When Google changed its Gmail inbox layout in May 2013, email marketers wisely took notice. What was once a single email inbox has become a tabbed interface that automatically sorts incoming Gmail messages into one of several different categories. This new structure gives Gmail users a quick and convenient way to manage messages, but email marketers may view the change with alarm. If Gmail categorizes messages into different categories before they reach readers, how can marketers be sure their emails will reach their targets? All levels of email marketing need to The New Gmail Inbox Structure: Five Categories The Gmail inbox now consists of five tabbed categories: Main, Social, Promotions, Forums, and Updates.
The first three are enabled by default, but the mail user can enable or disable them. The Social tab includes posts from social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Forums include posts from online discussion groups, while updates contain things like confirmations, online invoices, and account statements. Primary and promotions are the employee data two most important tabs (for marketers)The main tab is primarily for posts from addresses that people have interacted with. The other tabs are for new messages from addresses that people haven't interacted with (or that recipients point to), which Google makes assumptions about. Google's goal is not to clutter the main tab with spam.
The user has complete flexibility to change the default settings and tell Google where to place messages, including having promotional emails from preferred vendors land in the main tab. The Promotions tab contains marketing emails, deals, coupons, and offers from businesses, marketers, and promoters. Email marketers worry that if their messages are automatically sorted in the Promotions tab, their recipients might not see them. Gmail users can use the Promotions tab as a sort of quarantine zone where email marketing can be banned and ignored.