I discovered that certain words and phrases such as "free," "limited time offer," and "discount" frequently caused my emails to be directed to Gmail's Promotions tab. These phrases are commonly associated with sales and marketing language, which Gmail's algorithm likely identifies as promotional content. I also observed that excessive use of exclamation marks or all-capital letters in the subject line contributed to this issue.
To address this problem, I began focusing on more personalized and value-driven language in both the subject line and body of the email. Instead of using terms like "sale" or "exclusive offer," I employed phrases that emphasized the benefits of the content, such as "insights," "strategies," or "how-to guides." I also ensured that I avoided overloading the email with too many links or large images, which can be flagged as promotional. Another key change was reducing the number of mass emails and instead concentrating on segmenting my audience and tailoring the message more to their specific needs and interests. This approach helped my emails get delivered to the main inbox rather than the Promotions tab, resulting in improved engagement and response rates.
Georgi Petrov, CMO, Entrepreneur, and Content Creator, AIG MARKETER
Gmail's Promotions tab loves phrases like "exclusive offer," "limited time," or "click here for your discount." It also picks up on heavy sales language like "buy now" or "act fast," which sends your emails straight to the promo pit. I noticed it happening a lot when we had too many of those words stacked together.
To fix it, I started toning down the sales pitch—more conversational subject lines and avoiding "shouty" offers. We focused on building relationships, not just selling. Also, cutting out too many links and using a clear, clean layout helped. Now our emails get delivered to the primary inbox, where they actually get read.
Justin Belmont, Founder & CEO, Prose
In my practice, I have found that certain words combined with specific formatting styles are likely to cause an email to be filtered into Gmail's Promotions tab. Emails that use terms such as "sale," "discount," "limited-time offer," and "free," along with numerous exclamation points, represent significant red flags. Emails with significant HTML formatting, including multiple images and bold CTA buttons, also tend to trigger filters that send them to Gmail's Promotions tab. Our bulk email campaigns that lacked personalization and contained uniform content were more likely to be sorted into Gmail's Promotions folder.
What worked for us at Recharge Health was focusing on personalization and value-driven content. Our team refined our email list segmentation process and crafted messages in a casual text-based style that resembled private conversations. We also reduced the number of links, kept the text-to-image ratio balanced, and encouraged engagement by asking questions or prompting replies. On the technical side, properly authenticating our domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helped improve our sender reputation. These adjustments made a significant difference in keeping our emails out of promotions and landing in the primary inbox.
Even Fusdahl Hulleberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Recharge Health
Multiple CTA buttons, embedded timers, dynamic discount codes, and promo-heavy language like "exclusive offer" or "book now and save" triggered the Promotions tab every time. However, the sneaky culprit was formatting: a wide footer with too many links flagged our message more than the subject line did. When we stripped emails down to single CTA links, natural phrasing, and clean HTML, inbox placement shot up. The fix isn't just copy; it's structure.
Reilly James Renwick, Chief Marketing Officer, Pragmatic Mortgage Lending
Too many emails landed in Gmail's Promotions tab when I used phrases like "limited time offer," "check out our new video," or "get yours now." Even stuff like bold headers, multiple links, and image-heavy layouts triggered it. Adding a lot of UGC buzzwords like "viral," "influencer," or "TikTok-famous" didn't help either. Gmail reads it like an ad, not a person talking.
I rewrote emails like I'd text a friend. No big buttons. No salesy words. One link max. Plain formatting. Subject lines that sounded human—like "Quick video update for you" or "Can I get your thoughts on this?" That shift pulled my emails out of Promotions and into Primary. The less it looked like a brand blast, the better it worked.
Natalia Lavrenenko, UGC Manager/Marketing Manager, Rathly
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