Gmail's tabs are designed to help users keep their inboxes organized by automatically sorting emails. Marketing and promotional messages go to the Promotions tab, social media updates end up in the Social tab, and personal emails land in the Primary inbox.
Research shows that engagement with emails in the Promotions tab is often higher than you might think, so having your marketing emails land there isn't necessarily a bad outcome. Plus, not all Gmail users have tabs enabled, which means your emails may still appear in the Primary inbox for some recipients.
Gmail relies on various factors to determine whether an email belongs in the Promotions tab, and it's important to note that Mailjet has no direct control over Google’s evolving algorithms. However, if you're aiming for your emails to reach the Primary inbox, there are some best practices you can follow:
- Personalize your emails: Address your recipients by name to make your messages feel more personal.
- Use a personal reply-to address: Avoid generic reply-to addresses like contact@ or support@, and never use a no-reply address. Instead, use a more personalized address, such as yourname@.
- Limit images: Keep the use of images minimal to avoid looking overly promotional.
- Reduce the number of links: Aim to include only one or two links within your email. Note that the unsubscribe link doesn’t count toward this total.
- Authenticate your sending domain: Ensure your domain is authenticated using SPF/DKIM and DMARC records to build trust and improve deliverability.
Remember, Gmail's algorithms adapt to each individual recipient. Just because your marketing email reaches the Primary inbox for one person doesn't guarantee the same placement for others.
For more tips, check out our blog article: Gmail Promotions Tab: A Guide to Optimize Email Delivery.