🛑 Stop Hitting The Promotions Tab!

Are you sick of the dreaded promotions tab in Gmail?

You’re not alone. I’ve found myself from time to time landing there myself.

But I’m only sending a newsletter… why would I be classified as a promotion?

Let’s discuss why your emails might be landing there, and what you can do to increase the chances of hitting the Primary inbox.

What Is the Promotions Tab?

The tabbed inbox system in Gmail was created to help users manage their emails more efficiently.

The Promotions tab was created specifically for marketing emails, special offers, and other bulk emails, unfortunately, that can mean newsletters as well.

Why Does Your Newsletter End Up in Promotions?

Well, first you must understand the process Gmail uses to classify emails and why your newsletter could end up in the Promotions tab.

Google uses AI-driven filtering to categorize emails based on:

✅ Sender Reputation is probably the most important factor. If you have low or bad domain reputation you have a higher chance of ending up in the Promotions tab if not directly into Spam. You can check your domain reputation with Gmail by using Google Postmaster Tools.

✅ User Behavior is a key signal for Gmail. If recipients frequently ignore or delete your emails without opening them, Gmail may classify them as less important.

✅ Content containing words like “sale,” “discount,” “FREE,” “limited-time offer,” or similar phrases are likely to land in Promotions.

✅ Design & Formatting of your emails can have a serious impact. Emails with lots of images, a ton of links, or HTML-heavy formatting can be seen as promotional.

How to Avoid the Promotions Tab & Land in the Primary Inbox

There are never any guarantees that you will always hit the inbox, but by following the tips below you certainly will be on the right side of Gmail’s decision more often than not.

✅ Use a Recognizable Sender Name – Instead of a no-reply address, use a personal or branded email (e.g., [email protected]).

✅ Limit Images & Links – The more graphics and links you include, the more likely Gmail will see your email as promotional. Less is more when it comes to images and links. If you’re writing long-form newsletters you can obviously include more links. It all depends on how much copy you are providing.

✅ Encourage Engagement – Provide clear call-to-actions to drive clicks, and ask readers to reply to your email or forward it to a friend. Gmail prioritizes emails that generate these engagement metrics.

✅ Write Like a Real Person – If you’re promoting an advertiser within your newsletter be careful with what the message says. You’re better off making it sound native in your voice, and getting people to interact without having sales phrases within the copy.

✅ Ask Subscribers to Move Your Emails to the Primary Inbox – A simple message like:

Gmail will remember this preference for future emails.

How to Move an Email to the Primary Inbox

1. Open Gmail and go to your Promotions tab.

2. Find the email you want to move.

3. Drag it into the Primary tab.

4. A prompt will ask if you want future emails from this sender to go to Primary. Click Yes!

🚨Please feel free to save the GIF above and use it in your emails or on your website.

Hope this helped.

If you have experience battling the Gmail Promotions tab, Let me know—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

🍻Cheers to staying out of the Promo Tab,

Chris Miquel
Co-Founder of SoVi Digital

PS: Want more tips? Reply to this email with your biggest challenges—I’m here to help!

Follow me on Twitter: @miqchris

and on LinkedIn: chrismiquel