Hey {{First Name}}, Anthony here.
Google quietly rolled out several algorithm updates to Gmail.
Most brands won’t notice it right away.
They’ll just see:
Lower click rates
Odd engagement patterns
Revenue per send slowly declining
And they’ll blame “the economy” or “creative fatigue.”
It’s not that.
Here’s what actually changed — and how it affects your sales.
What Changed (And Why It Impacts Revenue)
1. AI reads your emails before your subscribers do
Gmail now interprets and summarizes content using AI.
That means:
Some users see summaries without clicking
Generic emails get deprioritized
Fluffy intros get ignored
If your value isn’t clear instantly, you lose the click.
And no click = no order.
2. Inbox placement is no longer binary
It’s not just Primary vs Promotions anymore. There’s now a visibility gradient.
Email will now be prioritized based on perceived importance/relevance, not just time you got the email.
You can “land in the inbox” and still be buried.
This also works in the other direction. You can also get engagement on emails SEVERAL days after you sent it.
Example of emails not longer being shown based on time sent, but relevance.
3. Open rates are officially unreliable
AI auto-opens inflate data.
Meanwhile, users can read summaries without clicking.
So if you're optimizing for opens in 2026:
1. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, IT’S 2026?!
2. You’re optimizing for noise.
3. You will be getting even more unreliable info
The metric that matters now are deeper on-platform engagement like clicks (will also become less reliable in the coming years, replies, stars, time spent on the email, etc)
4. Content quality is now a deliverability signal
This is the big one.
Gmail evaluates what you say — not just how you send.
Generic, templated, vague emails get deprioritized.
Human, specific, clear emails still perform.
You can’t blast AI-written fluff and expect revenue stability anymore.
What To Do Now (If You Care About Sales)
1. Front-load value immediately
Kill:
“Just wanted to share some exciting news…”
Replace with:
“25% off ends Friday, last chance to restock.”
AI scans fast. So do humans.
Get to the point.
2. Keep emails concise and human
Assume your email will be summarized.
But also assume overt AI-style writing gets deprioritized.
Be:
Direct
Specific
Slightly imperfect
Clear
Human > polished nonsense.
3. Double down on exclusions
Start using this more aggressively:
Has received X number of emails in X days
AND Hasn’t “Clicked email” in X days
Has received X number of emails in X days
Hasn’t been “Active on Site” or “Viewed Product“ in the last X days
Engagement will become more important. Over time, I believe that if engagement drops, your placement will drop as well.
The 2026 email success equation will be some variation of:
(Value + Volume) x Engagement = Revenue
If you increase volume while engagement falls… revenue suffers.
4. Send “warm-up” campaigns
Before cutting inactive subscribers completely:
Re-send strong campaigns to:
“Hasn’t opened or clicked in X days.”
You’ll find:
Quiet engagers
Inbox placement shifts
Recovery opportunities
This prevents silent suppression.
The Hard Truth
These updates aren’t going to “kill email.”
It’s killing lazy email.
Brands that:
Send generic promos
Ignore engagement health
Optimize for opens
Blast volume without exclusions
…will see revenue per send decline.
Brands that adapt?
Will quietly gain market share.
Because inbox visibility = sales velocity.
Final Takeaway
If your placed order rate dips over the next 60 days…
Don’t rewrite your offer first.
Audit:
Content clarity
Engagement segmentation
Exclusion logic
Send volume vs engagement ratio
That’s where the money is now.
The barrier to entry in the marketing space is getting higher and higher, which isn’t a bad thing. It just means you and your team need to get more advanced.
Questions?
Click HERE to send me a question, and I’ll send a reply in the next few hours.
– Anthony
P.S. If you want help applying this to your email program, you can book a call here → choose.transparentdigital.agency