How does Gmail decide if an email goes to the Promotions tab?

The Promotions tab is one of Gmail's inbox categories that automatically sorts marketing and promotional emails away from the Primary tab.

What Gmail is doing: Gmail uses machine learning to categorize incoming email into tabs: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. Marketing messages typically land in Promotions.

Key understanding: Promotions is part of the inbox, not spam. Emails in Promotions are delivered successfully. They're organized, not hidden. This is Gmail helping users manage their email, not penalizing senders.

Impact on senders:

Some users never check Promotions and miss your emails
Other users specifically check Promotions when in shopping mode
Open rates may be lower than Primary placement
But Promotions beats spam folder, which truly hides your email

Can you control placement? Not directly. Gmail decides based on content patterns. Highly promotional content goes to Promotions. Personal, conversational email goes to Primary. But gaming this isn't advisable, you want to meet user expectations.

What matters more: Building engagement so users look for your emails wherever they land. Subscribers who want your content will find it in Promotions.

The Promotions tab is like a dedicated dock for merchant ships. You're in the harbor, just in the commercial section rather than the main berth.