Should I include a "you've received this email because..." message in COVID-19 related emails?

Key findings

• Spam filter risks: Historically, phrases like you've received this message because have been flagged by older spam filtering systems like SpamAssassin, which could assign penalty points that contribute to an email being marked as spam. While SpamAssassin is less prevalent today, the principle of avoiding potentially problematic phrasing remains relevant for maintaining good sender reputation and inbox placement.
• Recipient focus: The primary goal of any email should be to quickly answer the recipient's question of What's in it for me?. A prominent justification for sending the email might distract from the core message, especially in time-sensitive communications.
• Visibility vs. location: While placing such a message at the top ensures visibility, moving it to the footer can satisfy compliance needs without cluttering the main content, allowing the crucial information to be presented upfront.
• Relevance is key: For urgent communications like COVID-19 updates, establishing immediate relevance is more critical than explaining subscription origins. The content itself should clearly justify why the email is being sent.

Key considerations

• Prioritize value: Begin your email by clearly stating the value or critical information for the recipient. For instance, if it's about supporting local businesses during a pandemic, lead with that message.
• Footer placement: If a disclosure about how the recipient is on your list is legally or ethically required, place it in the email footer. This maintains compliance while keeping the email's primary message concise and prominent. See our guide on email unsubscribe link best practices for more.
• Contextual relevance: Ensure the subject line and opening lines immediately convey why the email is relevant to the recipient in the current context. This is particularly important for COVID-19 related emails, where trust and clarity are paramount. For insights into common email issues, consider why your emails are going to spam.
• Avoid virtue signaling: Be mindful of how your communication is perceived. Avoid language that might appear to exploit a crisis for brand promotion. As Augie Ray's Gartner blog suggests, brands should be wary of virtue signaling or outright greed.

Key opinions

• Historical spam flags: Some marketers recall that specific phrases used to explain why a recipient received an email could have negatively impacted its spam score in the past, even if less common now.
• Focus on engagement: Rather than explaining the reason for receipt, the focus should be on creating content that is engaging and relevant to the audience from the very beginning.
• Immediate value: Recipients are looking for an answer to What's in it for me? immediately. Any introductory text that delays this answer risks recipient disengagement.
• Adaptation for crisis: In a crisis like COVID-19, marketers adapted their messaging to encourage new behaviors, like carryout for restaurants, and inform about changes to existing offers, making the immediate content vital.

Key considerations

• Content clarity: Ensure your email copy is crystal clear about its purpose and benefits, especially if your audience has low engagement. This helps in improving email click-through rates.
• Strategic placement: If a disclaimer is necessary, consider placing it in the footer to keep the primary message uncluttered at the top. This is a standard practice for maintaining professionalism.
• Relevance over explanation: During critical times, the email's content should immediately justify its presence in the inbox by offering relevant, actionable information or value to the recipient.
• Audience context: For an audience with low past engagement, every element of the email must work to build trust and demonstrate immediate value, rather than focusing on a generic why you got this statement. Review Gmail's 'dangerous' alerts for insights into recipient trust signals.

Key opinions

• Content is king: The most effective way to engage an audience, especially one with low past engagement, is through highly relevant and valuable content, not through disclaimers about why they received the email.
• Spam filter evolution: While older spam rules might have penalized certain phrases, modern spam filters are more sophisticated, focusing on engagement metrics, sender reputation, and authentication rather than simple keyword matching. However, cautious phrasing is still wise.
• Trust and relevance: Building trust during sensitive times means being direct and clear about the email's purpose. Any ambiguity or irrelevant information at the top can erode trust.
• Call to action focus: For emails encouraging specific actions, like supporting local businesses, the immediate focus should be on the call to action and the benefits to the recipient.

Key considerations

• Avoid generic boilerplate: Resist the temptation to use generic you've received this email because... phrases at the email's start. These can feel impersonal and potentially raise red flags, impacting overall email deliverability.
• Sender reputation impact: Every element of your email contributes to your sender reputation. Ensure content is consistently valuable to avoid being caught by spam traps or placed on a blacklist. Regular blocklist monitoring can help identify issues.
• Focus on the why now?: Instead of focusing on why they are on your list, highlight why this message is important right now. This provides immediate context for crisis communications.
• Compliance vs. engagement: While compliance (e.g., CAN-SPAM) dictates certain elements like unsubscribe links, these can be managed in the footer without impacting the primary message's flow or perceived urgency. Always ensure CAN-SPAM requirements are met.

Key findings

• Legal compliance: Regulations like CAN-SPAM and GDPR require clear identification of the sender and an easy unsubscribe mechanism, but do not mandate where a reason for receipt message must be placed.
• User experience: Best practices often prioritize user experience, which implies quick access to the most important content. Placing disclaimers at the top can delay this.
• Spam algorithm complexity: Modern spam algorithms evaluate a multitude of factors, including sender reputation, content relevance, and user engagement, making a single phrase less impactful than overall sending practices.
• Transparency: While transparency about how a recipient joined your list is valued, it can often be effectively communicated in the email footer alongside unsubscribe options.

Key considerations

• Adhere to regulations: Ensure your emails comply with all relevant email marketing laws in your region, which typically cover unsubscribe mechanisms and sender identification, rather than specific introductory text.
• Focus on content and context: The primary way to justify an email's presence is through its compelling and relevant content. During a crisis, this means providing immediate, actionable information related to the situation.
• Strategic placement of compliance text: If you feel a message about why the email was received is necessary, the footer is the conventional and least intrusive place for it.