Is the Promotions tab a punishment?

No, the Promotions tab is not a punishment. Gmail's Promotions tab is organizational categorization that separates commercial content from personal messages, not spam filtering. Messages in Promotions still reach recipients and can achieve strong engagement.

Studies show many users check their Promotions tab regularly, expecting marketing content there. Placement in Promotions can actually improve performance by reaching users in a commercial mindset rather than interrupting personal correspondence.

Focus on engagement within Promotions rather than trying to escape to Primary. Compelling subject lines, relevant content, and proper timing matter more than tab placement. Attempting to trick messages into Primary often triggers actual spam filtering.