The COVID-19 Pandemic and the New Normal in Email Marketing Strategies

Email marketing became essential for keeping customers informed during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how businesses operate and communicate. With storefronts closed and movement restricted, digital interactions became the primary way to stay connected. Companies had to adjust their communication strategies quickly to remain relevant and supportive. Email marketing, already a staple in the digital toolkit, became an even more critical channel to reach and retain customers.

As more consumers shifted online, brands needed to rethink how they crafted and delivered messages. Clarity, empathy, and timing became as important as the offer. The pandemic also pushed businesses to adopt more intelligent workflows and improve how they handled content creation, segmentation, and personalization. Style Guides for Website Designs were key in creating consistent, effective messaging across campaigns.

These changes in email strategy didn’t just fill a temporary gap. They laid the groundwork for long-term improvements in how brands approach digital communication. Understanding these shifts and applying the right tools makes all the difference in delivering value, building trust, and keeping audiences engaged in the new normal.

Why Email Marketing Became More Important Than Ever

As lockdowns began and spending habits shifted, email became a lifeline between businesses and consumers. Unlike social media, where algorithms can bury content, email marketing campaigns land directly in the inbox — a space still considered personal and trusted.

Consumers wanted transparency, updates, and reassurance. Brands needed to adapt fast to provide value without sounding opportunistic. That meant rethinking everything from subject lines to tone, timing, and content.

Key Shifts in Strategy During the Pandemic

1. From Promotional to Purpose-Driven Messaging

At the onset, inboxes were flooded with pandemic-related emails. Most were vague, filled with generic solidarity statements. It backfired. People were overwhelmed and unsubscribed en masse.

Smart brands pivoted. Instead of generic messages, they focused on:

• Relevant updates (e.g., changes to business hours or shipping delays)
• Ways they were supporting front liners or vulnerable groups
• Exclusive offers or resources customers could use

The best marketing emails leaned into empathy, not urgency. They added value.

2. Hyper-Personalization Became Non-Negotiable

The pandemic wasn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. For some, it meant working from home; for others, it meant job loss, making broad-stroke messaging ineffective.

Brands that thrived were those that segmented audiences and personalized content accordingly. Email marketing platforms with robust contact management features allowed:

• Behavior-based automation
• Dynamic content blocks tailored to customer preferences
• Localized messaging based on geographic restrictions or regional issues

Using data to guide messaging was no longer optional — it was essential.

3. Increased Use of Automation

With leaner teams and tighter budgets, automation tools proved invaluable. Automated email campaigns helped marketers stay responsive without burning out.

Examples include:

• Welcome sequences for new email subscribers
• Abandoned cart emails (which saw higher conversion rates during the pandemic)
• Loyalty program reminders and re-engagement emails

The right email marketing software also made A/B testing easier, allowing marketers to test subject lines, visuals, and timing more efficiently.

4. Cancel Irrelevant Campaigns

The pandemic made it necessary to pause or stop scheduled campaigns that were no longer appropriate. Lighthearted or overly celebratory content felt out of place. Marketers had to:

• Reevaluate tone and message relevance
• Delay or rework seasonal content
• Prioritize value-driven communication over sales language

It was better to delay a campaign than risk sounding tone-deaf.

5. Lead with Sensitivity and Empathy

Communication had to reflect the reality people were facing. Pushy language, like “hurry” or “don’t miss out,” only created more stress. Empathetic messaging, on the other hand, helped brands build loyalty.

Understanding that people were experiencing anxiety, uncertainty, and financial strain informed the way subject lines were written and the tone of copy inside the email. Supporting customers through honest and caring messages wasn’t just ethical; it was clever marketing.

Best Practices That Emerged

Personalized and timely messaging became essential for effective email campaigns.

Provide Useful, Honest Information

Early in the pandemic, consumers were sensitive to tone. The rule was simple: only email when you have something meaningful.

This could be:

• New safety protocols in your physical stores
• Delivery updates or inventory restocks
• Partnerships with charities or ways customers could get involved

Avoid fear-mongering or over-promising. Transparency builds customer loyalty.

Educational and Supportive Content

While health advice was best left to experts, brands could still support customers through educational content. Examples include:

• Tips for working from home
• Mental health resources
• Productivity tools
• Ways to use products in new, helpful contexts

This content connected the brand to customer well-being without pushing a hard sell.

Update Campaign Calendars

Pre-planned campaigns didn’t age well. Content that was lighthearted or overly promotional felt tone-deaf during a global crisis. Smart marketers:

• Paused irrelevant campaigns
• Audited scheduled content for appropriateness
• Shifted to more supportive, empathetic messaging

It’s a practice that continues to matter, especially in times of crisis or uncertainty.

Reevaluate Send Times

With routines disrupted, traditional send times lost their effectiveness. Many brands tested and found new sweet spots. Benchmark studies during the pandemic showed Monday emails had higher open rates than pre-pandemic favorites like Tuesday or Thursday.

The takeaway: don’t rely on outdated benchmarks. Test regularly.

Email Design in the New Normal

The look and feel of emails also evolved. Clean and scannable designs became the norm as more people read emails on mobile devices while multitasking at home.

Top design trends included:

• Minimalist layouts with a clear call-to-action
• Use of a drag-and-drop editor for rapid design and deployment
• Mobile-optimized templates
• Accessible designs (larger fonts, ALT text, contrast compliance)

Creating email templates that felt personal and easy to consume was key to maintaining customer engagement.

Empathy and Human Tone

Perhaps the most crucial shift in tone.

Emails that acknowledged the reality of the situation while offering helpful solutions resonated best. Avoiding pushy language and urgency-inducing words like “rush,” “last chance,” or “urgent” helped maintain trust.

Empathy isn’t a buzzword. It’s a strategy.

Adapting for the Long Term

These changes weren’t just temporary. Even as restrictions lift and consumer behavior stabilizes, many of the adaptations made during the pandemic have become permanent parts of effective digital marketing strategy.

Moving forward, successful email marketing strategies will continue to rely on:

• Customer-centric content
• Intelligent use of email automation
• Real-time segmentation and personalization
• Authentic tone and messaging

Businesses that embrace this shift won’t just survive. They’ll grow.

Future-Proofing Email Marketing Strategy Post-Pandemic

Even with pandemic restrictions behind us, consumer expectations have changed for good. Audiences now expect brands to deliver personalized, valuable content with a human tone. Email marketing has evolved from a promotional tool into a relationship-building platform, and that shift is here to stay.

To meet those expectations, businesses must double down on data, design, and delivery. Post-pandemic, effective campaigns are less about flashy graphics and more about relevance, timeliness, and context. Here’s how brands can build resilient strategies that reflect how people live, work, and buy today.

Optimising Email Marketing Performance with Data

Marketers now have access to more insights than ever — but data is only valuable when applied effectively. To improve email marketing performance, focus on metrics that tie back to business goals:

• Open rates and click-throughs give a sense of engagement
• Bounce rates and unsubscribes highlight friction in your campaigns
• Conversions and ROI tell you whether your strategy is working

Track performance by campaign type (e.g., welcome series vs. re-engagement) and segment (e.g., location, purchase behavior, device used). This will help you refine messaging and improve future email campaigns.

Using UTM parameters and integrating with analytics tools allows for deeper attribution tracking. Instead of guessing what works, marketers can make data-driven decisions that directly influence campaign outcomes.

Also, consider tracking:

• Subscriber growth rate
• Share/forward rates
• Device-specific open performance

Understanding how people interact with your emails on mobile versus desktop can guide design and layout decisions.

Harnessing AI for Smarter Email Campaigns

AI is no longer experimental — it’s a critical marketing tool for brands that want to stay competitive. In email marketing, AI helps with:

• Predictive sending (delivering emails at the ideal time for each recipient)
• Smart segmentation based on behavior patterns
• Automated subject line and copy suggestions
• Image personalization and product recommendations

By combining AI with email automation, businesses can scale personalization without losing the human touch. The result: more relevant campaigns, better engagement, and higher ROI.

Tools like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and HubSpot now include AI capabilities within their platforms. Even smaller businesses can benefit by using these features to streamline content creation, scheduling, and A/B testing.

AI can also assist in:

• Identifying optimal send frequencies
• Scoring leads based on engagement
• Writing adaptive content based on user behavior

This means less guesswork and a more performance-driven strategy at scale.

Designing for Engagement

Empathy and authenticity set the tone for successful email marketing.

Consumers today are visually fluent — they’re used to high-quality content and seamless user experiences. Your email templates must reflect that without overwhelming or distracting your audience.

Design best practices include:

• A clear visual hierarchy (headline, subhead, CTA)
• Generous white space for easier reading
• Mobile-first layouts
• ALT text for accessibility
• Consistent use of brand colors and fonts (following your style guide for website designs)

Well-designed emails increase scannability and comprehension, keeping your message clear even for distracted readers. With the increasing adoption of dark mode, modern templates should account for both light and dark viewing experiences.

Also, test:

• Button vs. hyperlink placement
• Single-column vs. multi-column layouts
• Static images vs. animated GIFs or videos

Minor tweaks to layout and format can dramatically influence engagement metrics.

Strengthening Customer Loyalty through Email

Building and maintaining customer loyalty is more challenging in an age of infinite options. Email gives brands a direct channel to reinforce value, reward loyalty, and stay top-of-mind.

Loyalty-focused strategies include:

• Exclusive discounts for existing customers
• Early access to new products
• VIP-only content or offers
• Post-purchase check-ins and thank-you notes

You can also boost retention through:

• Customer anniversary emails
• Loyalty point updates
• Feedback requests that show their input matters

Personalized touches show customers they’re more than just a transaction. These marketing emails encourage repeat purchases, build brand affinity, and reduce churn.

Better Contact Management

List hygiene and segmentation go hand in hand with a strong email strategy. Regularly clean your list to remove inactive subscribers and reduce bounce rates. Use your email marketing tool’s contact management features to:

• Identify high- and low-engagement users
• Create dynamic segments based on the activity
• Track how different groups respond to different messages

An accurate, well-maintained list means better deliverability and performance. It also ensures that your email service provider isn’t flagging your campaigns as spam.

Tagging, scoring, and behavioral triggers help refine who gets what and when. For example:

• Users who haven’t opened in 60 days may receive a re-engagement email
• New subscribers might get a welcome drip series
• Past purchasers can be segmented into upsell flows

Use segmentation to test different messaging angles with micro-audiences. What works for one subset of users may not land with another.

Combining Email with Broader Digital Marketing

Email marketing doesn’t operate in a vacuum. To maximize impact, align it with your broader digital marketing strategy:

• Use email to amplify content from your blog or YouTube channel
• Promote social media contests or community campaigns
• Share product updates or offers tied to seasonal PPC campaigns

You can also:

• Sync CRM data with social ad platforms for retargeting
• Use triggered emails after web form submissions
• Add email signups to webinar, course, or event funnels

Integrating email into your multi-channel campaigns helps reinforce brand messaging across multiple touchpoints, increasing your chances of conversion.

What Brands Need to Focus On Next

Email marketing during the pandemic forced brands to get sharper — with their strategy, messaging, and tone. What started as reactive adjustments became long-term improvements.

To continue growing in the post-pandemic landscape, marketers need to:

• Use AI and automation to deliver more intelligent, more personalized campaigns
• Stick to style guidelines for consistent, clean email design
• Prioritize the customer experience over the sales pitch
• Align email efforts with broader business and marketing goals
• Reinforce messaging consistency across all platforms
• Monitor new technology and trends shaping consumer behavior

In the new normal, email isn’t just about promotion—it’s about connection, continuity, and building lasting relationships.

Need help navigating post-pandemic challenges? Contact DevWerkz to build a strong, effective email marketing strategy tailored to your business.