Gmail Promotions tab

See how your email looks in Gmail’s Promotions tab

Most marketing emails in Gmail land in Promotions, right next to everyone else’s offers. Looksend shows your sender name, subject and preview text in the Promotions tab on the web and in the Gmail app, so you can see whether you stand out.

Preview my email in Promotions
Gmail web is free. The Gmail app view is part of Pro.

The Promotions tab isn’t the enemy

Landing in Promotions is normal for marketing email, and it isn’t spam. People open the tab when they’re in the mood to browse offers. The real question is whether your email gets noticed when they get there.

What you’re competing with

In the Promotions tab your email sits in a list of offers from other brands, often from the same morning. On the web each email gets one line; in the Gmail app it gets a sender, a subject and one line of preview text. That’s all people see before deciding whether to open.

How to stand out in Promotions

  • Use a sender name people recognise. Your brand name, or a person at your brand, consistently.
  • Make the subject specific. “30% off winter coats until Sunday” beats “Don’t miss out!” in a list of offers.
  • Make the preview text do work. Add the detail the subject didn’t have room for, rather than repeating it.
  • Check it next to other brands. Looksend’s Promotions view puts your email in a realistic list so you can judge it in context.

Want Primary instead?

You can’t force it, but emails that feel personal and get replies are more likely to reach Primary. Asking subscribers to move you to Primary, or reply, helps Gmail learn their preference over time. Looksend shows both tabs, so you can compare.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my emails go to Gmail’s Promotions tab?

Gmail sorts mail using the content of the email, the sender’s reputation and how each person has treated similar emails before. Emails that look like marketing, with offers, product images and unsubscribe links, usually land in Promotions. Google doesn’t publish the exact rules.

Is the Promotions tab the same as spam?

No. The Promotions tab is part of the inbox and people browse it, especially when they’re in the mood to shop. Spam is a separate folder that most people never check.

Can I get my emails into the Primary tab instead?

There’s no guaranteed way. Emails that read like personal messages and get replies are more likely to reach Primary, and subscribers who move your emails to Primary teach Gmail their preference over time.

Does Looksend predict which tab an email lands in?

No tool can, because placement depends on each recipient’s own Gmail history. Looksend shows how your email looks inside the Promotions tab next to other brands, so you can make sure it stands out wherever it lands.

Look before you send.

Preview my email in Promotions