Spam Trigger Words and Phrases

Why this matters

Certain words and patterns in subject lines or body copy train spam filters to route your message to junk before it's ever read. Knowing the current trigger landscape lets you write compelling copy that still passes content filters.

Try it yourself

1. Run your last campaign's subject line through Mail-Tester (mail-tester.com) and record which words or patterns flagged as spammy.
2. Search your email body for the top 10 spam trigger words from a current spam word list — rewrite any sentences that use more than one in the same paragraph.
3. Send two near-identical test emails to a seed list — one with a flagged phrase in the subject and one without — and compare inbox placement rates.

References

• SpamAssassin Rules Overview