504 Spam Trigger Words To Avoid And Land Into Inbox
7 min read
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.
Table of Contents
What are Spam Triggering 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.
-
% Satisfied
-
%
-
off
-
Acceptance
-
Accordingly
-
Act
-
Now
-
Affordable
-
All
-
New
-
As
-
seen on
-
Auto email removal
-
Avoid
-
Bargain
-
Be amazed
-
Bonus
-
Brand new pager
-
Bulk email
-
Buy
-
Buy direct
-
Buying judgments
-
Cable converter
-
Call
-
Call free
-
Call now
-
Can’t live without
-
Cancel at any time
-
Casino
-
Celebrity
-
Chance
-
Claims not to be selling anything
-
Clearance
-
Click
-
Click below
-
Click here
-
Click to remove
-
Compare
-
Compare
-
Compare rates
-
Compete for your business
-
Copy accurately
-
Copy DVDs
-
Deal
-
Direct email
-
Direct marketing
-
Do it today
-
Don’t delete
-
Don’t hesitate!
-
Dormant
-
Email harvest
-
Email marketing
-
Explode your business
-
F r e e
-
Fantastic deal
-
For just $(insert whatever amount)
-
For Only
-
Form
-
Free
-
Free consultation
-
Free DVD
-
Free hosting
-
Freedom
-
Get
-
Get it away
-
Get it now
-
Gift certificate
-
Give it away
-
Guarantee
-
Guaranteed
-
Have you been turned down?
-
Have you been turned down?
-
Here
-
Hidden
-
Home
-
Increase sales
-
Increase traffic
-
Increase your sales
-
Incredible deal
-
Internet market
-
Internet marketing
-
It’s effective
-
Join millions
-
Join millions of Americans
-
Laser printer
-
Leave
-
Lifetime
-
limited time
-
Limited time offer
-
Long distance phone offer
-
Lose
-
Luxury car
-
Mail in order form
-
Maintained
-
Marketing
-
Marketing solutions
-
Mass email
-
Medium
-
Member
-
Miracle
-
Month trial offer
-
More Internet Traffic
-
Multi level marketing
-
Never
-
New domain extensions
-
No age restrictions
-
No cost
-
No disappointment
-
No gimmick
-
No inventory
-
No middleman
-
No obligation
-
No purchase necessary
-
No questions asked
-
No selling
-
No strings attached
-
No-obligation
-
Notspam
-
Now
-
Now only
-
One hundred percent free
-
One hundred percent guaranteed
-
One time mailing
-
Online marketing
-
Open
-
Opportunity
-
Opt in
-
Order
-
Order now
-
Order shipped by
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Passwords
-
Performance
-
Print form signature
-
Print out and fax
-
Priority mail
-
Prize
-
Prizes
-
Problem
-
Produced and sent out
-
Promise you
-
Quote
-
Quotes
-
Removal instructions
-
Remove
-
Reserves the right
-
Reverses
-
Rolex
-
Sale
-
Sales
-
Sample
-
Satisfaction
-
Save $
-
Save big money
-
Search engine listings
-
Search engines
-
See for yourself
-
Serious only
-
Shopping spree
-
Sign up free today
-
Solution
-
Stainless steel
-
Stop
-
Strong buy
-
Stuff on sale
-
Subscribe
-
Success
-
Teen
-
The best rates
-
The following form
-
They’re just giving it away
-
This isn’t a scam
-
This isn't junk
-
This isn't spam
-
This won’t last
-
Undisclosed recipient
-
Unlimited
-
Unsolicited
-
Unsubscribe
-
Urgent
-
Vacation
-
Vacation offers
-
Visit our website
-
Warranty
-
We hate spam
-
We honor all
-
Web traffic
-
Weekend getaway
-
While supplies last
-
While you sleep
-
Who really wins?
-
Will not believe your eyes
-
Win
-
Winner
-
Winning
-
Won
-
You are a winner!
-
You have been selected
-
% free
-
Accept credit cards
-
Access
-
Ad
-
Amazing
-
Auto email removal
-
Being a member
-
Best price
-
Billing address
-
Bulk email
-
Cancel at any time
-
Cannot be combined with any other offer
-
Cards accepted
-
Dear [email/friend/somebody]
-
Dig up dirt on friends
-
Direct email
-
Direct marketing
-
Email harvest
-
Email marketing
-
Free gift
-
Free leads
-
Free preview
-
Free sample
-
Free trial
-
Full refund
-
Get started now
-
Gift certificate
-
Give it away
-
Great offer
-
If only it were that easy
-
Important information regarding
-
Increase traffic
-
Info you requested
-
Information you requested
-
Internet market
-
Internet marketing
-
Maintained
-
Marketing
-
Marketing solutions
-
Mass email
-
Member
-
Member stuff
-
Message contains
-
Message contains disclaimer
-
MLM
-
Multi level marketing
-
Multi-level marketing
-
Name brand
-
No catch
-
No disappointment
-
No hidden
-
Not intended
-
Obligation
-
Offer
-
Online marketing
-
Order status
-
Please read
-
Safeguard notice
-
Satisfaction
-
Satisfaction guaranteed
-
Search engine listings
-
Search engines
-
Sent in compliance
-
Solution
-
Special promotion
-
Supplies are limited
-
Talks about hidden charges
-
Tells you it’s an ad
-
Terms and conditions
-
The following form
-
This isn’t junk
-
This isn’t spam
-
Trial
-
We hate spam
-
Web traffic
-
Weekend getaway
-
As seen on
-
Bargain
-
Be amazed
-
Bonus
-
Buy direct
-
Buying judgments
-
Call
-
Call free
-
Can’t live without
-
Cheap
-
Claims not to be selling anything
-
Clearance
-
Click to remove
-
Collect
-
Compare rates
-
Compete for your business
-
Deal
-
Don’t hesitate!
-
Explode your business
-
F r e e
-
Fantastic deal
-
For just $(insert whatever amount)
-
For Only
-
Free DVD
-
Free hosting
-
Get it now
-
Guarantee
-
Guaranteed
-
Have you been turned down?
-
Increase sales
-
Increase your sales
-
Incredible deal
-
It’s effective
-
Join millions
-
Join millions of Americans
-
Lifetime
-
limited time
-
Limited time offer
-
Long distance phone offer
-
Mail in order form
-
Money back
-
New domain extensions
-
No cost
-
No gimmick
-
No inventory
-
No middleman
-
No obligation
-
No questions asked
-
No selling
-
No strings attached
-
No-obligation
-
Now
-
Now only
-
One hundred percent free
-
One hundred percent guaranteed
-
Opportunity
-
Order shipped by
-
Problem
-
Promise you
-
Quote
-
Quotes
-
Sale
-
Sales
-
Save $
-
Save big money
-
See for yourself
-
Serious only
-
Sign up free today
-
Strong buy
-
Stuff on sale
-
Success
-
The best rates
-
They’re just giving it away
-
This isn’t a scam
-
This won’t last
-
Unlimited
-
Urgent
-
Warranty
-
We honor all
-
While supplies last
-
While you sleep
-
Will not believe your eyes
Financial
-
“Hidden” assets
-
$$$
-
Additional income
-
Apply Online
-
Avoid bankruptcy
-
Be your own boss
-
Beneficiary
-
Big bucks
-
Billion
-
Billion dollars
-
Calling creditors
-
Cash
-
Cash bonus
-
Casino
-
Cents on the dollar
-
Check
-
Check or money order
-
Collect child support
-
Consolidate debt and credit
-
Consolidate your debt
-
Cost
-
Costs
-
Credit
-
Credit bureaus
-
Credit card offers
-
Discount
-
Double your
-
Double your income
-
Earn
-
Earn $
-
Earn extra cash
-
Earn per week
-
Easy terms
-
Eliminate bad credit
-
Eliminate debt
-
Expect to earn
-
Extra income
-
Fast cash
-
Financial freedom
-
Financially independent
-
For free
-
For just $xxx
-
Free grant money
-
Free investment
-
Free money
-
Get out of debt
-
Get paid
-
Hidden assets
-
Hidden charges
-
Home based
-
Home employment
-
Home Based business
-
Income
-
Income from home
-
Investment
-
Investment decision
-
Leave
-
Loans
-
Lower interest rate
-
Lower interest rates
-
Lower monthly payment
-
Lower your mortgage rate
-
Lowest insurance rates
-
Make $
-
Make money
-
Million
-
Million dollars
-
Money
-
Money making
-
Mortgage
-
Mortgage rates
-
Nigerian
-
No credit check
-
No fees
-
No investment
-
Off shore
-
One time
-
Online biz opportunity
-
Only $
-
Pennies a day
-
Potential earnings
-
Pre-approved
-
Price
-
Prices
-
Print form signature
-
Profits
-
Pure Profits
-
Refinance
-
Refinance home
-
Refinanced home
-
Risk free
-
Save up to
-
Serious cash
-
Social security number
-
Stock alert
-
Stock disclaimer statement
-
Stock pick
-
Subject to cash
-
Subject to credit
-
They keep your money – no refund
-
Thousands
-
Unsecured credit
-
Unsecured credit/debt
-
Unsecured debt
-
US dollars
-
Why pay more?
-
Winner
-
Winning
-
Work at home
-
Work from home
-
Your income
Medical
-
CURES BALDNESS
-
DIAGNOSTICS
-
FAST
-
VIAGRA DELIVERY
-
Human
-
growth hormone
-
Life
-
Insurance Lose weight
-
Lose
-
weight spam
-
Medicine
-
No medical exams
-
Online pharmacy
-
Removes wrinkles
-
Reverses aging
-
Stop
-
snoring
-
Valium Viagra
-
Vicodin
-
Weight loss
-
Xanax
Ecommerce
- AS SEEN ON
- BUY
- BUY DIRECT
- Buying judgments
- Clearance
- Confidentially on all orders
- Order
- Order status
- Order today
- Orders shipped by
- Orders shipped by
- Outstanding values
- Sample
- shopper
- Wants credit card
- What are you waiting for?
Legal
- Claims
- Claims to be in accordance with some spam law
- 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.
If you want to dive deeper into these useful tips you can start implementing right from your next campaign, checkout our resource bank on all the articles on email deliverability here.
FAQs
1) What is a spam trigger word in email?
A spam trigger word is a keyword or phrases 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 which are scanned out?
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
There are quite a few more such rules for this. You can find an extensive list her