly A/B test different subject lines, content variations, and calls-to-action to refine your approach and consistently optimize for higher engagement metrics.
- Explore Structured Data: Although secondary to engagement, consider incorporating structured data or schema markup into your emails, as some experts suggest it can further enhance visibility within Gmail's ecosystem.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that while high engagement seems to be a factor for Gmail's Top Promotions, they observed some emails appearing there despite low engagement, suggesting it's not the sole factor. They also clarify that these are emails already delivered to the promotions tab, not ads.
5 May 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks states, based on a Google rep source, that Gmail's Top Promotions feature is primarily driven by individual user engagement, with increased opens from a sender pushing them to the top. They also provided an update on the feature's rollout, noting it was live on Android, rolling out to iPhones, and anticipated for desktop by the end of the year.
15 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Gmail's 'Top Promotions' feature, an experimental carousel found within the Promotions tab, aims to highlight the most relevant and engaging marketing messages. Its functionality is initially thought to leverage broader, global engagement data, gradually transitioning to prioritize an individual user's specific interactions and past behavior with emails from a sender. While factors like user engagement - encompassing opens and clicks - and a strong sender reputation are critical for its display, the overarching goal remains to surface content that resonates most effectively with each recipient.
Key opinions
- Algorithm Evolution: The feature's display is understood to evolve, starting with influence from broader, global engagement data before progressively shifting towards an emphasis on individual user engagement and historical interactions.
- Influencing Criteria: Key factors influencing the visibility of emails in 'Top Promotions' include direct user engagement such as opens and clicks, the sender's established reputation, and successful delivery to the Promotions tab.
- Curated Experience: This experimental carousel within Gmail's Promotions tab is designed to curate and spotlight specific marketing emails, aiming to present the most relevant offers to users.
- Relevance Focus: The feature prioritizes surfacing content deemed most relevant and engaging to the individual user, enhancing the utility of the Promotions tab.
Key considerations
- Cultivate User Engagement: Focus on creating highly engaging email content that encourages opens and clicks, as individual user interaction is a dominant factor influencing visibility within this dynamic feature.
- Uphold Sender Reputation: Prioritize establishing and maintaining a stellar sender reputation, which includes strong authentication and low spam complaints, as it is a prerequisite for emails to be considered for prominent placement.
- Optimize for Promotions Tab: Ensure your email campaigns are optimized to consistently land in the Gmail Promotions tab, as only emails successfully delivered there are eligible for inclusion in 'Top Promotions'.
- Strategize for Evolving Algorithm: Be mindful that the feature's algorithm may adapt, potentially shifting from an initial reliance on global engagement data to a stronger emphasis on individualized user behavior over time.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that initially, Gmail's Top Promotions feature is likely based on global engagement data, with a probable shift to individual user engagement over time as more data is collected.
15 Sep 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Gmail's 'Top Promotions' feature was an experimental carousel that appeared within the Promotions tab, designed to highlight specific marketing emails. While the exact algorithm was not public, it was believed that factors influencing its display included a combination of user engagement (such as opens and clicks), sender reputation, and general inbox placement, with the goal of surfacing the most relevant and engaging content for users.
28 Mar 2025 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Gmail's 'Top Promotions' feature, a dynamic section within the main Promotions tab, is designed to elevate the most relevant and engaging marketing emails. Its functionality hinges on Gmail's automatic identification and categorization of promotional content. For emails to even be considered for this prime placement, foundational elements like a robust sender reputation and strict adherence to Google's sender guidelines, including strong authentication and low spam complaint rates, are paramount. Beyond these prerequisites, a strong emphasis is placed on signals of high user engagement and overall positive sender behavior, which significantly influence an email's visibility within this curated display.
Key findings
- Automatic Filtering: Gmail automatically categorizes emails as promotional, placing them into the dedicated Promotions tab as a necessary first step for any enhanced visibility.
- Content & Relevance Criteria: The system analyzes email content and its relevance to determine initial categorization and subsequent potential for prominent display within 'Top Promotions'.
- Fundamental Guidelines Adherence: Compliance with Google's email sender guidelines, such as proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and maintaining low spam complaint rates, is a non-negotiable prerequisite for email deliverability to the Promotions tab.
- Sender Reputation Impact: A strong sender reputation, as monitored via Google Postmaster Tools, is critical not just for general inbox delivery but also for emails to be considered for prominent features like 'Top Promotions'.
- Engagement Signals: Emails demonstrating high user engagement, such as opens and clicks, combined with overall positive sender signals, are far more likely to achieve prominent placement within the 'Top Promotions' display.
Key considerations
- Optimize for Promotions Tab Delivery: Design emails to be clearly promotional in nature to ensure they are accurately categorized and delivered to the Promotions tab, as only these are eligible for 'Top Promotions' consideration.
- Prioritize Google's Guidelines: Rigorously follow Google's comprehensive email sender guidelines, including robust authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a commitment to sending only wanted messages, to secure inbox placement.
- Build a Stellar Reputation: Actively manage and monitor your sender reputation, striving for consistently high scores as tracked by Google Postmaster Tools, to enhance overall deliverability and potential for featured placement.
- Drive User Engagement: Implement strategies to encourage high open and click-through rates, as positive user interaction is a key driver for enhanced visibility within 'Top Promotions'.
- Ensure Content Relevance: Craft email content that is highly relevant, valuable, and genuinely engaging to your audience, avoiding characteristics that might trigger spam filters or reduce perceived value.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that Gmail automatically identifies promotional emails and groups them into the Promotions tab. While not explicitly detailing 'Top Promotions,' it implies that content, sender reputation, and relevance are key factors for initial categorization and subsequent visibility.
20 Feb 2023 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from Gmail Help explains that adhering to Google's 'Email sender guidelines,' such as authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sending wanted messages, and maintaining low spam complaint rates, is fundamental for email deliverability to Gmail's inbox, including the Promotions tab. Good sending practices are a prerequisite for any enhanced visibility, such as in the 'Top Promotions' feature.
18 Dec 2022 - Gmail Help
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