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Common Spam Triggers to Avoid
- All-caps words in subject lines or body text
- Excessive exclamation marks (more than one per email)
- Words: free, guaranteed, act now, limited time, winner, congratulations, click here
- Red or brightly colored text in large quantities
- Emails that are mostly images with very little text
- Missing plain text alternative version
- Broken HTML or unclosed tags
- Links to domains on spam blacklists
- Missing or non-functional unsubscribe link
- No physical mailing address in the footer
Use the Email Spam Score Checker on TechConverter.me before every campaign send to catch deliverability issues early and ensure your emails reach the inbox.
Examples
Example 1: Spam Trigger Words in Subject Line and Body
A marketing email with the following subject line and opening paragraph scores poorly:
Subject: FREE OFFER — Act Now! Guaranteed Results — Limited Time!!!
Body:
Congratulations! You've been selected for a FREE trial of our amazing product.
CLICK HERE to claim your guaranteed prize before this offer expires!
The checker flags multiple issues:
- "FREE" in all caps — high spam signal
- "Act Now" — urgency trigger word
- "Guaranteed" — common spam phrase
- "Limited Time" — urgency trigger
- Three exclamation marks in subject — excessive punctuation
- "CLICK HERE" in all caps — strong spam signal
- "Congratulations" — frequently used in phishing emails
Revised version that passes the checker:
Subject: Your 30-day trial is ready to activate
Body:
We've set up a free trial of [Product] for your account.
Activate your trial to explore all features — no credit card required.
The revised version conveys the same offer without triggering spam filters.
Example 2: HTML Formatting Issues
An email with a high image-to-text ratio is flagged:
<!-- Problematic: 90% images, 10% text -->
<body>
<img src="header.jpg" width="600" height="200">
<img src="promo-banner.jpg" width="600" height="400">
<img src="footer.jpg" width="600" height="100">
<p>Click here.</p>
</body>
The checker recommends adding descriptive text content alongside the images:
<!-- Improved: balanced text and images -->
<body>
<img src="header.jpg" width="600" height="200" alt="Spring Sale — Up to 40% off">
<h2>Spring Sale: Up to 40% Off Selected Items</h2>
<p>Shop our curated selection of spring essentials. Offer valid through March 31.
Free shipping on orders over $50.</p>
<img src="promo-banner.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="Featured products on sale">
<p>Browse over 200 items on sale across clothing, home, and accessories.</p>
</body>
Example 3: Missing Authentication Headers
The checker analyzes email headers and flags missing authentication:
Authentication-Results: mx.recipient.com;
spf=none (no SPF record found for sender domain)
dkim=none (no DKIM signature)
dmarc=none (no DMARC record)
Recommendations from the checker:
- Add an SPF TXT record to your DNS:
v=spf1 include:sendgrid.net ~all - Configure DKIM signing in your email service provider settings
- Add a DMARC record:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com
After adding all three records, the same email scores significantly better because receiving servers can verify the sender's identity.