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Deliverability
Decoding The Impact of Spam Words: What You Need to Know
lemlist team
December 21, 2023
|
7 min. read
lemlist team
LAST UPDATED
August 6, 2024
READING TIME
7 min.
Want to know the main barrier between your message and your audience?
Spam words!
Spam words are common words or phrases that are flagged by spam filters as ‘suspicious.’
They can:
Trigger email spam filters.
Lower your search rankings.
Ruin your social media reach.
Decrease trust on your recipient’s side.
How Spam Words Affect You
Here are the ways spam words can affect you and your business:
Email Filters: When you use them in your emails, they can trigger spam filters - decreasing your open rates & harming overall email deliverability.
Search Engine Rankings: If your website heavily uses spam words, search engines might tag it as low-quality content. This can drop your site's ranking, hurting visibility & traffic.
Social Media Reach: Overusing spam words can cause algorithms to hide or de-prioritize your posts, diminishing engagement and possibly flagging your account.
Audience Trust: When you add spam words to your content, you risk harming your audience’s perception of you.
Legal Compliance: In email marketing, using spam words can risk your compliance with CAN-SPAM laws.
Our Cold Email Audit tool checks your cold email copy for spam words and other factors that could negatively impact your deliverability. ⬇️
2024's Advanced Spam Filters: What It Means for You
Algorithms are becoming increasingly sharp, and for you, this means a shift in focus.
It's not just about avoiding a list of spam trigger words (a good place to start, btw) - it's about the context in which you use them.
1. Focus On Context
The Change
Spam filters now have the AI smarts to understand the context of your messages; they look beyond just keywords to the overall intent and relevance.
Your Move
Whether you're drafting an email, social media update, or blog post, ensure your content is relevant to the platform and the audience.
2. Aim For Engagement
The Change
Across platforms, the way users interact with content like yours influences spam detection.
Neglected or frequently dismissed content can signal a spam alert.
Your Move
Craft content that invites interaction, such as responses, shares, or clicks.
Personalize and make your content relatable to encourage active participation from your audience.
With lemlist, you can personalize your outreach to each lead. You can even personalize images in your emails:
3. Learn & Adapt
The Change
Spam filters are constantly learning from vast amounts of data, making them quicker at identifying new spamming tactics across various digital channels.
Your Move
Keep evolving your content & outreach strategy.
Stay updated with the latest trends in digital communication and adjust your approach to stay ahead of these adaptive filters.
Experiment and analyze the effectiveness of different content types.
4. Provide Value & Clarity
The Change
Over-optimized content, with an excessive focus on SEO or keyword stuffing, is often flagged by spam filters across digital platforms.
Your Move
Aim for a natural, user-focused approach.
Whether it’s SEO for a blog post or hashtags in a social media update, use them thoughtfully.
Prioritize providing value and clarity over purely technical optimization.
5. Build & Maintain Credibility
The Change
The perceived trustworthiness of the sender or content creator plays a crucial role in spam detection algorithms.
Your Move
On social media, regularly engage with your audience authentically.
For blogs or websites, ensure transparent and trustworthy practices.
Tips For Spam-free Communication
If you keep the best interests of your recipients in mind, you don't need to worry too much about algorithms (they're built to please users in the first place!).
Here are essential tips to follow:
1. Be Straightforward
Avoid phrases like "Best deal ever!" and stick to honest, straightforward language that accurately represents your offer or message.
❌ Subject: !!!HURRY!!! Discounts on Winter Coats - Best Deal Ever!!!
✅ Subject: Discover Our New Winter Collection: Style & Comfort Await You
2. Avoid ALL CAPS
Excessive use of ALL CAPS can flag your content as spam in both emails and social posts.
Filters often interpret this as shouting, commonly associated with spammy content.
❌ Overdoing it:
Hi there [First Name], MASTER THE ART OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT!!! Attend our exclusive webinar TODAY!! Seats LIMITED! [Your Name] [Your Company]
✅ Just right:
Hi there [First Name], We’re diving into the world of people management in our next webinar! Want to join us and discover how to bring out the best in your team? Let’s make it happen! Reservations are now open - [link]. [Your Name] [Your Role] [Your Company]
3. Avoid Exaggerated Urgency
Creating urgency is effective, but avoid alarmist language.
Phrases like "Act now before it's too late!" can make spam filters suspicious, categorizing your message as potential spam.
Plus, it can be terribly annoying for recipients.
Here are a few subtle alternatives:
"Enjoy this opportunity" - Invites engagement in a gentle manner.
"Join us when you’re ready" - Encourages prompt action while being considerate.
"Available for a short time" - Indicates limited availability without pressure.
"We'd love to see you there" - Adds a personal touch to an invitation.
"Take advantage of this special offer" - Suggests benefit without urgency.
"Looking forward to your participation" - Shows eagerness to include the recipient.
"Spaces are filling up quickly" - Conveys limited availability in a calm manner.
"Just a friendly reminder" - A soft nudge to act.
"Grab your spot at your convenience" - Provides a relaxed invitation to act.
"Offer valid until [date]" - Shows the deadline in a straightforward, non-alarming way.
4. Use The Right Amount Of Emojis
While a couple of emojis can add flair, overusing them can trip email and SMS spam filters.
They may interpret an overload of emojis as an attempt to catch the eye deceptively.
5. Avoid Industry Trigger Words
Every industry has its trigger words that are more likely to be flagged by spam filters.
Identify and avoid these in your SEO content, emails, AND social media posts.
Spam filters tend to hit emailers the hardest.
Mail Meteor’s online spam checker can help you perform a speedy spam check before you hit send.
6. Create Different Content For Different Channels
Different platforms have different algorithms.
For instance, what works for SEO on your website might not work in your Facebook content.
Tailor your strategy to each platform's algorithm.
7. Write Naturally
Since spam filters are getting smarter, you must try your best to write naturally.
In other words - keep calm & be human.
Write as if you’re speaking to someone face-to-face (without “uhm…” & “#$#%!”)
Use clear and concrete language - stay away from vague & abstract analogies.
8. Personalize
Generic, impersonal messages are often flagged as spam.
Use the recipient's name, reference past interactions, and inject personality.
Here’s a great example of a personalized LinkedIn message:
9. Use The Appropriate Tone
A blend of concise and conversational tones is less likely to get you in trouble.
Long, overly promotional paragraphs can hurt your reach, especially in email marketing.
Stay Real
The punchline?
Stick to authenticity and clarity in your messaging, and you'll stay clear of filters and connect effectively. It's the golden rule of email outreach.
For outbound sales enthusiasts, don't miss our cold email ebook.
As experts in the field, we've listed our top insights and strategies to find and close ideal buyers.
lemlist team
Your source of actionable outreach tips and strategies that will help you get replies and grow your business.
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