What Is Inbox Placement?

Definition

Inbox placement refers to where an email lands when it is delivered. For instance, an email can land in the recipient’s primary inbox, spam folder, or another category like “Promotions” or “Updates” (for Gmail users). Inbox placement can depend on various factors like sender reputation, the quality and relevance of the content, and email engagement.

Example

Let’s say you’re a travel agency looking to send an email promoting an exclusive vacation deal.

• If your email is trusted and relevant to the recipient, it appears in their main inbox.
• If it comes across as too salesy or promotional, it may be redirected to the spam folder.
• If it looks or sounds like a marketing email, your email service provider, such as Gmail, might classify it under the “Promotions” tab.

The importance of inbox placement

You can use this formula to calculate your inbox placement rate:

However, accurately measuring your inbox placement rate can be tricky. That is because your email might end up in other folders or categories, depending on the recipient’s settings or the service provider’s filtering rules. You may also encounter issues with deliverability.

You want your messages to be seen and read by recipients, instead of being sent to the spam folder. If they end up in other categories, aside from the primary inbox, you get low open rates, which translates to low engagement and conversion rates. Moreover, poor inbox placement affects the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns.

Best practices for better inbox placement

To improve your inbox placement rate, follow these tips and best practices.

• Monitor your inbox placement. Use tools to track inbox placement and assess analytics like open rates and click-through rates.
• Clean your email list. Focus on retaining recipients who regularly engage with your emails. Segmenting your list based on factors like purchase history or behavior also helps you craft and deliver personalized emails that align with your recipients’ interests.
• Look into double opt-ins. This narrows down your list and ensures you get engaged recipients who are more receptive to your digital marketing communications.
• Focus on maintaining engagement. Aside from personalized emails, running split tests and being consistent in delivering high-quality content ensures that recipients stay engaged.
• Comply with regulations. Doing so not only protects your reputation but also mitigates the risk of potential legal troubles.

Related terms

• Deliverability Rate
• Whitelist
• Email Quality Score

Related articles

• Email Deliverability: 101 Guide for 2025
• How to Prevent Emails from Going to Spam
• How To Improve Email Deliverability