How to Avoid the Gmail Promotions Tab and Improve Email Marketing

While the Gmail segmented inbox is a great feature for most users, if you use email marketing to reach your customers, it can be a nuisance. Why? Well, most of your emails end up in the Promotions tab where they are likely lost in the sea of coupons, store sales, and the like.

If you want to know how to avoid the Gmail Promotions tab and increase your visibility, here are our top suggestions:

1. Ask your subscribers to whitelist your emails and/or move them to the Primary tab

It might seem scary, but asking your subscribers to be added to your address book is really effective. Plus, it guarantees that each email they get from you ends up in their Primary inbox. And when your emails are there along with personal emails, you will likely get more views and actions on your emails.

Another method is to ask your subscribers to move your campaign from the Promotions tab to the Primary tab. When they do this, Gmail will ask if it should always deliver the email there. If they need more assistance with this, direct them to these Gmail Help instructions.

However, even if they don’t add you to their address book or move you to the Primary tab, you can always incorporate a brief reminder and instructions in your emails.

2. Segment your emails

Sending out all of your emails to everyone on your list is not the most effective marketing method. Good email marketing is all about delivering targeted emails with relevant, entertaining content that are more likely to get opened. Make sure you add in a call-to-action with every email. The more emails that are opened and clicked on, the more Google will see that your subscribers like your emails. And once that happens, you are more likely to avoid the Gmail Promotions tab.

3. Keep your emails simple

While pretty emails are great for style points, too much HTML in your emails is a red flag to Google. It tells them that your email is commercial content that is almost certain to land in the Promotions tab. So if you want to avoid the Gmail promotions tab, try sending a plain-text email or an email with no more than one image and/or one button with a call-to-action.

Need help avoiding the Gmail Promotions tab and your email marketing? Why not contact Smart to Finish. We have email marketing Divas standing by ready to help you, so reach out to us today!