Email best practices
100+ email spam words to avoid in your email marketing campaign
While it’s industry folklore that certain words trigger spam filters, there are certain words you’ll want to avoid if you’re looking to improve your overall email deliverability.
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We’ve all received spam email at some point in our lives. In fact, most of us run into it every day; miracle cures for cancer, pills promising to make our problems disappear and, of course, the classic Nigerian prince who occasionally comes knocking with his financial windfall.
Unfortunately for our Prince, people are becoming increasingly aware of his data-stealing antics so know not to avoid his mail like the plague. The same is true for email service provider (ESP) spam filters, which are better adapted and equipped to recognize phishing emails and boot them into touch.
But what does all this have to do with the words we use in our email marketing campaigns? Good question. There are certain words that when added to subject lines can lead to high complaint rates and low engagement. Both have a negative effect on sender reputation – one of the leading factors behind poor email deliverability.
Clearly this is something as an email sender you’ll want to avoid. So, to help you avoid being thrown in with the spoofers and bad actors of the world, we’re going to share some of those email spam words you’ll want to avoid using in your upcoming campaign.
Table of contents
False urgency and scarcity
Banking, finance, and the lottery
Marketing and sales promotions
Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll
Exaggerated claims and hype
Maintain a healthy email list
Double opt-in
Use a custom domain
Honor the unsubscribe button
Table of contents
Busting the myth
Before we get started, it’s important we debunk a common misconception among email marketing professionals – the idea of absolute "email spam trigger words" words is, in fact, false. Let us quickly explain why.
Spam filters look for a combination of tactics used by spammers, with words being just one piece of the puzzle. There are many factors behind the triggering of spam filters, such as:
Sender reputation: Unknown senders with no domain reputation are more likely to be flagged.
Poor design: Emails with excessive ALL CAPS, unusual fonts, or bad grammar raise red flags.
Missing information: Lack of a clear email header, company information, or unsubscribe option can be suspicious.
Deceptive practices: Misleading subject lines, hidden URLs, or impersonating legitimate companies (email spoofing) are all red flags.
So, it's not just words, but how they're used in conjunction with other techniques that trigger spam filters.Also,context matters. Words like "free" or "urgent" can be legitimate in certain contexts (e.g., a sales email offering a free trial or an important notification). Spam filters rely on analyzing the entire email for red flags, not just isolated words. And don’t forget, it’s not just the spam filters. Email recipients are also triggered by certain keywords and if they suspect something phishy is going on, they’ll soon mark it as spam.
That said, there are still words and phrases commonly associated with spam that can increase your chances of landing in the spam folder. It's wise to be mindful of these and use them cautiously.
“Early spam filters were focused more on words, punctuation and the content of your email campaign. I’m not saying that’s not relevant today – because it is – but much more focus is being put on reputation. How you are as a sender is what’s going to determine where your messages go.”
Nick Schafer, Senior Manager of Delivery and Compliance at Sinch Mailgun
Email spam words
So, what exactly are email spam words? Well, in most cases, they’re words designed to create a sense of urgency or pressure to act now. They tend to make exaggerated claims, suspicious financial promises, or use shady, promotional tactics to lure recipients in. We’ve categorized some of the most common email spam words and phrases you’ll want to be aware of before crafting your next campaign.
False urgency and scarcity
Act now
Limited time only!
Don't miss out
Expiring soon
Last chance
Hurry
While supplies last!
Ticking clock...
Don't wait!
This offer won't last
Limited availability
Selling fast
Only a few left
Exclusive offer
Rare opportunity
Don't be left behind
This won't be repeated
Once-in-a-lifetime deal!
Supplies are running low
Quantities limited
Banking, finance, and the lottery
Urgent action required
Account verification
Suspicious activity
Unclaimed funds
Limited time offer
Consolidate your debt
Pre-approved loan
Easy money
Get rich quick
Double your money
You've won!
Millions waiting
Unclaimed prize
Lucky numbers drawn
Final chance!
Claim your prize!
Life-changing opportunity
Congratulations!
Exclusive offer
Free ticket
Marketing and sales promotions
Free
Discount
Sale (or variations like "Mega Sale")
Limited
Act
Don't miss out
Exclusive
Best price
Guaranteed (especially with unrealistic claims)
Winner
Bonus
Clearance
No obligation
Risk-free
Get started now
Hurry!
All-new
Special offer
Click here (repeated excessively)
Unbelievable results
Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll
Adult
Singles
Enhancement
Uncensored
Discreet
Chat
Flirt
Meet
Lonely
Seduction
Enhancement
High
Prescription
Weight Loss
Pain Relief
Euphoria
Viagra
Party
Molly
Ecstasy
Exaggerated claims and hype
Miracle
Breakthrough
Secret
Scientifically proven
Doctors recommend
Guaranteed
Hidden
Once in a lifetime
Risk-Free:
Clinically proven
New and improved
All-natural
Double your money back
Stop aging now!
Lose weight
Without diet or exercise!
The secret to wealth
Work from home and make thousands!
Look 10 years younger
This one trick!
Again, we want to make it clear here that context is King. Using these keywords in isolated incidents is not going to automatically land you in the spam folder. Internet service providers (ISPs) use various checks when deciding to flag an email as spam, or not.
Watch our recent Email Academy webinar series episode where the team give tips and advice on how you can maximize the chances of your campaigns landing in subscribers’ inboxes.
How to avoid the spam folder
So, we’ve established that email spam words are just a small part of what triggers filters. What about some of the other factors? If you’re ready to take your email deliverability up a notch and want to really avoid those spam filters, you’ll need to start thinking about some of the following areas:
Maintain a healthy email list
Sometimes it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, which is certainly true for your email lists. While it might be nice to sit back and marvel at impressive subscriber figures, it’s far more important to monitor engagement. Why? Because if people aren't interested in your content and mark your emails as spam, it hurts your sender reputation. Therefore, a little email list cleaning is sometimes needed.
A clean list with interested subscribers means your emails are more likely to be opened and interacted with. This positive engagement signals to email providers that you're a legitimate sender (and not a bad actor). A healthy list also reduces bounces, which happen when emails can't be delivered due to invalid addresses. Remember, high bounce rates can also signal to ISPs that you’re not sending relevant content and potentially move your campaigns to the spam folder.
Double opt-in
It seems counterintuitive to add a step to the onboarding process, right? Marketing lore dictates that the process be as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So why would we ask new subscribers to complete an additional step before they can receive our campaigns?
By asking subscribers to verify their email through a double opt-in process, you’ve already scored your first interaction. This is a positive signal for ESPs and a great way to boost your sender reputation. Plus, when subscribers engage with your double opt-in email, they are essentially re-confirming their interest in receiving your newsletter. This means it’s extremely unlikely that they’ll then classify your emails as spam further down the road.
So, while it might appear counterintuitive to have fewer total subscribers in your email list, your engagement levels will be higher which is a far more important signal to ESPs trying to keep you out of the spam folder.
Pro tip: For a detailed walkthrough on how to set up double opt-in forms through your Sinch Mailjet account, we’ve documented the step-by-step process here for you to follow.
Use a custom domain
A custom sending domain is essentially your own personalized address used for sending emails. Typically, as a professional or SMB owner you’ll want a custom sending domain that matches your business website and aligns with your brand.
Why is this important? Well, once you’ve got a custom email address you’ll be able to set up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC which will allow for email authentication from recipient servers.
This is great news not only for your domain reputation, but also makes it much harder for bad actors to spoof your brand and protects your subscribers from phishing attacks.
Watch our recent Email Academy webinar series episode where the team runs through how to set up your own custom domain
Honor the unsubscribe button
It’s never a good idea to bury your unsubscribe link somewhere where people can’t find it, or make it difficult, time-consuming or confusing to do so (especially considering Google and Yahoo have now made it a mandatory requirement for bulk senders).
It’s going to result in a negative experience for subscribers, and if they can’t easily locate it, they may just mark you as spam. Not something we want when trying to avoid the spam folder.
So, while it might seem counterintuitive to offer subscribers as an easy way out, it’s extremely important you do so. If you’re providing subscribers with high-quality, relevant content) then this shouldn’t be a problem!
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Understanding the words that trigger spam filters is crucial for your effective email marketing. By carefully selecting your language and avoiding these red flags, you can significantly increase the chances of your emails landing in the inbox rather than the spam folder.
Remember though, email spam words are only part of the puzzle. Adhering to email deliverability best practices is not just about avoiding spam filters; it's about building trust with your audience. Sending relevant, valuable content and respecting recipients' privacy, you'll improve your email reputation and ensure that your messages reach the right people. A strong sender reputation is the cornerstone of successful email marketing!
