We all know those emails: just one look at the subject line screaming about your unbelievable luck and accompanied by five $ signs is enough to send it to the spam folder right away.
Unfortunately, your customers know them too. What might be even worse is that spam filters might mark it as spam even before your customer can look at it.
Even though anti-spam techniques are constantly advancing, spam messages still account for almost half of email content worldwide. This frustrating fact often affects the email deliverability of email marketing campaigns and causes companies damaged reputation and financial losses (every sent email has a potential ROI of $36 for every $1 spent).
As a professional marketer trying to avoid being placed on the same line as spammers, you should know the words to avoid in email. For these purposes, we decided to provide you with guidance that can help you make a spam word list that will guide you on your way towards a spam-free campaign. Read further to learn about spam words that you should avoid in emails.
What Are Spam Trigger Words?
What are spam words? Spam words are specific words and sentences that are usually considered red flags by email providers due to their high association with misleading or overly aggressive content. These words create unrealistic promises, a sense of urgency, or simply sound too good to be true.
Spam filters, designed to protect users from such emails, flag messages containing these words, potentially redirecting them to the spam or junk folder. While this practice protects users from unwanted emails, it might negatively affect the deliverability of decent email campaigns that are not accurate enough with their wording or are overly enthusiastic about their products and services.
Campaigns cluttered with spammy language do not sound reputable or trustworthy, leading to decreased user engagement and low open rates. These factors combined can trigger spam filters even further, leading to further damage to the sender’s reputation.
Email filters
While there are multiple types of spam filters, those that filter emails based on spam trigger words are known as content filters. By going through the email’s subject line and body, they analyze language, special symbols, links, and formatting for spam-triggering content. That is why it is so crucial to avoid words that trigger spam filters and not to use these words in email subject lines and main body.
If you want to know more about spam filters, how they work, and get some tips on how to craft your content, you can read the following article: How to Stop Emails Going to Spam.
Spam Trigger Words to Avoid
Financial terms
Examples: When it comes to financial terms and spam, some of the most common words here are: “discount,” “billion,” “free investments,” “make $,” “risk-free,” “cheap,” “guarantee,” and “no investment.”
Why these terms are flagged: All these words have something in common: they are either too much (“billion”), too good (“risk-free,” “no investment”), or too pushy. All these types of offers are often used by scammers to lure potential customers to engage with doubtful offers. Often used in spam emails, these words serve as triggers for spam filters.
Words to use instead: If you don’t want to trigger spam filters, try to be more subtle and informative in your emails. For example, instead of “billion,” try using “large amount.” While still implying substantial benefit, this alternative does sound realistic and has no casino vibe. For the same reason, “earn income” might sound more respectable than “make $.”
By replacing “risk-free” with “low risk” and “cheap” with “affordable” you take away unrealistic expectations and sound more respectable, reducing your chances of triggering spam filters.
Urgency or pressure
Examples: “Act now,” “limited time,” “hurry,” “last chance,” “act immediately,” “once in a lifetime.”
Why these terms are flagged: These words tend to rush recipients into making decisions or taking actions without adequate consideration. In trying to protect users from these potentially harmful decisions, spam filters flag emails that use high-pressure language.
Words to use instead: When it comes to better replacements for urgency-inducing words, try to think of them rather as an invitation. For example, “please consider now” sounds much less pushy than “act now.” You are welcoming new customers, not dragging them into your store. Similarly, “take advantage of this opportunity” is a better alternative to “don’t miss out.” Similarly, you can replace “once in a lifetime” with “unique opportunity.”
These alternative words still point out that a customer should hurry up, but do so without being too intrusive, which is usually appreciated by both customers and spam filters alike.
Too good to be true
Examples: “Guaranteed,” “miracle,” “too good to be true,” “amazing offer,” “best deal ever,” “unlimited.”
Why these terms are flagged: These spam words are often flagged because, depending on the nature, they create offers that are too good, too cheap, too unique—you name it. They exaggerate, create a sense of false urgency, or sound altogether suspicious.
Words to use instead: If you want to create interest from the customer’s side without sounding “too much,” this of the following alternatives:
- “Exceptional” instead of “miracle” (suggests exclusivity rather than creates unrealistic expectations)
- “Excellent value” instead of the “best deal ever” (offers a very good value but in a less sensational way)
- “Extensive” instead of “unlimited” (highlights a prolonged time of your offer without being unrealistic)
- “Remarkable” instead of “miracle” (we all know what they say about miracles, so try to be rather realistically good than magical).
Sensationalism
Examples: “Exciting,” “sensational,” “shocking,” “jaw-dropping,” “fantastic,” “unbelievable,” “mind-blowing.”
Why these terms are flagged: Exaggerated and emotionally manipulative, these words trigger spam filters for giving recipients false, unrealistic promises.
Words to use instead: If you want your offer to trigger real human emotions and not spam filters, try to appeal to positive feelings without going over the top. For example, “sensational” can be replaced with “impressive” and “shocking” with “surprising.” Both alternatives appeal to positive sentiment without sending a recipient on an emotional roller coaster.
Similarly, you can try replacing “revolutionary” with “innovative” and “life-changing” with “transformative.” These synonyms speak to more fundamental aspects of the product or service rather than just give unsupported promises (in the end, even if your product is great, chances that it will revolutionize your client’s life are scarce).
Sales and marketing jargon
Examples: “Sales,” “clearance,” “buy now,” “act fast,” “order today,” “best price.”
Why these terms are flagged: These words imply false scarcity (“limited-time offer”) and create a sense of urgency (“buy now”). Often used in spam emails, they mislead customers and trigger spam filters.
Words to use instead: Some of the better alternatives when you want to attract attention to your product might be:
- “Excellent value” instead of “unbeatable price” (highlights product value beyond just price)
- “Make a purchase” instead of “buy now” (inviting to buy instead of pushing to do so)
- “Available this week” instead of “limited time offer” (points out actual time frames and gives some time to consider)
- “Place your order” instead of “Order today” (invites to buy without sounding like a rush)
Uncommon symbols and characters
Examples:
- Currency symbols ($, €, ¥).
- Excessive punctuation (!!!, ***, ###).
- Emojis (😀, 🚀, 💰).
- Special characters (@, #, %, &, *).
Why these terms are flagged: These symbols, while aimed to attract attention, also look unprofessional and gimmicky. They are not appropriate in respectable emails and often get marked as spam.
Words to use instead: Altogether it is advised to be careful with the use of symbols in your emails, especially with repeated use. Try to be as subtle with symbols as possible and use them only to highlight something in your offer. In other cases, use words.
- Use “100 dollars” instead of “$100.”
- Replace “💰” with “money.”
- Replace “~~~” with proper paragraph spacing or line breaks.
- Instead of using “🚨,” write “Important Notice.”
Special symbols might be appropriate if used once or twice on special occasions or celebratory emails; nonetheless, the rule “less is better” should be your guiding principle here.
Health and fitness claims
Examples: “Cure,” “burn fat,” “no effort,” “erase wrinkles,” “magic pill,” “pain-free.”
Why these terms are flagged: These words play on such human traits as vanity and laziness. As long as the desire for a quick fix without effort remains high, there will be spam emails offering miracles. Thankfully, they are perfectly recognizable by spam filters.
Words to use instead: If you want to offer people a product or a service that improves their looks or health, go for realistic results. If you can, provide statistics. When it comes to words, replace “burn fat,” “no effort,” and “magic pills” with “reduce body fat,” “minimal effort required,” and “effective supplement.”
When you don’t create excessive expectations, your chances of disappointing customers also drop. At the same time, your chances of not ending up in a spam folder go up.
Miscellaneous
Examples: “Adult content,” “XXX,” “adult,” “be your own boss,” “get rich quick.”
Why these terms are flagged: These words are associated with inappropriate illegal content or some shady practices.
Words to use instead: Let’s face it, some businesses do offer restricted content. Even in these cases, it is possible to avoid being associated with illegal practices and ending up in a spam folder.
Think of the following alternatives:
- “Mature audience” instead of “Adult” (implies more sophisticated and complex content rather than points to content that is specifically restricted to adults due to its explicit nature)
- “Restricted content” instead of “XXX” (you warn your audience in advance and decrease chances of unwanted reactions)
- “Independent work opportunity” instead of “be your own boss” (offers the same flexibility while sounding more respectable).
- “Rapid income potential” instead of “get rich quick” (suggests that there is an opportunity to generate income relatively quickly without offering an unrealistic path to wealth)
Other Reasons That Trigger Spam Filters
While spam words are responsible for a fair share of emails landing in spam folders, they are not the only reason. Another important issue that can potentially trigger spam filters is unverified emails in your email list. If your email list contains many invalid and inactive emails, they can lead to a higher bounce rate, lower open and engagement rates, and worsen your reputation as a sender.
By undergoing email verification, you ensure that your emails are sent to legitimate, opt-in addresses rather than spam traps or fake accounts. Maintaining your email list hygiene with special tools makes this practice straightforward, while the benefits it provides might be a real lifesaver for your business.
To learn more about email verification, read the following article on Sendigram:
To Sum Up
In this article, we talked about different types of spam trigger words that should be avoided if you want your recipients to get your content. If sending spam is not your actual business, then you should stay away from the words we observed in this article and use more professional alternatives.
While informative and spam-free content is a very important part of your marketing reputation, it is crucial to keep in mind other “ingredients” of a spam-free email campaign. These include, among others, maintaining a clean email list by conducting email verification and ensuring proper email authentication. By creating a list of spam trigger words and accompanying it with other practices, you can not only improve your deliverability but also build a positive, trustworthy relationship with your audience.