What CASL requires#
CASL requires express or implied consent before sending and identification of the sender in every message.
What inbox placement is#
Inbox placement is the percentage of sent mail that lands in the primary inbox rather than spam, promotions, or being blocked. It is measured with seed lists across major providers and panel data from real mailboxes.
Why it matters#
Delivery rate (accepted by the server) hides the real problem: mail accepted into the spam folder. Placement is the metric that predicts revenue.
How inbox placement supports CASL compliance#
Regulators and recipients need to identify who sent a message and trust that opt-out mechanisms work. Inbox placement contributes by delivery rate (accepted by the server) hides the real problem: mail accepted into the spam folder. Placement is the metric that predicts revenue.
Implementation steps#
- Create seed accounts at Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, and key B2B gateways.
- Send each campaign to the seed list before the full send.
- Record inbox, spam, promotions, and missing counts per provider.
- Correlate drops with content, sending domain, or list segment changes.
- Fix authentication, reputation, or content issues before scaling.
Frequently asked questions#
Why does mail land in Gmail Promotions?
Gmail classifies by content and sender behavior. Promotions is not spam and often performs well; do not over-optimize to escape it.
What is a good inbox placement rate?
Above 90% is healthy. Below 80% indicates a reputation or authentication problem.