Words to Avoid in an Email Subject Line | Staying Out of the Spam Box

Despite the rise of social media, traditional email marketing is still a huge revenue driver for most businesses. With plenty of easy-to-use software available, automating multipurpose campaigns is no longer a daunting task for anyone with the will to learn and some basic computer knowledge.

Not so simple however, is the content creation process. Inboxes are a digital battle royal full of gladiator level competition. The only way to stand out and be sure your email content actually reaches consumers is to give it an attention grabbing subject line.

But beware! Just like automation tools have been getting better and smarter, so have automatic filters, which will send your carefully crafted campaign straight to the spam gulag for the slightest transgression. An overly click bait-y title is all but guaranteed to fail any marginally sophisticated filter’s test, meaning all your hard work will likely sit unopened collecting metaphorical dust until it’s automatically deleted, lost to the internet forever, a casualty of cat memes and Insta-scams.

OK, so we may be getting a bit dramatic, but it’s undeniably true that a good subject can make or break an email, as well as determine whether or not it makes it to a user’s main inbox in the first place. Below, check out our list of words to avoid when creating the perfect email subject line.

Your Subject Line Is Not a Call to Action

Advertisers love a good call to action, but with email you can go wrong begging for clicks and downloads. Avoiding intentional incentives in your title is a best practice for email marketing.

Your Subject Line Is Not All About the Money

Somewhat less surprisingly, it’s easy enough to nickel and dime your way to the spam box too. Consumers know your email is an ad but might still click it anyway if it your subject is engaging enough. Spam filters aren’t so forgiving.  Don’t use any of these money words up front.

Your Subject Line Is Not the Best Ever

You might just be a wizard who will one day magic the best email of all history into existence, but it’s not going to get read if you call it that. Spam filters are highly suspicious of superlatives, so staying away from words that suggest the incredible or unbelievable is highly recommended.

Your Subject Line Is Not Fooling Anyone

Believe it or not, you shouldn’t try and reassure your audience your email is legit, at least not before they open it. The following keywords are going to set off alarm bells if you include them in your subject line.

It’s tough to get anyone’s attention in an environment like the internet. It’s full of distractions that go way beyond what else is in a user’s inbox. You may be tempted to use some of the words above to get an edge over the competition, but if you do so, your target audience may never have the opportunity to read your message at all.

As one of the most reliable ways to directly reach consumers, it’s easy to see why email marketing continues to be so effective even in today’s distraction-prone world. Utilize the available tools, follow the recommended guidelines, and you too can launch a successful campaign of your own.