Will cannabis or alcohol related email content trigger spam filters?

Key findings

• Core function: Spam filters primarily target unsolicited emails, regardless of the specific subject matter. Their main goal is to ensure users receive messages they want and block those they do not.
• ESP policies: Some ESPs (Email Service Providers) may have explicit acceptable use policies that restrict or prohibit content related to cannabis or alcohol, leading to account suspensions or deliverability issues. This is a common hurdle for businesses in these sectors.
• Recipient engagement: The ultimate determinant of inbox placement for any content, including regulated topics, is recipient interaction. High engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal to mailbox providers that the email is desired, while low engagement, complaints, or unsubscribes can negatively impact sender reputation.
• Association with scams: Content that appears similar to prevailing scam tactics (e.g., illicit sales, misleading offers) can trigger filters, regardless of the sender's legitimate intent. This is often seen with adult content, cannabis, or crypto-related emails, which have historically been exploited by spammers.
• Carrier-level restrictions (SMS context): While primarily for SMS, the concept of SHAFT content (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco) highlights that certain categories are flagged due to legal or ethical concerns by communication carriers. While email filters operate differently, this indicates heightened scrutiny around such topics across digital communication channels.

Key considerations

• Permission-based sending: Always prioritize sending to genuinely opted-in subscribers. This is the single most important factor for email deliverability, regardless of content.
• Content context and quality: Ensure your content is relevant, valuable, and appropriately contextualized for your audience. Avoid generic or low-value content that often triggers spam filters.
• ESPs acceptable use policies: Before sending, review your ESP's terms of service regarding restricted content. Non-compliance can lead to account termination.
• Inbox placement testing: For sensitive content, it is highly recommended to perform pre-deployment inbox placement testing to identify potential filtering issues across different mailbox providers before a full send.
• Infrastructure security: Maintain a secure email and web infrastructure. Poor security can lead to your domain being associated with risky or malicious activity, impacting deliverability.

Key opinions

• ESP restrictions are primary: Many marketers find that the biggest hurdle is their Email Service Provider's acceptable use policy, which may ban or heavily restrict content related to cannabis or alcohol, regardless of deliverability to major ISPs.
• Content neutrality: Some marketers believe that modern spam filters are largely content-neutral, focusing instead on user engagement and whether the email was requested, rather than the specific topic.
• Deliverability challenges with specific ISPs: Even without explicit ESP bans, some marketers note particular difficulty with providers like Outlook and Hotmail when sending cannabis-related content, even if it's instructional rather than promotional.
• Engagement remains key: Regardless of topic, marketers emphasize that strong recipient interaction (opens, clicks, replies) and a low complaint rate are crucial for long-term inbox placement.
• Impact of SHAFT categories: While more directly applicable to SMS, marketers are aware that the 'Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco' (SHAFT) categories are broadly flagged for compliance reasons across digital communication, including potential spillover to email filtering.

Key considerations

• Review ESP policies: Always start by thoroughly reviewing the acceptable use policy of your chosen Email Service Provider before attempting to send content on sensitive topics.
• Focus on permission: Ensure your audience has explicitly opted-in to receive your emails. This is the bedrock of good deliverability, irrespective of content.
• Monitor deliverability closely: Pay close attention to your inbox placement rates, particularly for Microsoft-owned properties like Outlook and Hotmail, which may exhibit more sensitivity.
• Avoid spam trigger words (where applicable): While their impact is often exaggerated, some spam trigger words can still contribute to filtering, especially when combined with other negative signals. Craft genuine, high-value content.
• Pre-send testing: Utilize inbox placement testing tools to check how your specific content performs across various inbox providers before a large send, particularly if dealing with potentially sensitive topics.

Key opinions

• Content-agnostic filtering: Some experts firmly believe that modern spam filters are not designed to filter based on content topics like cannabis or alcohol. Their primary focus is on whether the email is unsolicited, irrelevant of subject.
• Risk management: However, other experts argue that content 'spamminess' is influenced by what scammers are doing, especially concerning sensitive topics like adult content, cannabis, and crypto. Mailbox providers protect users from scams, malware, and viruses, which can lead to content-based filtering if a topic is frequently abused.
• Warming up challenges: It can be more difficult to warm up new sending domains or IPs and build positive sender reputation with certain subjects due to historical abuse patterns or perceived risk.
• Recipient interaction reigns supreme: Ultimately, recipient interactions (or lack thereof) determine an email's fate. If emails are well-permissioned and contextual, the subject matter should have less impact.
• ISP-specific sensitivity: Anecdotal evidence suggests that Microsoft properties (Outlook, Hotmail, O365) can be particularly sensitive to certain content, potentially for security reasons rather than political ones.

Key considerations

• Prioritize user consent: Ensure every recipient has explicitly asked for your emails. This foundational element minimizes complaints and boosts positive engagement, which outweighs content considerations.
• Invest in infrastructure: Maintain secure email and web infrastructure. Compromised systems or associations with low-reputation hosting can severely impact deliverability, especially for content in sensitive categories.
• Pre-deployment testing: Utilize inbox placement testing tools, such as the Email Deliverability Tester, to identify potential filtering issues before a full campaign, particularly when dealing with sensitive subject lines.
• Contextual relevance: Ensure your messages are highly contextual and valuable to your specific recipients. This reinforces positive sender reputation.
• Monitor blocklists: Regularly check if your domain or IP is on any email blocklists or blacklists, as this is a clear sign of deliverability issues that can be exacerbated by sensitive content.

Key findings

• Strict compliance for regulated industries: Messaging policies often impose more restrictions on content related to alcohol, firearms, gambling, and tobacco. While directly related to SMS, this indicates a general cautious approach across communication channels.
• Age verification requirements: For platforms where direct interaction or commerce is possible (e.g., Google Actions), alcohol-branded content requires age verification, even if no sales occur. This principle underscores the importance of audience age and legal compliance for related email content.
• Legal and carrier guidelines: Compliance with carrier guidelines (for SMS) and general legal frameworks is paramount. Non-compliance, especially concerning illicit or spam content, can lead to severe penalties.
• Content quality and relevance: Good content that aligns with guidelines and genuinely resonates with the audience is less likely to trigger filters and reinforces brand reputation, as noted in general compliance resources.

Key considerations

• Understand platform-specific policies: Thoroughly review the terms of service and acceptable use policies of any email or messaging platform you utilize. Compliance is crucial to avoid account issues or being blacklisted.
• Ensure legal compliance: Adhere to all local, national, and international laws regarding the marketing of regulated products. Legal violations can result in significant penalties and irreparable damage to sender reputation.
• Focus on email authentication: Strengthen your email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to prove legitimate sending. This builds trust with mailbox providers and is critical for deliverability, especially for sensitive content.
• Maintain high sender reputation: Positive user engagement and consistent adherence to best practices will build a strong sender reputation, which is key for overcoming any inherent skepticism from filters regarding sensitive content.