List of forbidden words in the subject of your emails

Our newsletter has been sent, but has it been received? During our prospecting email sequences, we want at all costs to prevent our message from being sent to a spam folder. To avoid this disappointment and optimize the opening rate of our emails, there is a solution: pay close attention to the words used in the subject of our email. Pay attention to this list of forbidden words in the subject of your emails.

A spam word or forbidden word is a word considered suspicious by email providers. If used in the subject line of an email, the email is more likely to end up in the junk or spam folder of the mailbox.

Wondering what words trigger spam filters? Here are the spam words that will cause your email to go straight to your customer’s spam folder.

Read also: Methods to Collect More Emails | The Unstoppable Techniques

The list of forbidden words in the subject of your emails

When it comes to email marketing, it’s important to be mindful of certain words that may trigger spam filters or negatively impact the deliverability and open rates of your emails. While the specific list of forbidden words can vary depending on email providers and spam filters, here are some commonly advised words to avoid in email subjects:

1 – Dating

Filters try to catch porn-related words, and this phrase raises a huge red flag.

2 – Work from home

Spammers know that working from home is in high demand during these tough economic times, making it one of the most common types of spam.

3 – Business Opportunity

Fake business opportunities are popular in spam, so it’s best not to use this phrase.

4 – Direct purchase

Commonly used to sell counterfeit products, this term should be avoided.

5 – Clearance or Promotion

Like “direct purchase” or the term “authorization”, it is used to sell fake goods.

6 – Pre-approved: Mortgage, credit cards, loans and others

Financial spam is all too common and filters are sure to catch it.

7 – Hello

So simple, yet so common in spam subject lines but this is a forbidden word in an email subject line

8 – You’ve been selected

Spammers love trying to trick recipients into thinking they’ve won a prize or lottery. Don’t let your email land in the spam folder next to an email from Nigeria’s Cultural Attaché.

9 – Weight loss: Pharmaceutical spam is widespread

Leave that term out of your topics, even if you’re dying to talk about this life-changing diet.

10 – Time-limited

It’s hard to avoid time-sensitive keywords like “time-limited” because most marketers know that time-sensitivity can often spur action. Since spammers are likely to create this sense of urgency, it is best to avoid this specific verbiage altogether.

11 – Free

Avoid using the word “free” excessively or in a misleading way, as it can trigger spam filters. Example: “Get your free gift today!”

12 – Urgent

Using overly urgent language can come across as spammy. Example: “Urgent: Limited time offer you can’t miss!”

13 – Sale

Although mentioning sales is common in marketing, it’s best to avoid using the word excessively or in an overly promotional manner. Example: “Huge sale happening now! Don’t miss out!”

14 – Cash

The word “cash” can be associated with scams or dubious offers, so it’s advisable to use alternative terms. Example: “Earn quick cash with our new opportunity!”

15 – Guarantee

Making strong claims of guarantees may raise red flags for spam filters. Example: “Guaranteed results in just 24 hours!”

16 – Discount

While discounts are often used in email marketing, be cautious about using the term excessively or in a misleading way. Example: “Massive discounts on all products!”

17 –  Act Now

Using phrases that create a sense of urgency can be seen as spam-like behavior. Example: “Act now before it’s too late!”

18 – Limited Time

Similar to urgent language, mentioning limited time offers should be done judiciously to avoid sounding spammy. Example: “Limited time offer: Buy now before it’s gone!”

19 – Prize

Be cautious when using the word “prize” as it may trigger spam filters due to associations with contests or scams. Example: “Enter our contest and win amazing prizes!”

20 – Congratulations

While congratulating recipients can be genuine, it’s advisable to avoid excessive use of the word to prevent spam filters from flagging your emails. Example: “Congratulations! You’ve won a special gift!”

How to make email messages that have an impact on your target?

Spam words: why are these words prohibited in the subject line of emails?

As an entrepreneur or editor we are tempted to write very catchy titles. And who says attractive titles, says using words that appeal to Internet users. Most of the time, these spam words are part of the marketing or commercial lexical field: promotion, offer, sales, credit, percentage… But there are lots of other hooks, often used by unscrupulous spammers, followers of phishing (phishing).

Here is a list of forbidden words in the subject of your emails (non-exhaustive) according to their category:

Words to hook readers can be:

• with a sexual connotation: this is all the vocabulary related to charm, to meeting…
• intended to make you dream: the sender tells you that you have won a competition, for example, or an unbeatable offer. In general, avoid opening all emails whose subject refers to earning money or which mentions free, for free, gift…
• friendly: the person sending the email makes you believe that he knows you. He calls you familiar, uses your first name: it can be hello, salut, bonjour…
• frightening: the subject of the email will contain words that invite you to take urgent action: regularize your situation, last reminder before canceling your account…

Internet mail providers have implemented spam filters creating alerts when these terms are detected. The risk for the sender who abuses it? That his email is not read, because arrived in spam. He/she also risks that his emailing campaign will be interrupted by his emailing solution provider. He/she will then have to send these emails with another email address.

Tips: Check spam emails in your mailbox regularly. Remember to delete and report messages whose recipient and terms used seem questionable.

Methods to Collect More Emails | The Unstoppable Techniques

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