Spam trigger words are phrases that trigger the wrong emotions such as sense of fear, urgency, loss, psychological manipulation etc.

Will the usage of a simple English word trigger a spam filter? No.

It all depends on the context.

Genuine usage of the word like ‘free’ is ultimately fine. But, repeating the same and combining it with other words like 'free bank account' or 'free housing' might trigger spam filters and prevent your email from going into the inbox.

You basically don't’ have to be:
Needy: Don’t sound desperate with words like ‘Help’,’Distress’
Manipulative: Don’t create false urgency with words like ‘Urgent’,’Don’t delete’
Sleazy: Never use words like hot babes, adult
Cheap: Stay away from Free, 100% off, Full Discount
Far-fetched: Avoid words like ‘free money’,’lose weight’,’billions’

As an example, these are images from the spam boxes of our team members. Do you see the patterns of spam here?

Without further ado, let’s look at the list of trigger words that are routinely scanned out by spam filters. To help you much better, we have categorized this exhaustive list into different categories based on the industry they are used in.

Sales & Marketing

While sales and marketing are integral for any business, avoid being aggressive. A customer has opted in for your newsletter to receive an enticing content matching his/her needs. Do not thrust your offer on them, avoid farfetched claims like the ones listed below.

  1. % Satisfied

  2. %

  3. off

  4. Acceptance

  5. Accordingly

  6. Act

  7. Now

  8. Affordable

  9. All

  10. New

  11. As

  12. seen on

  13. Auto email removal

  14. Avoid

  15. Bargain

  16. Be amazed

  17. Bonus

  18. Brand new pager

  19. Bulk email

  20. Buy

  21. Buy direct

  22. Buying judgments

  23. Cable converter

  24. Call

  25. Call free

  26. Call now

  27. Can’t live without

  28. Cancel at any time

  29. Casino

  30. Celebrity

  31. Chance

  32. Claims not to be selling anything

  33. Clearance

  34. Click

  35. Click below

  36. Click here

  37. Click to remove

  38. Compare

  39. Compare

  40. Compare rates

  41. Compete for your business

  42. Copy accurately

  43. Copy DVDs

  44. Deal

  45. Direct email

  46. Direct marketing

  47. Do it today

  48. Don’t delete

  49. Don’t hesitate!

  50. Dormant

  51. Email harvest

  52. Email marketing

  53. Explode your business

  54. F r e e

  55. Fantastic deal

  56. For just $(insert whatever amount)

  57. For Only

  58. Form

  59. Free

  60. Free consultation

  61. Free DVD

  62. Free hosting

  63. Freedom

  64. Get

  65. Get it away

  66. Get it now

  67. Gift certificate

  68. Give it away

  69. Guarantee

  70. Guaranteed

  71. Have you been turned down?

  72. Have you been turned down?

  73. Here

  74. Hidden

  75. Home

  76. Increase sales

  77. Increase traffic

  78. Increase your sales

  79. Incredible deal

  80. Internet market

  81. Internet marketing

  82. It’s effective

  83. Join millions

  84. Join millions of Americans

  85. Laser printer

  86. Leave

  87. Lifetime

  88. limited time

  89. Limited time offer

  90. Long distance phone offer

  91. Lose

  92. Luxury car

  93. Mail in order form

  94. Maintained

  95. Marketing

  96. Marketing solutions

  97. Mass email

  98. Medium

  99. Member

  100. Miracle

  101. Month trial offer

  102. More Internet Traffic

  103. Multi level marketing

  104. Never

  105. New domain extensions

  106. No age restrictions

  107. No cost

  108. No disappointment

  109. No gimmick

  110. No inventory

  111. No middleman

  112. No obligation

  113. No purchase necessary

  114. No questions asked

  115. No selling

  116. No strings attached

  117. No-obligation

  118. Notspam

  119. Now

  120. Now only

  121. One hundred percent free

  122. One hundred percent guaranteed

  123. One time mailing

  124. Online marketing

  125. Open

  126. Opportunity

  127. Opt in

  128. Order

  129. Order now

  130. Order shipped by

  131. Passwords

  132. Performance

  133. Print form signature

  134. Print out and fax

  135. Priority mail

  136. Prize

  137. Prizes

  138. Problem

  139. Produced and sent out

  140. Promise you

  141. Quote

  142. Quotes

  143. Removal instructions

  144. Remove

  145. Reserves the right

  146. Reverses

  147. Rolex

  148. Sale

  149. Sales

  150. Sample

  151. Satisfaction

  152. Save $

  153. Save big money

  154. Search engine listings

  155. Search engines

  156. See for yourself

  157. Serious only

  158. Shopping spree

  159. Sign up free today

  160. Solution

  161. Stainless steel

  162. Stop

  163. Strong buy

  164. Stuff on sale

  165. Subscribe

  166. Success

  167. Teen

  168. The best rates

  169. The following form

  170. They’re just giving it away

  171. This isn’t a scam

  172. This isn't junk

  173. This isn't spam

  174. This won’t last

  175. Undisclosed recipient

  176. Unlimited

  177. Unsolicited

  178. Unsubscribe

  179. Urgent

  180. Vacation

  181. Vacation offers

  182. Visit our website

  183. Warranty

  184. We hate spam

  185. We honor all

  186. Web traffic

  187. Weekend getaway

  188. While supplies last

  189. While you sleep

  190. Who really wins?

  191. Will not believe your eyes

  192. Win

  193. Winner

  194. Winning

  195. Won

  196. You are a winner!

  197. You have been selected

  198. % free

  199. Accept credit cards

  200. Access

  201. Ad

  202. Amazing

  203. Auto email removal

  204. Being a member

  205. Best price

  206. Billing address

  207. Bulk email

  208. Cancel at any time

  209. Cannot be combined with any other offer

  210. Cards accepted

  211. Dear [email/friend/somebody]

  212. Dig up dirt on friends

  213. Direct email

  214. Direct marketing

  215. Email harvest

  216. Email marketing

  217. Free gift

  218. Free leads

  219. Free preview

  220. Free sample

  221. Free trial

  222. Full refund

  223. Get started now

  224. Gift certificate

  225. Give it away

  226. Great offer

  227. If only it were that easy

  228. Important information regarding

  229. Increase traffic

  230. Info you requested

  231. Information you requested

  232. Internet market

  233. Internet marketing

  234. Maintained

  235. Marketing

  236. Marketing solutions

  237. Mass email

  238. Member

  239. Member stuff

  240. Message contains

  241. Message contains disclaimer

  242. MLM

  243. Multi level marketing

  244. Multi-level marketing

  245. Name brand

  246. No catch

  247. No disappointment

  248. No hidden

  249. Not intended

  250. Obligation

  251. Offer

  252. Online marketing

  253. Order status

  254. Please read

  255. Safeguard notice

  256. Satisfaction

  257. Satisfaction guaranteed

  258. Search engine listings

  259. Search engines

  260. Sent in compliance

  261. Solution

  262. Special promotion

  263. Supplies are limited

  264. Talks about hidden charges

  265. Tells you it’s an ad

  266. Terms and conditions

  267. The following form

  268. This isn’t junk

  269. This isn’t spam

  270. Trial

  271. We hate spam

  272. Web traffic

  273. Weekend getaway

  274. As seen on

  275. Bargain

  276. Be amazed

  277. Bonus

  278. Buy direct

  279. Buying judgments

  280. Call

  281. Call free

  282. Can’t live without

  283. Cheap

  284. Claims not to be selling anything

  285. Clearance

  286. Click to remove

  287. Collect

  288. Compare rates

  289. Compete for your business

  290. Deal

  291. Don’t hesitate!

  292. Explode your business

  293. F r e e

  294. Fantastic deal

  295. For just $(insert whatever amount)

  296. For Only

  297. Free DVD

  298. Free hosting

  299. Get it now

  300. Guarantee

  301. Guaranteed

  302. Have you been turned down?

  303. Increase sales

  304. Increase your sales

  305. Incredible deal

  306. It’s effective

  307. Join millions

  308. Join millions of Americans

  309. Lifetime

  310. limited time

  311. Limited time offer

  312. Long distance phone offer

  313. Mail in order form

  314. Money back

  315. New domain extensions

  316. No cost

  317. No gimmick

  318. No inventory

  319. No middleman

  320. No obligation

  321. No questions asked

  322. No selling

  323. No strings attached

  324. No-obligation

  325. Now

  326. Now only

  327. One hundred percent free

  328. One hundred percent guaranteed

  329. Opportunity

  330. Order shipped by

  331. Problem

  332. Promise you

  333. Quote

  334. Quotes

  335. Sale

  336. Sales

  337. Save $

  338. Save big money

  339. See for yourself

  340. Serious only

  341. Sign up free today

  342. Strong buy

  343. Stuff on sale

  344. Success

  345. The best rates

  346. They’re just giving it away

  347. This isn’t a scam

  348. This won’t last

  349. Unlimited

  350. Urgent

  351. Warranty

  352. We honor all

  353. While supplies last

  354. While you sleep

  355. Will not believe your eyes

Financial

“Hidden” assets

$$$

Additional income

Apply Online

Avoid bankruptcy

Be your own boss

Beneficiary

Big bucks

Billion

Billion dollars

Calling creditors

Cash

Cash bonus

Casino

Cents on the dollar

Check

Check or money order

Collect child support

Consolidate debt and credit

Consolidate your debt

Cost

Costs

Credit

Credit bureaus

Credit card offers

Discount

Double your

Double your income

Earn

Earn $

Earn extra cash

Earn per week

Easy terms

Eliminate bad credit

Eliminate debt

Expect to earn

Extra income

Fast cash

Financial freedom

Financially independent

For free

For just $xxx

Free grant money

Free investment

Free money

Get out of debt

Get paid

Hidden assets

Hidden charges

Home based

Home employment

Home Based business

Income

Income from home

Investment

Investment decision

Leave

Loans

Lower interest rate

Lower interest rates

Lower monthly payment

Lower your mortgage rate

Lowest insurance rates

Make $

Make money

Million

Million dollars

Money

Money making

Mortgage

Mortgage rates

Nigerian

No credit check

No fees

No investment

Off shore

One time

Online biz opportunity

Only $

Pennies a day

Potential earnings

Pre-approved

Price

Prices

Print form signature

Profits

Pure Profits

Refinance

Refinance home

Refinanced home

Risk free

Save up to

Serious cash

Social security number

Stock alert

Stock disclaimer statement

Stock pick

Subject to cash

Subject to credit

They keep your money – no refund

Thousands

Unsecured credit

Unsecured credit/debt

Unsecured debt

US dollars

Why pay more?

Winner

Winning

Work at home

Work from home

Your income

Medical

CURES BALDNESS

DIAGNOSTICS

FAST

VIAGRA DELIVERY

Human

growth hormone

Life

Insurance Lose weight

Lose

weight spam

Medicine

No medical exams

Online pharmacy

Removes wrinkles

Reverses aging

Stop

snoring

Valium Viagra

Vicodin

Weight loss

Xanax

Ecommerce

AS SEEN ON

BUY

BUY DIRECT

Buying judgments

Clearance

Confidentially on all orders

Order

Order status

Order today

Orders shipped by

Orders shipped by

Outstanding values

Sample

shopper

Wants credit card

What are you waiting for?

Legal

Claims

Claims to be in accordance with some spam law

Claims to be legal

Email filters, therefore, usually have a comprehensive list of words commonly used in spam emails. Using these spammy words can increase the chances of your mail being listed as spam. If spamming is still your marketing mantra, next time you are writing a subject line, find an alternative vocabulary to push your emails.

Fixing your subject lines is just the tip of the iceberg when you are avoiding the spam box. There are many other details you should take care of when trying to improve deliverability. For example....

Use correct spelling and grammar. Take time to edit and proofread. You can use services like Grammarly to help you with that.

Link only to genuine sites with reputable domains. Avoid shortening your links when you link.

Make it easy to unsubscribe. If your unsubscribe button is hidden or not present, readers are going to mark your emails spam.

Having email authentication systems in place is an essential step in building trust between you and mailbox providers. Messages that pass authentication checks have much more chances to be delivered to the Inbox.