Does using words like Black Friday in the from address or subject line impact email deliverability or engagement?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit explains that it is more about the content than the terms and that if you have good content it is fine, but if it looks like advertising then it is more likely to go to spam.
Email marketer from GlockApps shares using well known from addresses or domain names will help with email deliverability as users recognise this and are more likely to engage with your emails increasing deliverability.
Email marketer from Marketo Nation explains that from address plays an important part in if users open your emails, and to avoid users just ignoring them without opening them. In that example they state to make them look more personal or direct rather than a generic name.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares examples where specific word combinations in the subject line caused emails to go to the spam folder due to algorithm updates.
Email marketer from Hubspot shares that 'spam trigger words' are terms or phrases that, when used in email subject lines or body copy, increase the likelihood of an email being flagged as spam. While the impact varies, overusing these can hurt deliverability.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains engagement is very important with email deliverability and that if people aren't opening your emails your likelihood of them ending up in spam increases.
Email marketer from Reddit explains if you use a fake name from your email address then users will be more likely to ignore them or mark them as spam as they feel less trustworthy. This negatively impacts the overall senders reputation.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that spam filters have become more sophisticated than the old trigger word lists. Now machine learning algorithms analyze various factors including content, sender reputation, and engagement, so using deceptive practices can impact deliverability.
Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that spam filters are complex algorithms that analyze various factors, including subject lines. While specific 'trigger words' might not guarantee a spam label, using phrases commonly associated with spam or scams can increase the likelihood of being filtered.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that while there's no definitive list of "spam trigger words," using overly aggressive or salesy language in subject lines can negatively impact deliverability. They recommend avoiding excessive capitalization, exclamation points, and phrases that promise unrealistic results.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester explains that using deceptive or misleading subject lines, as well as those that make unrealistic promises, can negatively impact your sender reputation and deliverability. Authenticity and relevance are key.
What the experts say8Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource recommends a clear subject line with no hard selling to avoid spam filters.
Expert from Email Geeks jokes that all email she's ever gotten with an emoji in the from address has been spam.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that most of the lists of trigger words come from folks reading the spam assassin code. They often used custom scoring and rule sets and the ‘trigger words’ were not accurate.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that engagement is about your audience and how they react to your mail. Use subject line testing, from name testing, and any element testing to refine and optimise.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that several senders they subscribe to have added "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday" to their Friendly from with zero impact on inbox placement.
Expert from Email Geeks says that trigger words are 99.9% old history and/or myth.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that it's not a specific "word on the bad list" that causes spam foldering, but a few words in the subject can sometimes affect spam placement, especially at Microsoft. It’s not a static list of words and it’s not as simple as one would wish it would be.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that Gmail may actually not be fond of emojis in from names and that it was causing intermittent but high % blocking for a client.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that using recognizable 'From' names and subject lines helps ensure your recipients know what to expect when they see your emails in their inboxes. Ensure your sender's reputation is good, and your content is tailored towards the target audience.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help shares guidelines for bulk email senders, stating that subject lines should be accurate, relevant, and not misleading. Deceptive subject lines can lead to emails being marked as spam.
Documentation from Microsoft Support advises email senders to avoid using excessive punctuation, symbols, or ALL CAPS in their subject lines, as this can trigger junk email filters. They also recommend avoiding misleading or deceptive subject lines.
Documentation from RFC states to be careful when marketing directly towards users as you do not want to be seen as spam, or untrusted. Follow best email marketing practices to avoid this.