Summary
The question of whether mentioning COVID-19 (or coronavirus) in emails negatively impacts deliverability is complex, evolving from a significant concern in the early stages of the pandemic to a more nuanced issue today. Initially, many internet service providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers (MBPs) implemented stricter filtering rules for emails containing COVID-related keywords due to an overwhelming surge in scams, phishing attempts, and misinformation. However, this aggressive, content-based blocking was largely temporary. Currently, direct keyword blocking is less prevalent. The primary impact now stems more from subscriber sentiment and engagement, as topics deemed political or divisive can lead to higher complaint rates, even for legitimate and consented mail.
Key findings
- Temporary filtering: Some ISPs, particularly in regions like France, temporarily blocked emails outright if they contained certain COVID-19 keywords, primarily to combat the initial surge of scams.
- Reduced direct blocking: Direct content-based blocking for COVID-19 keywords is no longer a widespread or primary deliverability concern for most senders.
- Subscriber sentiment: The main risk now is how subscribers react to content related to COVID-19. As a potentially divisive topic, it can provoke strong emotional responses, leading to increased spam complaints or unsubscribes.
- Impact on legitimate senders: Even highly official and authenticated emails from government bodies or trusted organizations mentioning COVID-19 or vaccines have been observed to land in spam folders due to user backlash or filtering decisions based on overall engagement metrics. Our page on how specific words affect deliverability delves deeper into this.
Key considerations
- Audience relevance: Only send COVID-19 related content if it is highly relevant and critical to your specific audience. Irrelevant or overly frequent communication can lead to fatigue and negative reactions.
- List segmentation: Consider segmenting your list to send sensitive information only to your most engaged subscribers who are likely to find the content valuable. Our guide on sending COVID-19 emails to unengaged lists provides further insight.
- Monitor engagement: Pay close attention to your engagement metrics, especially complaint rates, after sending emails on sensitive topics. Spikes in complaints indicate a problem with content relevance or audience reception.
- Maintain best practices: Regardless of content, consistent adherence to email deliverability best practices, such as proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and list hygiene, remains the most effective way to ensure inbox placement. You can read more about maintaining high email deliverability during a crisis.
What email marketers say
Email marketers widely report that while the initial, aggressive filtering of COVID-19 related terms has subsided, the inherent sensitivity of the topic continues to pose a deliverability challenge. Their experiences highlight that negative subscriber reactions, rather than automated keyword blocking, are the primary driver of issues. This means that even with perfect technical setup, content discussing COVID-19 or vaccines can face increased spam complaints or land in junk folders if the audience finds it irrelevant, overly frequent, or politically charged.
Key opinions
- Past blocking: At the beginning of the outbreak, some ISPs, especially in Europe, did block COVID-related keywords on sight due to the overwhelming volume of scams.
- Current status: This direct blocking is largely no longer an issue, and general sentiment is that keyword-based filtering for COVID-19 is not a thing anymore.
- Divisive content: COVID-19 remains a divisive topic, which can unfortunately lead to a spike in complaints, even from consented subscribers, due to potential malice or strong negative reactions.
- Government mail affected: Even official, authenticated emails from government sources about vaccines or COVID-19 have been observed to land in spam or junk folders, indicating that content sensitivity can override sender legitimacy for some users.
Key considerations
- Content relevance: Marketers should avoid sending mass COVID-19 emails unless they contain critical and valuable information for their audience. Think about how certain words like 'free' can impact deliverability more broadly.
- Emotion and complaints: Be aware that emotionally charged topics, similar to political mail, are more likely to generate negative reactions and increase spam complaints. This is why understanding specific spam words remains important, though the context has shifted.
- List hygiene: To protect deliverability when discussing sensitive topics, validate your email list and consider segmenting based on engagement levels, as advised by Mailgun's COVID-19 email communications guidance.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks asked if mentioning COVID-19 still impacts deliverability, recalling past issues.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Higher Logic emphasizes key takeaways for maintaining high email deliverability during the COVID-19 period, focusing on established best practices.
What the experts say
Email deliverability experts largely agree that keyword-based blocking for terms like COVID-19 is no longer a primary concern for email deliverability. They emphasize that the core principles of consent, sender reputation, and subscriber engagement remain the most critical factors. While there was a period of heightened vigilance and temporary filtering by some providers, the focus quickly shifted to combating fraudulent activity rather than legitimate communications. Experts consistently advise that the real challenge with sensitive topics like COVID-19 is managing potential negative subscriber reactions, which can manifest as increased spam complaints and ultimately harm sender reputation, regardless of the email's technical compliance.
Key opinions
- No current issue: Experts have not observed widespread deliverability issues recently that are solely attributable to the mention of COVID-19 in emails.
- Consent is key: If an email is properly consented-to and all other aspects of the email setup are correct, words like COVID-19 alone should not cause a problem.
- Past temporary blocking: At the beginning of the pandemic, some ISPs did implement temporary blocks on related keywords due to the high volume of scams, but this was a short-term measure.
- User reactions matter: Sensitive or divisive topics like COVID-19 and politics can incite strong emotions, leading to higher spam complaint rates from subscribers who react negatively, even if they originally opted in.
Key considerations
- Focus on reputation: Regardless of content, the fundamental factors for good deliverability are consent, email authentication, and maintaining a positive sender reputation. Our article on why your emails are going to spam provides a comprehensive guide.
- Anticipate user behavior: Senders should anticipate that content on politically or socially sensitive topics may lead to more aggressive negative feedback (e.g., spam button clicks) from some segments of their audience.
- Due diligence: Adhering to best practices in list management and engagement can mitigate issues arising from sensitive content. Political mailers, for example, often choose not to perform the due diligence needed to avoid such issues. Understanding how your email ends up on a blacklist is crucial.
- ISP autonomy: ISPs make their own decisions on filtering and deliverability, and senders must adapt to these policies rather than expecting them to change. SpamResource frequently discusses this adaptability.
Expert view
Email expert from Email Geeks stated that direct keyword blocking related to COVID-19 is not commonly observed if email setup and consent are otherwise strong.
Expert view
Email deliverability expert from SpamResource explains that maintaining good sender reputation is paramount, as general content filtering is less about specific words and more about overall mailing habits.
What the documentation says
Documentation and research published during and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic consistently show a shift from initial reactive filtering to a re-emphasis on fundamental email deliverability principles. While there was an observable increase in email volume and a temporary tightening of filters, the long-term impact on deliverability was most closely tied to how senders managed their lists, content relevance, and subscriber engagement rather than simply the presence of certain keywords. The consensus from authoritative sources is that adapting email strategies to maintain audience trust and avoid subscriber fatigue was paramount.
Key findings
- Volume surge impact: Initial documentation noted a significant increase in email volume, which, combined with new types of scams, led to temporary, stricter filtering mechanisms by providers.
- Shifting focus: The focus quickly moved from direct keyword blocking to reinforcing existing best practices, such as consent, list hygiene, and engagement, as core drivers of deliverability.
- Engagement resilience: Studies indicated that senders with highly engaged audiences generally maintained better deliverability, even with increased email volume or sensitive content, as detailed in our guide on email deliverability issues.
- Content relevance critical: Over-communicating on sensitive topics or sending irrelevant COVID-19 related content was found to lead to subscriber fatigue and increased complaints, impacting overall sender reputation. This highlights the importance of understanding your domain reputation.
Key considerations
- Audience value: Prioritize sending only truly valuable and critical information related to COVID-19, ensuring it aligns with subscriber expectations for your usual communications.
- Avoid 'send to all': Documentation frequently advised against blanket send to all approaches for COVID-19 updates, recommending targeted communications instead.
- List validation: Regular validation of email lists was emphasized to prevent sending to unengaged or problematic addresses, which could further degrade deliverability.
- Adapt strategy: The period highlighted the need for email marketers to be agile, adapting their content strategy and sending frequency based on real-time engagement and feedback. Campaign Monitor's analysis of open rates during COVID-19 is a good example of this data-driven approach.
Technical article
Documentation from Higher Logic emphasizes key takeaways for maintaining high email deliverability during the COVID-19 period, focusing on established best practices.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailgun states that brands adapted their email strategy during the pandemic, highlighting the need for flexible communication approaches.
Related resources
15 resources
Related pages
Are COVID-19 related emails causing deliverability issues?
Do words like 'vaccine' or 'covid' affect email deliverability?
What are the best practices for sending a COVID-19 email to a large, unengaged list while preserving deliverability?
Should I include a "you've received this email because..." message in COVID-19 related emails?
Does using the word 'Free' in email subject lines or content impact deliverability?
Do specific spam words still affect email deliverability?
How your email address ends up on a blacklist
Why Your Emails Are Going to Spam in 2024 and How to Fix It
Email Deliverability Issues: Getting Your Messages to the Inbox in 2025
A practical guide to understanding your email domain reputation
