Email and newsletters in 2026 are still effective, but database blasts are dying.
Email marketing isn’t dead. But the way it works has changed dramatically. Mail providers have tightened defences to fight phishing and malware, and that same security ecosystem now filters out a lot of legitimate marketing email too—especially when it looks untrusted or unwanted.
The result: email remains one of the best-owned channels, but only if deliverability and permission are treated as a strategy, not a technical checkbox.
Why good emails end up in spam (or never arrive)
Modern filtering isn’t just keyword-based. Inbox providers increasingly score senders using a mix of:
1) Trust signals (authentication + alignment)
If SPF, DKIM and DMARC aren’t set correctly—or your “From” domain doesn’t align with the authenticated domain—filters get aggressive. This is often the #1 reason “It used to work, now it doesn’t.”
2) Reputation signals (how your list behaves)
Old databases create bounces, low engagement, and spam complaints. That damages the sender's reputation, which then reduces inbox placement for everyone on your list (including your best leads).
3) Engagement signals (do people actually want it?)
Providers watch opens, clicks, replies, deletes without reading, and mark as spam.” If your audience consistently ignores your emails, providers learn: this sender is unwanted.
4) Pattern signals (volume and consistency)
Big spikes (“we haven’t emailed in 6 months, here’s a blast to 80,000 people”) look like compromised accounts or spam campaigns.
The uncomfortable truth: the “database” is often the problem
Many organisations treat email like a megaphone: upload a big list, send regularly, and hope for results.
In 2026, that approach tends to backfire because:
Legacy lists contain inactive addresses and spam traps
Unclear consent leads to complaints
Low relevance leads to low engagement
Low engagement leads to worse deliverability
Worse deliverability leads to “email doesn’t work”
Email does work—just not as a blunt instrument.
What “effective” email looks like now
The best-performing programs usually have three traits:
1) Clean list + clear permission
Fewer contacts, better results. A smaller engaged list often outperforms a large silent database.
2) Segmentation instead of blasts
Send to people who actually care about that topic. Relevance is a deliverability tactic as much as a conversion tactic.
3) Consistent value
If every email is a promo, engagement drops. If emails regularly help the reader (insights, tools, useful updates), engagement rises—and so does inbox placement.
A simple playbook to improve results (without “hacking” filters)
If you want newsletters to reliably land in inboxes, focus on fundamentals:
Get authentication right: SPF + DKIM + DMARC (and align domains properly)
Warm up and stay consistent: avoid sudden large send spikes
Maintain list hygiene: remove hard bounces; suppress long-term inactive recipients
Run re-permission campaigns: ask older contacts if they still want updates
Make it easy to leave: unsubscribes are healthier than spam complaints
Design for engagement: clear subject lines, one primary CTA, mobile-first layout
The takeaway
Email is still one of the most effective channels when it’s permission-based, relevant, and technically trustworthy.
But if you rely on an old database and “spray and pray,” modern security systems will treat you like what you resemble: spam.
In 2026, email success is less about sending more and more and more about earning inbox trust.
About the Author
Steve Gardiner (exec MBA) is a senior marketing and commercial leader at Lighthouse PR, bringing global experience from Accenture, Electronic Arts, Virgin Media, Telekom, and Etisalat. As VP Business at Etisalat, he was responsible for $1.8B in revenue.
Today, Steve applies his strategic, marketing, and growth expertise to support Lighthouse PR clients as part of the agency’s service offering.