Do “spammy” words affect cold deliverability?

The impact of specific words on deliverability is often overstated and misunderstood.

Modern reality:

Spam filters use machine learning, not simple word lists

Context matters more than individual terms

Sender reputation outweighs content factors

Engagement signals drive filtering decisions

What actually triggers filters:

Patterns across many messages (same content, same sender, low engagement)

Technical issues (authentication failures, poor infrastructure)

Behavioral signals (high complaints, low opens)

Sending to invalid or trap addresses

Words that can indicate problems:

Financial promises (guaranteed, free money)

Urgent manipulation (act now, limited time)

Deceptive framing (re: when not a reply, fwd: when not forwarded)

These matter more in context than in isolation

Better focus areas:

Maintain good sender reputation

Send to people who want your email

Write naturally, not around assumed trigger words

Monitor deliverability metrics, not word lists

Write good emails for humans. Filters follow engagement, not vocabulary lists.