Spam Words to Avoid to Stay Out of the Junk Folder

Few things are as frustrating for an email marketer as crafting the perfect message, hitting "send," and then discovering it landed in the spam folder. It’s a digital graveyard where great content and promising offers go unseen. Nearly one in five emails meet this unfortunate fate, often because they trip the wires of increasingly sophisticated spam filters.

These filters are the gatekeepers of the inbox, and they have a long list of criteria for flagging suspicious content. They scan for sketchy links, overuse of capital letters, and broken HTML. Most importantly, they hunt for specific keywords and phrases—known as spam trigger words—that are commonly associated with deceptive or low-value emails. Understanding and avoiding these words is a critical first step toward improving your email deliverability.

This post will explore why certain words trigger spam filters and provide a high-level overview of the types of phrases to be cautious of. We’ll also direct you to an exhaustive resource that lists these words in detail. By the end, you'll have a clearer understanding of how to write email copy that not only engages your audience but also successfully navigates the digital gatekeepers and lands squarely in the inbox.

Spam trigger words are specific keywords or phrases that email service providers (like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo) view as red flags. These words are frequently found in unsolicited, fraudulent, or low-quality emails that users have historically marked as spam. Think of phrases that sound too good to be true: "100% free," "risk-free," or "make money fast." Spam filters have learned to associate this language with scams and gimmicks.

However, modern spam filters are much more intelligent than they used to be. They don't operate on a simple checklist, automatically flagging every email that contains the word "free" or "deal." Instead, they analyze the context in which these words appear. An email stuffed with multiple trigger words, written in all caps, and using bright, flashy fonts is far more likely to be flagged than a well-crafted message that uses a phrase like "limited time" in a reasonable context.

The key is balance. Spam filters consider a variety of factors, including your sender reputation, the engagement rates of your previous emails, and the overall quality of your content. Using one or two trigger words responsibly won't doom your campaign. But relying heavily on them, especially in combination with other spam-like characteristics, significantly increases your risk of ending up in the junk folder.

To truly master the art of avoiding the spam folder, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the words and phrases that can get you into trouble. While we could list them all here, our friends at ActiveCampaign have already compiled an incredibly thorough and well-organized list that serves as an invaluable resource for any email marketer.

Their article, 188 Spam Words to Avoid: How to Stay Out of Email Spam Folders, is a must-read. It breaks down spam trigger words into logical categories, making it easy to understand the types of language that raise red flags. We highly recommend you bookmark this page and refer to it whenever you're crafting a new email campaign.

The list covers several key areas of concern for spam filters. Let's take a look at the main categories identified in their post.

This is perhaps the most common category of spam trigger words. These are phrases that promise incredible results with little to no effort, often playing on desires for financial gain or quick fixes. Spam filters are highly suspicious of emails that sound like get-rich-quick schemes or miraculous solutions.

Examples from ActiveCampaign's list include:

These phrases are often associated with misleading offers. While you may genuinely have a fantastic product, using this kind of language can make your email look deceptive to both spam filters and your subscribers.

Marketers love to create a sense of urgency to drive action, but there’s a fine line between effective motivation and high-pressure sales tactics. Spam filters are wary of phrases that aggressively push recipients to act immediately, as this is a common tactic in phishing scams.

Examples include:

Again, context is crucial. A single "Order now" button is standard practice. But an email peppered with "Act now!" and "This won’t last!" will likely trigger alarms.

This category includes words that are directly linked to unethical or illegal activities, as well as phrases that try to preemptively defend the email's legitimacy (which, ironically, makes it look more suspicious).

Examples from the list include:

If you have to tell someone your email isn't spam, it probably looks like spam. Similarly, using generic greetings like "Dear friend" is a classic sign of an unsolicited mass email.

The final category covers a broad range of terms that are either overly salesy, too generic, or sound like dense legal text. While many of these words can be used legitimately, they contribute to the overall "spam score" of an email when used excessively.

Examples include:

The ActiveCampaign article provides a much more extensive list of 188 words and phrases. We strongly encourage you to review it in full to get a complete picture of what to avoid.

Avoiding trigger words is a great start, but it's only one piece of the email deliverability puzzle. To ensure your messages consistently reach the inbox, you need a holistic approach that focuses on building trust with both subscribers and email providers. Here are some essential best practices, many of which are also highlighted in the ActiveCampaign article.

A clean email list is a healthy email list. Regularly remove inactive subscribers—those who haven't opened or clicked your emails in several months. High numbers of unengaged contacts lower your overall open rates, which damages your sender reputation. A poor sender reputation is a major factor that causes email providers to filter your messages as spam.

A double opt-in process requires new subscribers to confirm their email address by clicking a link in a verification email. This ensures that you're only sending emails to people who genuinely want to hear from you and that the email addresses on your list are valid. This simple step can significantly reduce your bounce rate and improve deliverability.

Generic email blasts are a thing of the past. Use segmentation and dynamic content to tailor your messages to different audience segments. Personalized emails are far more engaging, leading to higher open and click-through rates. As noted in the ActiveCampaign article, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. This increased engagement signals to email providers that your content is valuable, which boosts your sender reputation.

The CAN-SPAM Act in the United States sets the rules for commercial email. Key requirements include not using misleading subject lines, providing a physical mailing address, and offering a clear and simple way for subscribers to opt out of future emails. Failing to comply can result in hefty fines and will almost certainly get your emails blacklisted.

Ultimately, the best way to stay out of the spam folder is to send emails that people want to read. Focus on providing genuine value. Write compelling subject lines that accurately reflect the content of your email. Craft messages that are helpful, informative, or entertaining. When your subscribers consistently open and interact with your emails, you build a strong sender reputation that spam filters will recognize and reward.

Avoiding the spam folder is about more than just dodging a list of "bad" words. It’s about building a foundation of trust and providing consistent value to your audience. By understanding what spam filters look for and combining that knowledge with best practices in list management and content creation, you can significantly improve your email deliverability.

Start by reviewing the comprehensive list of 188 spam words from ActiveCampaign. Use it as a guide to refine your copywriting, but remember that context is everything. From there, focus on building a healthy, engaged email list and crafting campaigns that your subscribers will look forward to receiving. This approach will not only keep you out of the junk folder but will also lead to stronger relationships with your customers and better results for your business.