Avoid these 500+ Spam Trigger Words for Better Email Deliverability

If writing a good email copy requires your full creativity of what to write, then adding a subject line requires creativity of what to write and most importantly what to avoid.

You are obviously hounded with questions - is the subject line conveying the purpose of the email, is it engaging enough, and above all, will it trigger spam filters?

If your email has spam triggering words or display the same behaviour as that of a spammer, then it will trigger spam filters and make your emails go to the spam box instead of the inbox.

With sophisticated technologies like AI and Machine Language, email service providers can scan each and every email to determine if it is spam or genuine.  

What are Spam Trigger Words?

Spam trigger words are phrases that trigger the wrong emotions such as sense of fear, urgency, loss, psychological manipulation etc.

Will the usage of a simple English word trigger a spam filter? No.

It all depends on the context.

Genuine usage of the word like ‘free’ is ultimately fine. But, repeating the same and combining it with other words like 'free bank account' or 'free housing' might trigger spam filters and prevent your email from going into the inbox.

You basically don't’ have to be:

Needy: Don’t sound desperate with words like ‘Help’,’Distress’

Manipulative: Don’t create false urgency with words like ‘Urgent’,’Don’t delete’

Sleazy: Never use words like hot babes, adult

Cheap: Stay away from Free, 100% off, Full Discount

Far-fetched: Avoid words like ‘free money’,’lose weight’,’billions’

Without further ado, let’s look at the list of words that trigger spam filters and are routinely scanned out by spam filters. To help you much better, we have categorized this exhaustive list into different categories based on the industry they are used in.

Sales & Marketing

While sales and marketing are integral for any business, avoid being aggressive. A customer has opted in for your newsletter to receive an enticing content matching his/her needs. Do not thrust your offer on them, avoid farfetched claims like the ones listed below.

1. % Satisfied

2. %

3. off

4. Acceptance

5. Accordingly

6. Act

7. Now

8. Affordable

9. All

10. New

11. As

12. seen on

13. Auto email removal

14. Avoid

15. Bargain

16. Be amazed

17. Bonus

18. Brand new pager

19. Bulk email

20. Buy

21. Buy direct

22. Buying judgments

23. Cable converter

24. Call

25. Call free

26. Call now

27. Can’t live without

28. Cancel at any time

29. Casino

30. Celebrity

31. Chance

32. Claims not to be selling anything

33. Clearance

34. Click

35. Click below

36. Click here

37. Click to remove

38. Compare

39. Compare

40. Compare rates

41. Compete for your business

42. Copy accurately

43. Copy DVDs

44. Deal

45. Direct email

46. Direct marketing

47. Do it today

48. Don’t delete

49. Don’t hesitate!

50. Dormant

51. Email harvest

52. Email marketing

53. Explode your business

54. F r e e

55. Fantastic deal

56. For just $(insert whatever amount)

57. For Only

58. Form

59. Free

60. Free consultation

61. Free DVD

62. Free hosting

63. Freedom

64. Get

65. Get it away

66. Get it now

67. Gift certificate

68. Give it away

69. Guarantee

70. Guaranteed

71. Have you been turned down?

72. Have you been turned away?

73. Here

74. Hidden

75. Home

76. Increase sales

77. Increase traffic

78. Increase your sales

79. Incredible deal

80. Internet market

81. Internet marketing

82. It’s effective

83. Join millions

84. Join millions of Americans

85. Laser printer

86. Leave

87. Lifetime

88. limited time

89. Limited time offer

90. Long distance phone offer

91. Lose

92. Luxury car

93. Mail in order form

94. Maintained

95. Marketing

96. Marketing solutions

97. Mass email

98. Medium

99. Member

100. Miracle

101. Month trial offer

102. More Internet Traffic

103. Multi level marketing

104. Never

105. New domain extensions

106. No age restrictions

107. No cost

108. No disappointment

109. No gimmick

110. No inventory

111. No middleman

112. No obligation

113. No purchase necessary

114. No questions asked

115. No selling

116. No strings attached

117. No-obligation

118. Notspam

119. Now

120. Now only

121. One hundred percent free

122. One hundred percent guaranteed

123. One time mailing

124. Online marketing

125. Open

126. Opportunity

127. Opt in

128. Order

129. Order now

130. Order shipped by

131. Passwords

132. Performance

133. Print form signature

134. Print out and fax

135. Priority mail

136. Prize

137. Prizes

138. Problem

139. Produced and sent out

140. Promise you

141. Quote

142. Quotes

143. Removal instructions

144. Remove

145. Reserves the right

146. Reverses

147. Rolex

148. Sale

149. Sales

150. Sample

151. Satisfaction

152. Save $

153. Save big money

154. Search engine listings

155. Search engines

156. See for yourself

157. Serious only

158. Shopping spree

159. Sign up free today

160. Solution

161. Stainless steel

162. Stop

163. Strong buy

164. Stuff on sale

165. Subscribe

166. Success

167. Teen

168. The best rates

169. The following form

170. They’re just giving it away

171. This isn’t a scam

172. This isn't junk

173. This isn't spam

174. This won’t last

175. Undisclosed recipient

176. Unlimited

177. Unsolicited

178. Unsubscribe

179. Urgent

180. Vacation

181. Vacation offers

182. Visit our website

183. Warranty

184. We hate spam

185. We honor all

186. Web traffic

187. Weekend getaway

188. While supplies last

189. While you sleep

190. Who really wins?

191. Will not believe your eyes

192. Win

193. Winner

194. Winning

195. Won

196. You are a winner!

197. You have been selected

198. % free

199. Accept credit cards

200. Access

201. Ad

202. Amazing

203. Auto email removal

204. Being a member

205. Best price

206. Billing address

207. Bulk email

208. Cancel at any time

209. Cannot be combined with any other offer

210. Cards accepted

211. Dear [email/friend/somebody]

212. Dig up dirt on friends

213. Direct email

214. Direct marketing

215. Email harvest

216. Email marketing

217. Free gift

218. Free leads

219. Free preview

220. Free sample

221. Free trial

222. Full refund

223. Get started now

224. Gift certificate

225. Give it away

226. Great offer

227. If only it were that easy

228. Important information regarding

229. Increase traffic

230. Info you requested

231. Information you requested

232. Internet market

233. Internet marketing

234. Maintained

235. Marketing

236. Marketing solutions

237. Mass email

238. Member

239. Member stuff

240. Message contains

241. Message contains disclaimer

242. MLM

243. Multi level marketing

244. Multi-level marketing

245. Name brand

246. No catch

247. No disappointment

248. No hidden

249. Not intended

250. Obligation

251. Offer

252. Online marketing

253. Order status

254. Please read

255. Safeguard notice

256. Satisfaction

257. Satisfaction guaranteed

258. Search engine listings

259. Search engines

260. Sent in compliance

261. Solution

262. Special promotion

263. Supplies are limited

264. Talks about hidden charges

265. Tells you it’s an ad

266. Terms and conditions

267. The following form

268. This isn’t junk

269. This isn’t spam

270. Trial

271. We hate spam

272. Web traffic

273. Weekend getaway

274. As seen on

275. Bargain

276. Be amazed

277. Bonus

278. Buy direct

279. Buying judgments

280. Call

281. Call free

282. Can’t live without

283. Cheap

284. Claims not to be selling anything

285. Clearance

286. Click to remove

287. Collect

288. Compare rates

289. Compete for your business

290. Deal

291. Don’t hesitate!

292. Explode your business

293. F r e e

294. Fantastic deal

295. For just $(insert whatever amount)

296. For Only

297. Free DVD

298. Free hosting

299. Get it now

300. Guarantee

301. Guaranteed

302. Have you been turned down?

303. Increase sales

304. Increase your sales

305. Incredible deal

306. It’s effective

307. Join millions

308. Join millions of Americans

309. Lifetime

310. limited time

311. Limited time offer

312. Long distance phone offer

313. Mail in order form

314. Money back

315. New domain extensions

316. No cost

317. No gimmick

318. No inventory

319. No middleman

320. No obligation

321. No questions asked

322. No selling

323. No strings attached

324. No-obligation

325. Now

326. Now only

327. One hundred percent free

328. One hundred percent guaranteed

329. Opportunity

330. Order shipped by

331. Problem

332. Promise you

333. Quote

334. Quotes

335. Sale

336. Sales

337. Save $

338. Save big money

339. See for yourself

340. Serious only

341. Sign up free today

342. Strong buy

343. Stuff on sale

344. Success

345. The best rates

346. They’re just giving it away

347. This isn’t a scam

348. This won’t last

349. Unlimited

350. Urgent

351. Warranty

352. We honor all

353. While supplies last

354. While you sleep

355. Will not believe your eyes

Financial

1. “Hidden” assets

2. $$$

3. Additional income

4. Apply Online

5. Avoid bankruptcy

6. Be your own boss

7. Beneficiary

8. Big bucks

9. Billion

10. Billion dollars

11. Calling creditors

12. Cash

13. Cash bonus

14. Casino

15. Cents on the dollar

16. Check

17. Check or money order

18. Collect child support

19. Consolidate debt and credit

20. Consolidate your debt

21. Cost

22. Costs

23. Credit

24. Credit bureaus

25. Credit card offers

26. Discount

27. Double your

28. Double your income

29. Earn

30. Earn $

31. Earn extra cash

32. Earn per week

33. Easy terms

34. Eliminate bad credit

35. Eliminate debt

36. Expect to earn

37. Extra income

38. Fast cash

39. Financial freedom

40. Financially independent

41. For free

42. For just $xxx

43. Free grant money

44. Free investment

45. Free money

46. Get out of debt

47. Get paid

48. Hidden assets

49. Hidden charges

50. Home based

51. Home employment

52. Home Based business

53. Income

54. Income from home

55. Investment

56. Investment decision

57. Leave

58. Loans

59. Lower interest rate

60. Lower interest rates

61. Lower monthly payment

62. Lower your mortgage rate

63. Lowest insurance rates

64. Make $

65. Make money

66. Million

67. Million dollars

68. Money

69. Money making

70. Mortgage

71. Mortgage rates

72. Nigerian

73. No credit check

74. No fees

75. No investment

76. Off shore

77. One time

78. Online biz opportunity

79. Only $

80. Pennies a day

81. Potential earnings

82. Pre-approved

83. Price

84. Prices

85. Print form signature

86. Profits

87. Pure Profits

88. Refinance

89. Refinance home

90. Refinanced home

91. Risk free

92. Save up to

93. Serious cash

94. Social security number

95. Stock alert

96. Stock disclaimer statement

97. Stock pick

98. Subject to cash

99. Subject to credit

100. They keep your money – no refund

101. Thousands

102. Unsecured credit

103. Unsecured credit/debt

104. Unsecured debt

105. US dollars

106. Why pay more?

107. Winner

108. Winning

109. Work at home

110. Work from home

111. Your income

Medical

1. CURES BALDNESS

2. DIAGNOSTICS

3. FAST

4. VIAGRA DELIVERY

5. Human

6. growth hormone

7. Life

8. Insurance Lose weight

9. Lose

10. weight spam

11. Medicine

12. No medical exams

13. Online pharmacy

14. Removes wrinkles

15. Reverses aging

16. Stop

17. Snoring

18. Valium Viagra

19. Vicodin

20. Weight loss

21. Xanax

Gambling

1. Jackpot
2. No risk
3. Win big
4. Bonus

iGaming

1. Free spins
2. No deposit bonus
3. Guaranteed win
4. Instant payout

Ecommerce

1. AS SEEN ON
2. BUY
3. BUY DIRECT
4. Buying judgments
5. Clearance
6. Confidentially on all orders
7. Order
8. Order status
9. Order today
10. Orders shipped by
11. Orders shipped by
12. Outstanding values
13. Sample
14. shopper
15. Wants credit card
16. What are you waiting for?

Legal

1. Claims
2. Claims to be in accordance with some spam law
3. Claims to be legal

Email filters, therefore, usually have a comprehensive list of words commonly used in spam emails. Using these spammy words can increase the chances of your mail being listed as spam. If spamming is still your marketing mantra, next time you are writing a subject line, find an alternative vocabulary to push your emails.

Fixing your subject lines is just the tip of the iceberg when you are avoiding the spam box. There are many other details you should take care of when trying to improve deliverability. For example....

• Use correct spelling and grammar. Take time to edit and proofread. You can use services like Editpad and Grammarly to help you with that.
• Link only to genuine sites with reputable domains. Avoid shortening your links when you link.
• Make it easy to unsubscribe. If your unsubscribe button is hidden or not present, readers are going to mark your emails spam.
• Having email authentication systems in place is an essential step in building trust between you and mailbox providers. Messages that pass authentication checks have much more chances to be delivered to the Inbox.

Stop using words that trigger spam filters right from your next campaign and see the difference in your email open rates straightaway.

FAQs

1) What is a spam trigger word in an email?

A spam trigger word is a keyword or phrase that email providers see as a red flag. Spam trigger words are often found in emails marked as spam by readers.

2) What are the most common financial spam trigger words?

Some most common financial spam trigger words are $$$, affordable, bargain, beneficiary, best price etc. For a complete list, click here.

3) What are some general spam trigger words?

Some of the general spam trigger words are: acceptance, accordingly, avoid, chance, dormant etc. You can find a comprehensive list here.

4) What are some marketing spam phrases?

Some commonly used marketing spam phrases are auto email removal, bulk email, click below, click here, click to remove etc. A comprehensive list is available here.

5) What are spam-like behaviors?

Some spam-like behaviors to watch out against are usage of spam trigger words, unsolicited email sending, image-only emails, and deliberate spelling and grammar mistakes.

6) How do I make sure my emails don’t go to spam?

In order to ensure that your emails don’t go to spam, you need to adhere to certain rules such as the ones listed below:

• Send only to opted-in subscribers
• Explicitly ask subscribers to whitelist your email address
• Comply with anti-spam laws
• Proofread your emails to avoid spelling & grammar errors
• Avoid spam-trigger keywords
• Send them to a cleaned up list
• Include an unsubscribe link.