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Summary

The debate over whether promotional emails should land in Gmail's primary or promotions tab is a long-standing one among email marketers and deliverability experts. While the primary tab often seems like the holy grail for visibility, the promotions tab is designed specifically for marketing messages and offers unique features for engagement. This summary synthesizes various perspectives, highlighting key findings and considerations for optimizing email placement in Gmail.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often express a strong desire for their promotional campaigns to land in Gmail's primary inbox, believing it guarantees higher visibility and engagement. However, many also recognize the challenges and potential downsides of trying to circumvent Gmail's categorization. Opinions vary, but there's a growing understanding that the promotions tab isn't necessarily a 'spam folder' and can be an effective channel for reaching interested subscribers.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks indicates that they've worked with numerous clients who prioritize being in the primary inbox above all else. These clients are willing to compromise the visual appeal of their emails, often opting for simpler designs, solely to achieve primary tab placement. This suggests a widespread, albeit sometimes misguided, belief among some marketers that primary inbox placement is paramount, even if it means sacrificing other aspects of email marketing effectiveness. They focus heavily on immediate visibility over long-term strategic benefits.

21 Jun 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks expressed personal disapproval of tactics that attempt to deceive Google. They find such practices 'slimy' because they intentionally try to mislead the system. This deception also leverages the user's expectation that the primary inbox contains important communications, which the marketer views as disrespectful to the subscriber community. They suggest that such approaches do not foster a healthy, transparent relationship with the audience.

21 Jun 2019 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

Deliverability experts generally advise against trying to force promotional emails into Gmail's primary tab. Their consensus emphasizes that Google's filtering mechanisms are highly sophisticated and constantly evolving, making attempts to trick the system futile and potentially damaging to sender reputation. Experts stress the importance of respecting Gmail's categorization and focusing on legitimate methods for improving engagement within the appropriate tab.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states that Google's systems are constantly adapting, implying that any attempts by senders to consistently outsmart or deceive Google's classification algorithms will ultimately fail. They emphasize that while minor changes might temporarily alter delivery, Google's advanced filtering will quickly catch up. This creates an unsustainable arms race where the sender is at a significant disadvantage, as Google has far more experience and resources in email filtering. Their advice suggests that a strategy built on deception is inherently flawed and will lead to long-term deliverability issues.

21 Jun 2019 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks highlights that continuously trying to avoid Gmail's filters will ultimately lead to a sender acquiring a reputation as a spammer. They explain that while modifying email content or structure might offer a few days of altered delivery, the filters are designed to learn and adapt, eventually catching up to such tactics. This perspective emphasizes that engaging in an arms race with Google is a losing battle, as Google possesses superior expertise in this domain. Therefore, deceptive practices, even if seemingly effective short-term, will only solidify a negative sender reputation over time.

21 Jun 2019 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

Official documentation from email service providers and platforms, as well as authoritative research, generally supports the view that the Gmail promotions tab is a legitimate and functional part of the inbox ecosystem. They often emphasize that Gmail's categorization aims to organize the inbox for user convenience, rather than to suppress marketing messages. Documentation highlights the features available within the promotions tab and the importance of adhering to best practices for proper email classification and deliverability.

Technical article

Documentation from ActiveCampaign Help Center discusses the distinction between the primary tab and the promotions tab, stating that Gmail launched its tabs feature to help users organize their inboxes. It indicates that after years of data, there are clear statistics about user adoption and behavior that help debunk myths surrounding the tabs. This highlights the intentional design behind Gmail's categorization, intended to improve the user experience by segmenting different types of email. It suggests that marketers should understand and work with this system rather than against it.

01 Jan 2017 - ActiveCampaign Help Center

Technical article

Documentation from Return Path discusses the significant impact of Gmail tabs four years after their introduction. It highlights how the initial launch in 2013 was perceived by many marketers as a threat, fearing decreased campaign visibility and revenue. Consequently, some marketers resorted to campaigns explicitly asking subscribers to move their messages to the Primary tab. This historical context underscores the initial widespread fear and confusion surrounding the promotions tab, contrasting it with later understandings that have emerged with more data and experience.

01 Jan 2017 - Return Path

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