Has your marketing email ever been delivered to the junk folder? While sender reputation is the most common and likely cause, spam keywords are another factor in the equation that can trigger a spam filter to block or junk your email. Spam filters will check for specific keywords like “free” or “no credit check” both in the subject and body of your email and calculate a score based on the severity and combination of words used. The context of spam keywords can increase their weight in the equation as well. For example, use of the words “all” or “new” may not have any impact, but combine them into the phrase “all new” and it may add to the likelihood that your email will be flagged as spam.
The list of keywords that get flagged is always being updated and can vary from one inbox provider to the next. Before the dawn of the ubiquitous Nigerian Prince Scam, the word “Nigerian” was probably fine. Now it’s a highly weighted spam keyword. Words get flagged because they are correlated with spam, but the words themselves are not really the target – spam filters aim to flag spam-like behavior and ultimately identify unwanted email. For example, starting an email with “Dear {Firstname}” would be an unusually formal introduction for a marketing email if the recipient had actually provided explicit permission, and likely indicates the lack of an existing relationship between the sender and the recipient. To this end, keywords from the latest scam, certain industries, and “clever sales tactics” will eventually become flagged when they are associated with unwanted email.
Addressing the Root Cause
As you examine your own templates, don’t just avoid the spam keywords, be sure to avoid the underlying behavior as well. The goal is not just to make sure your emails don’t appear to be spam, but to make sure they are not spam, in any way, shape, or form. Scams and spam tend to be overly persuasive because there’s no real value underpinning their offering, so you can differentiate yourself from the textbook profile of spam by engaging in industry standard best practices and focusing on providing valuable information about your product or service.
Suppose you ran a completely legitimate Nigerian lottery, marketing it via email would always be an uphill battle. If your industry uses keywords commonly associated with spam, you should try to limit their use in email. Knowingly using spam keywords comes with inherent risk, so you’ll also need to make sure your other reputation factors are squeaky clean, as you’ll effectively be afforded less leeway by spam filters.
Below is an example list of spam keywords for reference. If these words appear in abundance in your templates, be sure to remove not only the keywords but also consider why these words or phrases are in your template to begin with.
Spam Keywords
#1 | Eliminate debt | Marketing | Removal instructions |
$$$ | Email harvest | Marketing solutions | Removes wrinkles |
100% | Email marketing | Mass email | Request |
100% free | Exclusive deal | Medicine | Requires initial investment |
100% Satisfied | Expect to earn | Medium | Reserves the right |
4U | Expire | Meet singles | Reverses aging |
50% off | Explode your business | Member | Risk free |
Accept credit cards | Extra | Member stuff | Rolex |
Acceptance | Extra cash | Message contains disclaimer | Round the world |
Access | Extra income | Million | S 1618 |
Accordingly | F r e e | Million dollars | Safeguard notice |
Act Now! | Fantastic | Miracle | Sale |
Action | Fantastic deal | MLM | Sales |
Ad | Fast cash | Money | Sample |
Additional income | Financial freedom | Money back | Satisfaction |
Addresses on CD | Financially independent | Money making | Satisfaction guaranteed |
Affordable | For free | Month trial offer | Save |
All natural | For instant access | More Internet Traffic | Save $ |
All natural/new | For just $xxx | Mortgage | Save big money |
All new | For Only | Mortgage rates | Save up to |
Amazed | For you | Multi-level marketing | Score |
Amazing | Form | Name brand | Search engine listings |
Apply now | Free | Never | Search engines |
Apply Online | Free access | New customers only | Section 301 |
As seen on | Free cell phone | New domain extensions | See for yourself |
Auto email removal | Free consultation | Nigerian | Sent in compliance |
Avoid | Free DVD | No age restrictions | Serious |
Avoid bankruptcy | Free gift | No catch | Serious cash |
Bargain | Free grant money | No claim forms | Serious only |
Be amazed | Free hosting | No cost | Shopper |
Be your own boss | Free info | No credit check | Shopping spree |
Being a member | Free installation | No credit check/experience | Sign up free today |
Beneficiary | Free Instant | No disappointment | Social security number |
Best price | Free investment | No experience | Solution |
Beverage | Free leads | No fees | Spam |
Big bucks | Free membership | No gimmick | Special promotion |
Bill 1618 | Free money | No hidden | Stainless steel |
Billing | Free offer | No hidden Costs | Stock alert |
Billion | Free preview | No interests | Stock disclaimer statement |
Bonus | Free priority mail | No inventory | Stock pick |
Boss | Free quote | No investment | Stop |
Brand new pager | Free sample | No medical exams | Stop snoring |
Bulk email | Free trial | No middleman | Strong buy |
Buy | Free website | No obligation | Stuff on sale |
Buy direct | Freedom | No purchase necessary | Subject to cash |
Buying judgments | Friend | No questions asked | Subject to credit |
Cable converter | Full refund | No selling | Subscribe |
Call | Get it now | No strings attached | Success |
Call free | Get out of debt | Not intended | Supplies |
Call now | Get paid | Not junk | Supplies are limited |
Calling creditors | Get started now | Not spam | Take action |
Can’t live without | Gift certificate | Notspam | Take action now |
Cancel | Give it away | Now | Talks about hidden charges |
Cancel at any time | Giving away | Now only | Talks about prizes |
Cannot be combined with any other offer | Great | Obligation | Teen |
Cards accepted | Great offer | Offer | Terms |
Cash | Guarantee | Offer expires | Terms and conditions |
Cash bonus | Guaranteed | Offshore | The best rates |
Casino | Have you been turned down? | Once in lifetime | The following form |
Celebrity | Hello | One hundred percent free | They’re just giving it away |
Cents on the dollar | Hidden | One hundred percent guaranteed | This isn’t a scam |
Certified | Hidden assets | One time | This isn’t junk |
Chance | Hidden charges | One time mailing | This isn’t spam |
Cheap | Home based business | Online biz opportunity | This won’t last |
Check | Home employment | Online degree | Thousands |
Check or money order | Homebased business | Online marketing | Time limited |
Claims | Human growth hormone | Online pharmacy | Traffic |
Clearance | If only it were that easy | Only | Trial |
Click | Important information regarding | Only $ | Undisclosed recipient |
Click below | In accordance with laws | Open | University diplomas |
Click here | Income | Opportunity | Unlimited |
Click to remove | Income from home | Opt in | Unsecured credit |
Collect | Increase sales | Order now | Unsecured debt |
Collect child support | Increase traffic | Order shipped by | Unsolicited |
Compare rates | Increase your sales | Order status | Unsubscribe |
Compete for your business | Incredible deal | Order today | Urgent |
Confidentially on all orders | Info you requested | Orders shipped by | US dollars |
Congratulations | Information you requested | Outstanding values | Vacation |
Consolidate your debt | Instant | Passwords | Vacation offers |
Copy accurately | Insurance | Pennies a day | Valium |
Copy DVDs | Internet marketing | Per day | Viagra |
Cost | Investment | Per week | Vicodin |
Costs | Investment decision | Performance | Visit our website |
Credit | It’s effective | Phone | Wants credit card |
Credit bureaus | Join millions of Americans | Please | Warranty |
Credit card offers | Junk | Please read | We hate spam |
Cures | Laser printer | Potential earnings | We honor all |
Cures baldness | Leave | Pre-approved | Web traffic |
Deal | Legal | Presently | Weekend getaway |
Dear | Life | Price | Weight |
Debt | Life Insurance | Print form signature | Weight loss |
Diagnostics | Lifetime | Print out and fax | What are you waiting for? |
Dig up dirt on friends | Limited | Priority mail | What’s keeping you? |
Direct email | Limited time offer | Prize | While supplies last |
Direct marketing | Limited time only | Prizes | While you sleep |
Discount | Loans | Problem | Who really wins? |
Do it today | Long distance phone offer | Produced and sent out | Why pay more? |
Don’t delete | Lose weight | Profits | Wife |
Don’t hesitate | Lower interest rates | Promise | Will not believe your eyes |
Dormant | Lower monthly payment | Promise you | Win |
Double your cash | Lower your mortgage rate | Purchase | Winner |
Double your income | Lowest insurance rates | Pure Profits | Winning |
Drastically reduced | Lowest Price | Quote | Won |
Earn | Luxury | Rates | Work at home |
Earn $ | Luxury car | Real thing | Work from home |
Earn extra cash | Mail in order form | Refinance | Xanax |
Earn per week | Maintained | Refinance home | You have been selected |
Easy terms | Make $ | Refund | You’re a Winner! |
Eliminate bad credit | Make money | Removal | Your income
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