The competition for your email marketing audience grows tougher every day. And this is not just because more businesses are now running email campaigns. It\u2019s also because email marketing spam filters have become so advanced.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cloud HQ <\/a>reports that 48% of emails end up in spam. This can happen when common spam trigger words are spotted in your emails. These words are flagged because they are often associated with scams, deceptive marketing, and overly promotional content.\u00a0<\/p>\n When trigger words are flagged, your emails are more likely to be filtered into spam folders, which can cause deliverability and engagement rates to decline.<\/p>\n Read on to see some common spam words to avoid in your emails and stay out of spam folders.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before we get into the list of spam words, it\u2019s important to note that using certain words and phrases alone may not trigger email spam filters<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Typically, email filters have been trained to asses other factors like formatting, sender id, and context when determining what qualifies as spam. Still, these words can raise red flags, especially when overused.<\/p>\n That said, here\u2019s a list of over 100 spam words in various categories. Avoid, or at least use them carefully within your emails.<\/p>\n The first category of common spam words to avoid includes those that indicate exaggerated claims and promises. These words are found in emails that promise unrealistic benefits or use highly deceptive language.<\/p>\n Here are some exaggerated spam filter trigger words to avoid:<\/p>\n If you truly have something valuable to offer, there\u2019s no need to be deceptive. Be transparent with your customers and only make promises that your products can deliver.<\/p>\n Generic greetings indicate that the recipient may be getting a mass\/bulk email, which may not be credible. So, spam filters relegate your inbox placement when they spot such greetings.<\/p>\n Some examples include:<\/p>\n Typically, personalized emails perform better than generic ones. We\u2019ll show you in more detail how to personalize emails later.<\/p>\n Here, we have common words in spam emails that aim to exploit the recipient\u2019s desire for financial improvement or quick money. They\u2019re often used in scams or misleading promotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some monetary spammy phrases include:<\/p>\n Email spam trigger words in these categories play on urgency. Think of it as the wrong use of FOMO (fear of missing out) in email marketing. While some of these words can be used in proper email campaigns, doing that excessively can make your emails appear pushy and increase your spam score.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some examples:<\/p>\n If you must play the scarcity card, let it be genuine. And, don\u2019t use it too often, as email subscribers may eventually catch on, if the spam filters don\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also, consider phrasing the words differently; you can still get users interested in your offers without being excessive.<\/p>\n Stop worrying about spam trigger words ruining your email campaigns. GetResponse\u2019s built-in spam checker analyzes your emails before you send them, flagging potential issues and suggesting improvements. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Marketing or sales campaigns that indicate aggressive sales tactics can also be flagged by email spam filters, especially in subject lines.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of email subject line spam words to avoid.<\/p>\n With marketing emails, a better approach would be to educate and engage your audience with helpful content that would naturally lead to conversions. You should also avoid overly pushy CTAs by all means.<\/p>\n Emails related to health, weight loss, or medications are thoroughly scrutinized due to regulatory concerns. The words listed below are likely to trigger spam filters, especially when sent from suspicious domains:<\/p>\n Some tech-related terms, when used in emails, can read like phishing attempts, causing them to be triggered and dumped in the spam folder.\u00a0<\/p>\n Examples of such words include:<\/p>\n This category involves words or phrases that imply some form of secrecy, exclusivity, or confidential information. Mostly, such emails are used as bait by scammers or malicious parties, which is why they are marked as spam.<\/p>\n Examples include:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll mostly spot the next set of email marketing spam words in content that contains suspicious attachments or links. Such emails would normally play on fear or false urgency to get clicks. These links or attachments can deliver malicious content or redirect users to phishing sites.<\/p>\n Some suspicious email spam words include:<\/p>\n Other categories of spam filter triggers include words associated with sensitive or controversial topics like gambling, adult content, gaming, and various high-risk areas. These words are flagged because they are associated with restricted, unsolicited, or inappropriate content.\u00a0<\/p>\n Examples of controversial spam filter words to avoid include:\u00a0<\/p>\n If your business falls under these sensitive areas, consider using subtle and respectful language in your emails instead of explicit terms, which can easily be flagged.<\/p>\n Apart from marking trigger words, emails may be flagged as spam if the recipient did not subscribe. So, ensure you\u2019re only sending emails to those who have subscribed and inform them about the type of content to expect from you.<\/p>\n With that in mind, let\u2019s look at other ways to ensure good email deliverability.<\/p>\n Personalized emails can improve email open rates by 30.36%, according to our Email Marketing Benchmark report<\/a>. Higher open rates and increased email engagement reduce the chances of your emails ending up in spam. That\u2019s because email service providers will see that recipients are actually interested in your emails.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, when people hear about personalized emails, what mostly comes to mind is adding the recipient\u2019s name in the email. But there\u2019s more.\u00a0<\/p>\n Email personalization<\/a> also involves sending content that\u2019s more relevant to your audience, especially when the email contains information they need.<\/p>\n The key to proper personalization is segmenting your list. Split your subscribers into smaller, more specific groups based on shared attributes like preferences, interests, or demographics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Get details for segmenting your list by asking for relevant information in your sign-up form, like the above example. You can use your site\u2019s analytics to observe user behavior and interests over time.<\/p>\n Another helpful way to improve email deliverability is by using clear, natural subject lines<\/a>. The best subject lines are the ones that can get clicks without being forceful. So, you may want to tone it down with the promotional subject lines. Also, avoid using misleading subject lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n A better alternative to spam email subject lines is replacing buzzwords with something more specific. Simply tell the reader what your email is about. Just like this example by Loom:<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n A reader who sees the above subject line has enough information to decide whether they want to open the email or not. And this has been achieved without unnecessary sensationalization, which could trigger spam filters.\u00a0<\/p>\n GetResponse offers a built-in email subject line generator<\/a> that you can use to create effective subject lines for your campaigns.<\/p>\n According to Ascend2\u2019s survey<\/a> of 372 marketing professionals, 56% said they\u2019d adopt mobile-friendly designs in their email marketing efforts. This makes sense, considering most recipients will open emails on their mobile devices. And you don\u2019t want to frustrate those recipients with emails that don\u2019t look great on their gadgets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Remember, if recipients cannot read and engage with your emails because they\u2019re poorly designed, they\u2019ll stop opening them, and some may delete them. Reduced engagement signals to ISPs that users are not interested in your emails. That hurts both your sender reputation and deliverability.<\/p>\n Email builders like the GetResponse Email Creator<\/a> provide email templates that render well across all devices: phones, tablets, desktops, etc., and you don\u2019t need to write any code.\u00a0<\/p>\n That said, keep these practices in mind for a mobile-responsive email<\/a> design:<\/p>\n Finally, it\u2019ll be helpful to optimize the size of images and other visual elements so the email content can load better.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ensure your emails look perfect on every device with GetResponse\u2019s mobile-responsive email templates. Our drag-and-drop Email Creator automatically optimizes your campaigns for smartphones, tablets, and desktops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Spam filters monitor sending patterns, including how often you email recipients. A sudden increase in email volume or frequency, especially from a new IP or domain, can be flagged as suspicious behavior.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also, recipients overwhelmed by too many emails may become annoyed, leading them to ignore, delete, or mark your emails as spam. This increases spam complaints and hurts your deliverability. It also reduces engagement metrics like open and click rates, which are key signals email filters use to assess your reputation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Per our email benchmark analysis, about 46% of marketers sent one email per week and got better open and click-through rates. See the data below:<\/p>\n From the above, we can say that the optimal frequency is two newsletters per week if you want to maintain high open and click-through rates. You can send more if you have a large subscriber base and good engagement rates, but you must tread carefully.<\/p>\n If you want to send more frequent emails, let your audience know the exact number when they\u2019re signing up. That way, you\u2019ll set clear expectations, allowing your emails to be more welcome in your recipient\u2019s inbox.<\/p>\n Also, you may want to do some IP warm-up<\/a> before sending mass campaigns from a new domain.\u00a0<\/p>\n This typically means identifying and removing subscribers who have not opened or interacted with your emails in a long time. Thanks to your email analytics data, these contacts are easy to find.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, you should remove invalid email addresses, i.e., those with typos, syntax errors, or non-existent domains. These email addresses may cause hard bounces or permanent delivery failures. And if your emails keep getting bounced, it may give spam filters a hint that your content is spammy, even when it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n Lastly, remove generic addresses like info@ or sales@. These are usually shared accounts and may rarely or never be checked. Also, avoid purchased email lists because they often contain invalid or unengaged addresses and can increase spam risks.<\/p>\n Bonus tip<\/strong>: If you use GetResponse, we\u2019ll automatically remove subscribers who report your emails as spam.<\/p>\n Authenticating your email domain is another smart way to avoid spam filtering and optimize your email marketing efforts. For one, it gives you a good IP reputation, which signals email providers that you\u2019re a genuine and trusted sender.<\/p>\n There are three main email authentication methods:<\/p>\n To learn more, you can read our guide to email authentication<\/a>.<\/p>\n Making unsubscription easy might not be something you want to do because it seems like you\u2019re losing leads. But it\u2019s a lot better than having subscribers who don\u2019t read your emails, or worse, mark them as spam.<\/p>\n An unsubscribe button or link at the footer of your email is usually the way to go. Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n For double opt-in (DOI<\/a>), you\u2019ll send a confirmation email (like the one below) to new subscribers who fill out your sign-up form.\u00a0<\/p>\n With DOI, you\u2019re sure of the user\u2019s explicit consent. It\u2019s also an effective way to build an audience that wants to hear from you. Such recipients are less likely to block or report you as spam.\u00a0<\/p>\n CAN-SPAM guidelines<\/a> make sure your commercial emails comply with U.S. law and protect consumers from deceptive or unwanted emails.\u00a0<\/p>\n Apart from hurting your sender reputation, non-compliance with CAN-SPAM guidelines can lead to hefty fines of over $46,000 per violation.<\/p>\n Some recommendations of these guidelines include:<\/p>\n Following CAN-SPAM guidelines not only keeps you compliant with U.S. law but can also build trust with your audience, reduce spam complaints, and improve your email deliverability<\/a>.<\/p>\n Using links carefully in your emails is vital for both user experience and avoiding spam filters.\u00a0<\/p>\n When adding links in your emails, you should:<\/p>\n Use clear, descriptive anchor text, <\/strong>not vague phrases like \u201cclick here.\u201d Stick to concise, meaningful text that tells recipients exactly what they\u2019ll get by clicking. In the example below, the hyperlinked text \u201cLink your Battle.net account\u2026\u201d is pretty specific, although it\u2019s a long one.<\/p>\nEmail spam trigger word categories<\/h2>\n
Exaggerated claims and promises<\/h3>\n
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Non-personalized greetings<\/h3>\n
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Monetary offers<\/h3>\n
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Unnecessary scarcity tactics<\/h3>\n
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\nAvoid spam filters with GetResponse<\/u>
\n<\/h3>\nMarketing and sales<\/h3>\n
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Health and pharmaceuticals<\/h3>\n
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Technology and security<\/h3>\n
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Confidential claims<\/h3>\n
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Suspicious attachments and links<\/h3>\n
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Controversial (Gambling, adult content, etc.)<\/h3>\n
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More tips to ensure good email deliverability (and avoid spam filters)<\/h2>\n
Personalize your emails<\/h3>\n
![\"Email](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/image.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\nKeep subject lines natural<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/06\/1358\/ad_4nxd6vxhokuda9y0avkd4d0z8tbjbgkafzg-muwhzqzwcuczcfiswj0b8mdq32qc5hloiemhxt6pd41kravd7fheohnpvnefyqhaoaclkrfydn1bon0kijkfdy9iuw6k-nwa7zlq1zg.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\nOptimize for mobile<\/h3>\n
![\"Mobile-responsive](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/MD7skuUL-image.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\n\n
\nCreate mobile-optimized emails with GetResponse<\/u>
\n<\/h3>\nDon\u2019t email too frequently<\/h3>\n
![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/image-1.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\nPractice good email list hygiene<\/h3>\n
Authenticate email domain<\/h3>\n
![\"Email](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/XNdNW0Q3-image.png?width=412)
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Include unsubscribe and double-opt-in features<\/h3>\n
![\"Email](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/3x4QIZIK-image.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\n![\"Double](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/image.jpeg?width=412)
<\/figure>\nFollow CAN-SPAM guidelines<\/h3>\n
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Use links carefully<\/h3>\n
![\"Email](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/3uPmp1Yr-image.png?width=412)
<\/figure>\n
![\"A\/B](\"https:\/\/us-wd.gr-cdn.com\/blog\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/0935\/dDj7nn85-image-1.png?width=412)
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