Inbox Placement
Whether accepted mail lands in the primary inbox versus secondary or junk folders.
Definition
Inbox placement is the foldering outcome for accepted messages, driven heavily by reputation and engagement.
Why it matters
Separate SMTP delivery success from whether users actually see mail in the inbox.
How it works
Mailbox providers score senders and messages, then route to inbox, tabs/categories, or junk. Engagement history and complaint rates strongly influence future placement.
Limitations
- Placement measurement is noisy without careful seed or panel design.
Common misconceptions
- Inbox placement is the same metric as delivery rate.
How to verify
- Track placement trends by provider, not a single blended percentage.
- Correlate placement drops with complaints, spamtrap hits, or auth failures.