Avoid These 284 Deadly Spam Trigger Words For Better Inboxing

You created the perfect email with an intriguing subject line - You Won 100$, Open to Claim! and thought it would give you higher opens.

But your face dropped as you saw your email kept hitting higher and higher spam rates. And you thought, what did I do wrong? We guess you used a spam keyword, i.e., WON 100$, in your subject line, which might have triggered the spam filters, so your email landed in the spam folder.

Such incidents can happen if you aren't aware of spam words. So, we have curated a list of 284 spam words you should avoid in the subject line and email copy to keep a healthy distance from spam filters.

What are spam words?

Spam words are frequently used in unsolicited emails and include phrases associated with scams, manipulative language, overpromising, and financial gain. Such words may trigger spam filters, causing low deliverability rates and harming the sender reputation.

What are spam trigger words?

Spam trigger words are words or phrases that can cause emails to be flagged as spam by email providers. These words are often associated with scams, gimmicks, and promises that sound too good to be true. Examples of email spam trigger words include "earn extra cash" and "earn money fast".

Email spam words are phrases or keywords in your subject line, and email copy that email service providers mark as malicious or spammy. These words activate the spam filters, causing your emails to land in the user's spam folder instead of their inbox.

Apart from the words, the context also matters.

As spam filters are getting more advanced, they won't automatically send your emails to spam if they contain words like "discount code" or "claim your offer." But you'll be in trouble if you:

• Stuff plenty of spammy keywords.

• Use lots of emojis exclamations.

• Use caps lock and bright red fonts.

The image below reflects the spam words used in the subject line, which is why this email landed in the spam folder. Other than that, in the beginning, the sender is using a caps lock, which is another red flag.

Spam words are just one of many factors that land email in the junk folder, impacting the email campaign’s deliverability.

284 spam trigger words you should avoid

Here is the list of words you must avoid in your email subject line and email copy to ensure that you don't get trapped by spam filters and, hence, protect your email deliverability.

Symbols or exaggerated numbers

• #1

• $$$

• 0%

• 0% risk

• 777

• 99%

• 99.9%

• 100%

• 100% more

• 100% free

• 100% satisfied

• 50% off

Words that create unnecessary urgency

• Access for free

• Access now

• Access right away

• Act immediately

• Act now

• Action required

• Apply NOW

• Apply Online

• At no cost

• Buy Now

• Buy direct

• Cancel at any time

• Cancel now

• Cancellation required

• Claim your discount NOW!

• Claim your prize

• Click below

• Click here

• Exclusive deal

• Exclusive discount

• Exclusive offer

• Expiring soon

• For instant access

• Get it now

• Get out of debt

• Get out of debt NOW

• Get started now

• Hurry up

• Important information regarding

• Instant weight loss

• Limited time

• Limited time deal

• Make $

• Make Money

• Now only

• Offer expires in X days

• Once in a lifetime deal

• Once in a lifetime opportunity

• Once in lifetime

• Online biz opportunity

• Only for today

• Save up to

• Sign up free today

• Stuff on sale

• Supplies are limited

• Take action now

• Time-limited

• Urgent

• Vacation offers

• Weight loss

• While in stock

• While you sleep

Exaggerated claims and numbers

• 100% money back

• Best bargain

• Best offer

• Best price

• Big bucks

• Double your leads

• Double your cash

• Double your income

• Double your wealth

• Earn extra profit

• Earn $

• Earn extra cash

• Earn Money

• Earn per week

• Extra cash

• Extra income

• Extract email

• Free

• For just X$

• For only XXX amount

• Free Bonus

• Free cell phone

• Free Consultation

• Free DVD

• Free Gift

• Free grant money

• Free hosting

• Free info

• Free information

• Free Installation

• Free instant

• Free Investment

• Free iPhone

• Free leads

• Free Membership

• Free Money

• Free preview

• Free Quote

• Free sample

• Free trial

• Full REFUND

• Guaranteed deposit

• Guaranteed income

• Guaranteed payment

• Huge discount

• Incredible deal

• Instant earnings

• Instant income

• Instant offers

• JACKPOT

• Lose weight

• Lose weight instantly

• Lowest price

• Lowest price ever

• Money back

• Money making

• Money-back guarantee

• Potential earnings

• Recover your debt

• Recover your debt instantly

• Satisfaction guaranteed

• Save $

• Save Big Money

• Serious cash

• Subject to cash

• They keep your Money — no refund!

• Unlimited

• Work at home

• Work from home

• You are a winner!

• You have been chosen

• You have been selected

• You will not believe your eyes

• Zero chance

• Zero per cent

• Zero risk

Words that make you sound too salesy

• Affordable

• Auto email removal

• Bargain

• Cheap

• Claims

• Claims not to be selling anything

• Claims to be in accordance with some spam law

• Claims to be legal

• Clearance

• Compare rates

• Confidential

• Confidentially on all orders

• Deal breaker

• Dig up dirt on friends

• Don't delete

• Don't hesitate

• Easy terms

• Explode your business

• Fast cash

• Free access

• Hidden assets

• Hidden charges

• Info you requested

• Information you requested

• Join millions

• Junk

• Loan approved

• Loans

• Mass email

• Never before

• New customers only

• No extra cost

• No hidden costs

• No interests

• No medical exams

• No middleman

• No risk

• No strings attached

• Not intended

• Not junk

• Not spam

• Open this email!

• Please read

• Priority mail

• Prize

• Profits

• Promise

• Pure profits

• Requires initial investment

• Risk-free

• Save big money

• Sent in compliance

• Special discount

• Special Promotion

• Strong buy

• This isn't a scam

• This isn't junk

• This isn't spam

• This won't last

• Undisclosed

• Undisclosed recipient

• We hate spam

• We honor all

Finance-related words

• Accept credit cards

• Additional income

• Avoid bankruptcy

• Beneficiary

• Billing

• Billing address

• BONUS

• Bonus credited

• Buying judgments

• Cash bonus

• Cashcashcash

• Cashless

• Check credited

• Consolidate debt

• Consolidate debt and credit

• Cost

• Credit

• Eliminate bad credit

• Eliminate debt

• Income from home

• Investment decision

• Low insurance premium

• Low mortgage rates

• Lower interest rate

• Lower monthly payment

• Lower rates

• Lower your mortgage rate

• Lowest insurance rates

• Million dollars

• Outstanding amount

• Outstanding values

• Pennies a day

• Stock Alert

• Stock disclaimer statement

• Stock pick

• Unsecured credit

• Unsecured debt

• Unsolicited

• XXX amount credited

• XXX$ credited

Others

• Be your own boss

• Brand new pager

• Casino

• Compete for your business

• Congratulations

• Credit card offers

• Home Employment

• Home-based business

• Legal

• Legal notice

• Marketing Solutions

• Meet singles

• Meet women

• Miracle

• Month trial offer

• Mortgage

• New domain extensions

• Obligation

• Order shipped by

• Order Status

• Orders shipped by the shopper

• Passwords

• Purchase

• Removal

• Removes wrinkles

• Reverses aging

• Rolex

• Round the world

• Score with babes

• Section 301

• Shopping spree

• Social security number

• Terms and conditions

• University diplomas

• Valium

• Viagra

• VIP

• What's keeping you?

Free spam words checker tools

Identifying and removing spam trigger words is crucial for boosting email deliverability. Several free online tools can help you analyze your email content and identify potential issues. Let's explore some of the most effective options available.

1. Mail Meteor spam checker

Mail Meteor spam checker tool gives your email content a score from poor to good, where poor means a high chance of landing in the spam folder and vice-versa. It also highlights sentences and words into five different categories - Urgency, Shady, Overpromise, Money, and Unnatural. This detailed breakdown helps you identify and fix any issues with your email copy.

2. Folderly spam checker

Folderly spam checker tool helps you identify spam words in your subject line and email copy. Based on that, it gives you a score out of 100, showing the chances of landing in the recipient's inbox.

3. Autoklose spam checker

Autoklose spam checker allows you to add your subject line and email copy in their online tool, and it will highlight all the spam trigger words. Besides that, it also offers tips for writing a good email.

Additional tips to stay out of the email spam folder

While avoiding spam trigger words is crucial, it's just one piece of the puzzle. Several other factors influence whether your email ends up in the inbox or the spam folder. Let's explore some additional tips you should follow to pass through spam filters.

1. Ensure your emails are authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

If your email passes through the email authentication protocols, the chances of getting to the recipient's inbox increase. These protocols signal internet service providers (ISP) that your emails are sent from a legitimate domain by an authenticated sender and don't have any spammy content.

Sender Policy Framework(SPF): SPF verifies that the sending mail server is authorized to send email on behalf of a domain.

DomainKeys Identified Mail(DKIM): DKIM provides a way to validate that an email message was sent by an authorized sender and hasn't been tampered with.

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance(DMARC): DMARC helps ensure that legitimate email is properly authenticated against SPF and DKIM, and provides instructions for handling messages that fail authentication checks.

Also, make sure that your emails are compliant with CAN-SPAM and GDPR.

2. Monitor your IP reputation

A low IP reputation can be triggered by factors such as spam complaints, blacklisting, and excessive email volume. A poor IP reputation can lead to emails being filtered as spam or blocked entirely. It's crucial to monitor your IP reputation closely to identify and address any issues promptly.

So, you must keep an eye on your IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster or MxToolBox.

3. Maintain a high domain reputation

A strong domain reputation means your emails are more likely to reach the inbox. Think of it like a good credit score. If your domain has a positive reputation, email providers are more likely to trust your emails and deliver them to your recipients. This leads to higher open rates and better overall email performance

To monitor your domain reputation, you can use the Google Postmaster tool and get insights into how your domain performs among Gmail users.

4. Practice email list hygiene

Email list building is crucial for reaching out to your subscribers, but cleaning it consistently to maintain a healthy email list is equally essential. A healthy or hygienic email list can be maintained by implementing double opt-ins, always asking for consent, and prioritizing unsubscription requests. Besides, you should also suppress inactive and unengaged users by implementing a sunset policy to avoid sending them emails despite their disengagement.

5. Make your emails engaging and relevant

Besides the technicalities, if your emails are irrelevant to the recipient, they will either unsubscribe or stop interacting. This leads to lower open and click rates, signalling to ISPs that you might be sending irrelevant emails. So, put yourself in your audience’s shoes, study their pain points and behaviour, and use that data to create emails that add value.

Another unique way of engaging your recipients is with interactive emails. You can use an ESP like Mailmodo to create and send AMP-powered interactive emails that allow you to embed elements like games, forms and carousels within your email.

Final takeaway

It’s a horrible feeling to see all your time, effort, and resources getting hit by the spam train just because you weren’t aware of the words that might trigger the spam filters. By understanding and avoiding spam trigger words, you're taking a significant step towards boosting your email deliverability and ensuring your messages land in the inbox, not the spam folder.

Remember, email is a powerful tool for building relationships and driving conversions; don't let spam filters get in the way.