Spam-trigger words and copy checks
Spam filters score the words, formatting and structure of your email as well as its sender. The sequence editor in OutreachFox has a Spam Words button that flags risky phrases in a step before you …
Draft — written from product facts + domain knowledge; UI labels to be verified before publishing.
Spam filters score the words, formatting and structure of your email as well as its sender. The sequence editor in OutreachFox has a Spam Words button that flags risky phrases in a step before you save it. This article explains how to use it, what it catches, and the other copy checks to run before launch.
Steps: run the Spam Words check
- Open the campaign and go to the sequence editor (Edit Campaign → the email step).
- Write or paste the subject line and body.
- Click Spam Words in the editor toolbar (next to Variables, Spintext and Preview).
- Review the highlighted words and phrases and the count.
- Rewrite each flagged phrase in plain language, then run the check again until nothing is flagged.
- Repeat for every variant (A/B/C) and every step in the sequence.
- Click Save.
What you see afterwards
Flagged phrases are highlighted in the editor with a total count. A clean step shows zero flags. Saving with flags is allowed but not recommended.
Common trigger categories
| **Category** | **Examples** | **Rewrite as** |
| Money and offers | free, discount, 50% off, no cost, cheapest, guarantee | "no charge for the first month" → describe the specific terms |
| Urgency | act now, limited time, urgent, last chance, don't miss | remove; cold email should not be urgent |
| Hype | amazing, incredible, revolutionary, best-in-class, \#1 | state a concrete result instead |
| Sales cliches | dear friend, click here, buy now, order today, risk-free | "reply if useful" |
| Finance and prizes | earn money, winner, congratulations, cash, income | remove |
| Formatting | ALL CAPS, multiple exclamation marks, red text, large fonts | sentence case, no styling |
Other copy checks
- Length: 50–120 words in the first email. Follow-ups shorter.
- Links: zero or one. No shortened URLs (bit.ly). Use the custom tracking domain if link tracking is on.
- Images and attachments: none in cold email. Put the deck behind a reply.
- HTML: minimal. Consider Send emails in plain text (campaign → Settings → Show Advanced Configurations) for the first step.
- Personalisation: at least first name and company via Variables; use Spintext on greetings and closing lines so every send differs.
- Subject line: 2–5 words, lowercase or sentence case, no "Re:" or "Fwd:" fakes, no emojis.
- Signature: name, title, company, one line of contact. No banners or social icons (Mailbox → Settings → Edit signature).
- Unsubscribe: enable Include Unsubscribe Message or Unsubscribe Header under Risk Control.
- Preview: click Preview to confirm variables render with real contact data and no {{first_name}} placeholders leak.
Tips
- Write the way you would to a colleague. Most spam words are marketing words.
- Test the rewritten email by sending it to your own Gmail; if it lands in Promotions, cut links and adjectives further.
- A/B variants let you test a "safer" version against your original; watch reply rate, not open rate.
- Filters also read the reply thread. Keep follow-ups in the same thread and equally plain.
Troubleshooting
- Spam Words shows nothing but emails still land in spam. Words are one input. Check warm-up health, authentication and list bounce rate first — see Landing in spam? The recovery playbook.
- A variable's value triggers the check. Company names sometimes contain flagged words ("Free Range Foods"). Ignore flags inside variable output.
- Legitimate word flagged. Use a synonym; filters do not know your context.
Related articles
- Use spintext and variables for personalisation
- Send emails in plain text
- Add unsubscribe links and headers
- Deliverability fundamentals for cold email
- Inbox placement testing
- Landing in spam? The recovery playbook
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