Subject Line Spam Trigger Words
Put this list of no-no’s next to your desk and check it often
Every email marketer should have a list of no-no’s next to their desk. While we’d argue that a subject line trigger word thrown in every once in a while won’t hurt your delivery rate (if you’re already in good with the delivery gods), you still need to be practical about finding good synonyms.
According to SiteSell.com, who make the free email marketing tool, SpamCheck, you’re not supposed to used obvious trigger words such as “free”, but using them in combination with other trigger words such as “trial”, “quote”, “sample”, “access” etc. can put your spam score through the roof.
In case you weren’t aware, the way spam filters work is that they assign ratings to your email newsletter. Using the word “free” in the subject line with an otherwise perfectly harmless email might slide you through to home plate if you have a good delivery record.
However, do it again the next day or combine that subject line with an ALL CAPS subject line and use a * to disguise another trigger word within your email, it’s off to the garbage can for you.
Download our Subject Line Trigger Words sheet or view the list below.
Spam Checking Tools:
http://spamcheck.sitesell.com/ameq.html
http://www.lyris.com/contentchecker
http://www.swiftpage.com/support/spamcheck.htm
THE WORST SPAM FILTER TRIGGERS
| $$$ 100% free Ad Affordable Amazing stuff Apply now Auto email removal Billion Cash bonus Cheap Collect child support Compare rates Compete for your business Credit Credit bureaus Dig up dirt on friends Double your income Earn $ Earn extra cash Eliminate debt Email marketing Explode your business Extra income F r e e Fast cash Financial freedom Financially independent Free Free gift Free grant money Free info Free installation Free investment Free leads Free membership Free offer Free preview |
Guarantee ‘Hidden’ assets Home based Homebased business Income from home Increase sales Increase traffic Increase your sales Incredible deal Info you requested Information you requested Internet market Leave Limited time offer Make $ Mortgage Rates Multi level marketing No investment Obligation Online marketing Opportunity Order Now Prices Promise you Refinance Remove Reverses aging Save $ Search engine listings Serious cash Stock disclaimer statement Stop snoring Thousands Unsubscribe Web traffic Weight loss |
THE NOT SO GREAT SPAM FILTER TRIGGERS
| 4U Accept credit cards Acceptance Accordingly Act now! Don’t hesitate! Additional income Addresses on CD All natural Amazing Apply Online As seen on Auto email removal Avoid bankruptcy Be amazed Be your own boss Being a member Beneficiary Beverage Big bucks Bill 1618 Billing address Billion dollars Brand new pager Bulk email Buy direct Buying judgments Cable converter Call free Call now Calling creditors Cancel at any time Cannot be combined with any other offer Can’t live without Cash bonus Cashcashcash Casino Cell phone cancer scam Cents on the dollar Certified Check or money order Click below Click here link Click to remove Click to remove mailto Compare rates Compete for your business Confidentially on all orders Congratulations Consolidate debt and credit Copy accurately Copy DVDs Credit bureaus Credit card offers Cures baldness Dainty Dear email Dear friend Dear somebody Diagnostics Different reply to Dig up dirt on friends Direct email |
Direct marketing Discusses search engine listings Do it today Don’t delete Dormant Drastically reduced Earn per week Easy terms Eliminate bad credit Email harvest Email marketing Expect to earn Fantastic deal Fast Viagra delivery Financial freedom Find out anything For free For instant access For just $ (some amt) Free access Free cell phone Free consultation Free DVD Free grant money Free hosting Free installation Free investment Free leads Free membership Free money Free offer Free preview Free priority mail Free quote Free sample Free trial Free website Full refund get it now Get paid Get started now Gift certificate Great offer Guarantee Have you been turned down? Hidden assets Home employment Human growth hormone If only it were that easy In accordance with laws Increase sales Increase traffic Insurance Investment decision It’s effective Join millions of Americans |
Laser printer Limited time only Long distance phone offer Lose weight spam Lower interest rates Lower monthly payment Lowest price Luxury car Mail in order form Maintained Marketing solutions Mass email Medium Meet singles Member stuff Message contains disclaimer MLM Money back Money making Month trial offer More Internet traffic Mortgage rates Multi level marketing Name brand New customers only New domain extensions Nigerian No age restrictions No catch No claim forms No cost No credit check No disappointment No experience No fees No gimmick No inventory No investment No medical exams No middleman No obligation No purchase necessary No questions asked No selling No strings attached Not intended Off shore Offer expires Offers coupon Offers extra cash Offers free (often stolen) passwords Once in lifetime One hundred percent free One hundred percent guaranteed One time mailing Online biz opportunity Online pharmacy Only $ |
Opportunity Opt in Order now Order status Orders shipped by priority mail Organization Outstanding values Paste Pennies a day Percent Perpetual Please read Potential earnings Presently Print form signature Print out and fax Produced and sent out Profits Promise you …! Pure profit Real thing Reciprocal Refinance home Removal instructions “Remove” Remove subject Removes wrinkles Reply remove subject Requires initial investment Reserves the right Reverses aging Risk free Round the world S 1618 Safeguard notice Satisfaction guaranteed Save $ Save big money Save up to Score with babes Section 301 Sincerely Somebody Special promotion Statements Stop snoring Urgent |
Sources: WilsonWeb.com, Andrea O’Neill, eProfitNews.com, MailChimp.com
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
You had me up to the SiteSell URL. That’s nothing more than a biz opp scam.
May 17th, 2009 at 6:33 am
[...] Campaign Monitor Blog. I also found some hints like ‘Tuesday’s works best‘ and ‘do not use free and $$$ in your subject‘ , but to be honest, I believe that at the end you have to make your own experience with your [...]
August 19th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
[...] writing are too detailed to go into here, but try to keep your messaging urgent, familial, free of spam words and 49 characters or [...]
November 13th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
January 21st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
[...] Lists of spam trigger words are easy to find, but here’s one we particularly liked because there are two lists, one for the worst offenders and one for the offenders that are slightly less offensive: http://www.mequoda.com/articles/subject-line-spam-trigger-words. [...]
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
I’m learning more everyday reading your blog. Thanks for all the hard work. I’m looking forward to more reading here!
January 27th, 2010 at 7:18 am
[...] your open rates. Try to personalize your subject lines a bit more and ensure you avoid using use key spam terms which include words such as “free”, “bonus” and “order now” . [...]
January 29th, 2010 at 12:26 am
I spent 4 hours reading your site. Thanks for the good information. I’ll be back!
January 29th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Hey, great blog!. How do I subscribe to ensure I get notifed when you make new posts? Thanks
February 5th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
[...] For a more comprehensive list of the worst and not-so-great offenders, click here. [...]
February 5th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Great blog. I find myself reading a lot here. Keep up the good work!
February 5th, 2010 at 7:05 pm
I am seaching for some idea to write in my blog
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
That
March 8th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
I’ve truly appreciated reading through this post – many thanks. I need to be cautious though due to the fact I’m SUPPOSED to be working and don’t wish my supervisor to realize I’m using the Internet for fun, in lieu of work. LOL