How can I get my emails into the Gmail main inbox tab instead of promotions?

Summary

Improving Gmail inbox placement involves a holistic approach that combines technical configurations, content strategy, and audience engagement. Establishing a strong sender reputation through proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), consistent list hygiene practices (removing unengaged subscribers, using double opt-in), and providing valuable, personalized content are key. While some suggest focusing solely on providing value regardless of tab placement, others recommend tactics like encouraging subscribers to add the sender to their contacts or even educating clients on disabling tabs. Avoiding spam triggers, optimizing email design, and continuously monitoring deliverability metrics are also essential to ensure emails reach the intended recipient's primary inbox.

Key findings

  • Authentication is Paramount: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying your sending domain and signaling trustworthiness to Gmail.
  • List Hygiene Drives Engagement: Regularly cleaning your email list and using double opt-in ensures you're sending to an engaged audience, improving deliverability.
  • Value-Driven Content Matters: Providing valuable, relevant, and personalized content keeps subscribers engaged and reduces the likelihood of emails landing in the promotions tab.
  • Sender Reputation is King: Building and maintaining a positive sender reputation through consistent sending practices and low spam complaint rates is essential.
  • Technical Optimization is Required: Optimizing email design, avoiding spam triggers in content and subject lines, and using direct links instead of URL shorteners contribute to better inbox placement.
  • Embrace Promotions or Educate Users: Some argue focusing on value regardless of tab placement is sufficient, while others suggest educating users (especially clients) on customizing their Gmail settings.

Key considerations

  • Implement Full Authentication Suite: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your email and prevent spoofing.
  • Maintain a Clean & Engaged List: Regularly remove inactive subscribers and use double opt-in to ensure you're sending to a receptive audience.
  • Personalize & Segment Content: Tailor your email content to the interests of your subscribers and segment your lists for more targeted messaging.
  • Monitor & Analyze Deliverability: Track your sender reputation, spam complaint rates, and authentication status to identify and address any deliverability issues.
  • Optimize Email Design & Content: Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly, have a good text-to-image ratio, and avoid spam trigger words and URL shorteners.
  • Educate Users or Accept Promotions: Decide whether to focus on educating users on customizing their Gmail settings or accept the promotions tab and focus solely on providing high-value content.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Achieving Gmail primary inbox placement involves a multifaceted approach, balancing technical configurations with audience engagement and value delivery. While some suggest embracing the promotions tab due to minimal CTR differences, many strategies focus on building a positive sender reputation through authentication, relevant content, list hygiene, and interactive engagement. Email design optimization, avoiding spam triggers, and monitoring deliverability metrics are also crucial. Ultimately, prioritizing subscriber value and building trust are key to improving inbox placement.

Key opinions

  • Sender Reputation: Building and maintaining a good sender reputation is critical. This involves authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), keeping spam complaint rates low, and providing easy unsubscribe options.
  • Content Relevance & Value: Providing valuable, relevant content tailored to subscriber interests increases engagement and reduces the likelihood of emails being marked as promotions.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists by removing unengaged subscribers improves deliverability and signals to Gmail that you are sending to an interested audience.
  • Engagement Tactics: Encouraging subscribers to add your email to their contacts or reply to welcome emails can improve inbox placement.
  • Design & Optimization: Optimizing email design for readability, mobile-friendliness, and a good text-to-image ratio can boost engagement and reduce the likelihood of being filtered.
  • Promotions Acceptance: Some argue that the impact of being in the promotions tab is minimal, suggesting marketers should focus on the quality of their campaigns regardless of tab placement.

Key considerations

  • Personalization: Personalize email content based on recipient's interests to increase engagement.
  • Testing: Continuously test different subject lines and email formats to optimize for engagement and avoid spam filters.
  • Spam Triggers: Avoid spam trigger words, excessive punctuation, all caps, and clickbait language in subject lines and email content.
  • Image to Text Ratio: Maintain a balanced image-to-text ratio in emails to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • Deliverability Monitoring: Regularly monitor sender reputation, spam complaint rates, and authentication status using tools to identify and address deliverability issues.
  • Embrace Promotions: Consider that the promotions tab may not significantly impact CTR and focus on providing valuable content.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that asking new subscribers to reply to your welcome email can help signal to Gmail that your emails are important. Also they say to be careful about the ratio of images to text in your emails, as too many images can trigger the promotions filter.

January 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that optimizing email design for readability, ensuring a good text-to-image ratio, and making sure your emails are mobile-friendly can help boost engagement and avoid the promotions tab. They advise to always test emails across different devices and email clients.

September 2023 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog explains that personalizing emails by using the recipient's name and tailoring content to their interests can improve engagement and inbox placement. Furthermore, he emphasizes segmenting email lists for targeted messaging and avoiding spam trigger words in email content.

November 2023 - Neil Patel Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains that inbox placement depends on various factors including sender reputation, email authentication, and subscriber engagement. They suggest monitoring your sender reputation and promptly addressing any deliverability issues that arise.

November 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests focusing on delivering high-quality, relevant content that your subscribers genuinely want to receive, rather than obsessing over getting into the primary tab. The more value you provide, the more likely your subscribers are to engage with your emails, which can improve inbox placement over time.

August 2024 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that building a good sender reputation by consistently sending valuable content and engaging with subscribers is key to avoiding the promotions tab. They advise to clean your email list regularly by removing unengaged subscribers to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

June 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that even though one brand lands in the inbox and another in promotions, the CTR difference is only 1% showing the impact is minimal.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog responds by stating that focus on providing value to subscribers and encouraging them to add your email address to their contacts can improve inbox placement over time. They also recommend testing different subject lines and email formats to optimize for engagement.

September 2024 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the consensus is to embrace the promotions tab placement. Trying to force emails into the main inbox can lead to increased spam complaints as users may not want the emails but also might not bother unsubscribing.

July 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps explains it is important to track your email deliverability and inbox placement using tools like GlockApps. Monitor your sender reputation, spam complaint rates, and authentication status to identify and address any issues that may be affecting your inbox placement.

December 2021 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from OptinMonster explains to write compelling and non-spammy subject lines that entice users to open your emails. Avoid using excessive punctuation, all caps, or clickbait language that can trigger spam filters.

August 2021 - OptinMonster

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Gaining primary inbox placement in Gmail involves a combination of technical best practices and understanding user behavior. Experts recommend focusing on list quality, avoiding practices associated with spam, and, in some cases, even educating users on how to customize their Gmail settings to ensure receipt of important emails. Ultimately, building trust and ensuring a positive user experience are key.

Key opinions

  • List Quality: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers is essential for good deliverability.
  • Avoid Spam Practices: Avoid using URL shorteners as they are often flagged as spam and can negatively affect deliverability. Using direct, reputable links is recommended.
  • User Education: Educating users (especially clients) on how to customize their Gmail settings, such as disabling tabs, can ensure that important emails reach their primary inbox.

Key considerations

  • Confirmed Opt-in: Implement a confirmed opt-in process to ensure subscribers actively want to receive your emails, improving engagement metrics.
  • Direct Links: Use direct links to reputable domains instead of URL shorteners to build trust with mailbox providers.
  • Client Communication: Communicate with clients about Gmail settings and provide guidance on how to ensure they receive important emails from your organization.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that maintaining list quality by regularly removing unengaged subscribers and using confirmed opt-in helps improve inbox placement and avoid the promotions tab. They emphasize that engagement is a key factor for mailbox providers.

January 2025 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource recommends avoiding URL shorteners in your email campaigns, as they are often associated with spam and can negatively impact your deliverability. Using direct links to reputable domains improves trust and inbox placement.

October 2021 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests showing clients how to disable tabs in their Gmail account and even incorporating instructions into customer service scripts and email communications.

December 2021 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

To improve Gmail inbox placement, technical documentation emphasizes adherence to sender guidelines, proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and proactive list management. A gradual IP warmup for new IPs and understanding DMARC policies are also critical. The goal is to establish a legitimate sending reputation, minimize spam complaints, and ensure subscribers actively want to receive emails.

Key findings

  • Authentication is Key: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication protocols is crucial for verifying your sending domain and proving your email is genuinely from you.
  • Sender Guidelines Matter: Adhering to Gmail's sender guidelines, including maintaining a low spam complaint rate and providing easy unsubscribe options, is essential for inbox placement.
  • List Hygiene is Crucial: Regularly removing bounced and inactive addresses from your email list improves engagement and reduces the chances of being flagged as spam.
  • IP Warmup: Gradually increase the volume of emails you send from a new IP address to establish a positive sending reputation.
  • DMARC Policy: Implementing DMARC allows you to specify how recipient servers should handle emails that fail authentication, helping to protect your domain from spoofing.

Key considerations

  • Implement Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your sending domain to verify your identity and improve deliverability.
  • Monitor Spam Complaints: Actively monitor and address spam complaints to maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Double Opt-in: Use a double opt-in process to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails, improving list quality.
  • Gradual Sending Volume: If using a new IP address, gradually increase your sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters.
  • DMARC Reporting: Utilize DMARC reporting to gain insights into email authentication failures and potential spoofing attempts.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains the importance of list hygiene, removing bounced and inactive addresses, and keeping up-to-date subscriber data for better engagement and inbox placement. They highlight using a double opt-in process to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails.

May 2021 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains DMARC works by allowing the owner of a domain to indicate that their messages are protected by SPF and/or DKIM, and tells a receiver what to do if neither of those authentication methods passes – such as quarantine (move to spam) or reject the message. DMARC also provides a reporting mechanism, where email receivers can provide feedback to senders about messages that pass and/or fail DMARC evaluation.

July 2021 - RFC
Technical article

Documentation from Gmail Help explains that adhering to Gmail's sender guidelines, including authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, is crucial for inbox placement. It also highlights the importance of maintaining a low spam complaint rate and providing easy unsubscribe options.

January 2022 - Gmail Help
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp explains how to set up email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify your sending domain, which helps improve deliverability and inbox placement. Proper authentication helps prove that your email is genuinely from you, reducing the chances of being flagged as spam.

July 2022 - Mailchimp
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains if you're using a new IP address, gradually increase the volume of emails you send to establish a positive sending reputation. Sudden large volumes of email from a new IP address can trigger spam filters.

November 2023 - SparkPost