What are spam trigger words and how do they impact email deliverability?

Summary

Spam trigger words are specific terms and phrases that spam filters use to identify potentially unwanted or harmful emails. Numerous email marketers, experts, and documentation sources emphasize that using these words excessively can significantly decrease email deliverability. Spam filters analyze email content, looking for these trigger words, and if too many are detected, the email is more likely to be flagged as spam. This prevents it from reaching the recipient's inbox and negatively impacts the sender's reputation. It's recommended to avoid overusing such terms, diversify language, and test email content before sending.

Key findings

  • Definition: Spam trigger words are terms that flag emails as potentially unwanted.
  • Impact: Excessive use of trigger words leads to emails being marked as spam, reducing deliverability.
  • Analysis: Spam filters analyze content for specific keywords and phrases.
  • No Definitive List: While no concrete list exists, some words are more likely to trigger filters.

Key considerations

  • Avoid Overuse: Avoid overusing trigger words to maintain good deliverability rates.
  • Diversify Language: Vary your language and phrasing to reduce the likelihood of triggering filters.
  • Test Content: Test email content before sending to identify and remove potential trigger words.
  • Spam Checker Tools: Employ spam checker tools to proactively identify and avoid trigger words.
  • Sender Reputation: Be aware of your sender reputation and how your email practices can affect it.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Spam trigger words are specific terms or phrases that email spam filters use to identify potentially unwanted or harmful emails. Email marketers and documentation sources confirm that the excessive use of these words can significantly lower email deliverability. Spam filters analyze email content for these trigger words, and if detected, the email is more likely to be flagged as spam, preventing it from reaching the recipient's inbox. Several sources recommend avoiding overuse and diversifying language to mitigate the risk of being flagged as spam.

Key opinions

  • Definition: Spam trigger words are terms that trigger spam filters, flagging emails as potentially harmful.
  • Impact on Deliverability: Overusing spam trigger words increases the likelihood of emails being marked as spam, thus reducing deliverability.
  • Filter Analysis: Spam filters scan email content for specific keywords and phrases associated with spam.

Key considerations

  • Language Diversification: Diversifying language and avoiding overuse of common spam phrases is recommended.
  • Spam Checker Tools: Using spam checker tools can help identify and avoid spam trigger words.
  • Content Testing: Testing email content before sending can help identify potential spam trigger words and improve deliverability.
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot explains that spam trigger words are words or phrases that spam filters are programmed to identify as signs of unsolicited or unwanted email. Using too many of these words can cause your email to be marked as spam, harming your deliverability rates.

August 2021 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that spam trigger words are terms that can flag your emails as spam. Spam filters are designed to look for these words, and when found, they can lower your deliverability rates. They recommend diversifying your language and avoiding overuse of common spam phrases.

November 2021 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor shares that spam trigger words are words or phrases that spam filters use to determine whether an email is spam. When these words are detected, your email may be marked as spam, affecting its deliverability. It's important to avoid overusing such terms.

August 2021 - Campaign Monitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that deliverability is significantly affected by the content of your email. Spam filters analyze the text for certain keywords that are commonly found in spam emails. These 'spam trigger words' act as red flags and can cause your email to be marked as spam, preventing it from reaching the intended recipient.

February 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that spam trigger words are terms that spam filters flag as potentially harmful or unwanted. Using these words can increase the likelihood of your email being marked as spam, negatively impacting deliverability.

November 2022 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares a link to spamtriggerwords.com, a website he created with a list of trigger words that can cause emails to go into spam folders or prevent them from being sent. He also added sources to information on trigger words on the top right of the page.

February 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus explains that spam trigger words are terms that email providers and spam filters use to identify potential spam emails. The presence of these words can increase the likelihood of an email being classified as spam, which hurts deliverability. They suggest testing email content before sending to avoid using these words unknowingly.

April 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that spam trigger words are terms commonly associated with spam emails. Overusing these words can trigger spam filters, reducing your sender reputation and deliverability. They suggest avoiding excessive use of words like 'free,' 'guarantee,' and all caps.

July 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that spam filters are designed to identify and filter out unsolicited or unwanted emails, often by scanning for certain keywords or phrases commonly associated with spam. If your email contains too many of these 'trigger words,' it's more likely to be flagged as spam and not reach the recipient's inbox, thus impacting deliverability.

November 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that spam trigger words are terms that can cause email service providers to mark your messages as spam. These words, when detected, can significantly decrease your email deliverability rates. They recommend using a spam checker tool to identify and avoid these words.

December 2023 - ActiveCampaign

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts agree that spam filters analyze email content for specific words and phrases, impacting deliverability. While a definitive list of 'spam trigger words' may not exist, certain terms are more likely to trigger spam filters. Excessive use of these words increases the likelihood of an email being classified as spam, preventing it from reaching the intended recipient's inbox and reducing inbox placement.

Key opinions

  • Spam Filter Analysis: Spam filters analyze email content, including specific words and phrases.
  • Deliverability Impact: Certain words, used excessively, increase the chance of an email being classified as spam, hurting deliverability.
  • No Definitive List: There isn't a concrete list of spam trigger words, but some words are more likely to trigger filters.

Key considerations

  • Content Awareness: Be aware that your email content is scrutinized, so avoid excessive use of potentially problematic words.
  • Combined Factors: Spam classification can result from a combination of factors, not just single 'trigger words'.
  • Reduce Harmful messages: Filters are designed to identify and block potentially unwanted or harmful messages.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that spam filters work by analyzing various components of an email, including the content. Certain words and phrases, when used in excess or in combination with other suspicious elements, can increase the likelihood of an email being classified as spam. This directly affects deliverability by preventing emails from reaching the inbox.

April 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that he added Jay Oram's link to <https://www.spamresource.com/2022/11/take-your-spam-trigger-words-and-go-away.html>.

September 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that while there isn't a definitive list of spam trigger words, certain words and phrases are more likely to trigger spam filters. Using these words excessively can negatively impact email deliverability because filters are designed to identify and block potentially unwanted or harmful messages. The impact is reduced inbox placement, meaning fewer recipients see your message.

November 2021 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Documentation consistently highlights that spam filters analyze email content for specific words and phrases, assessing their likelihood of being associated with spam. The presence of these 'spam trigger words' contributes to a higher spam score or classification, resulting in deliverability issues, reduced sender reputation, and potential filtering of messages away from the recipient's inbox. Caution regarding language used in emails is advised to avoid being flagged as spam.

Key findings

  • Content Analysis: Spam filters examine email content, including specific words and phrases.
  • Higher Spam Score: The presence of spam trigger words can increase an email's spam score.
  • Deliverability Impact: The use of trigger words results in deliverability issues, hindering messages from reaching inboxes.

Key considerations

  • Language Caution: Exercise caution in the language used in emails to avoid being flagged as spam.
  • Sender Reputation: Be mindful of how your language impacts your sender reputation, particularly with major providers like Gmail.
  • Deceptive Language: Avoid deceptive or misleading language, as this can negatively affect your deliverability.
Technical article

Documentation from Cisco states that email security systems, including spam filters, analyze email content for suspicious keywords and phrases. The use of these spam trigger words can lead to emails being classified as spam, reducing their deliverability. They advise being cautious about the language used in emails to ensure they are not flagged as spam.

December 2023 - Cisco
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that junk email filters evaluate various aspects of incoming messages, including the language used. Certain words and phrases are more frequently used in spam or junk email, and their presence can increase the likelihood of a message being classified as junk. This can impact whether your email reaches the recipient's inbox or is filtered out.

July 2021 - Microsoft Support
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools specifies that spam filters consider a variety of factors, including content, to identify spam. Using deceptive or misleading language, including spam trigger words, can negatively impact your sender reputation and deliverability to Gmail users.

January 2024 - Google Postmaster Tools
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that spam filters analyze email content, including the presence of specific words or phrases, to determine if an email is spam. The use of these words can contribute to a higher spam score, leading to deliverability issues.

June 2024 - Spamhaus