Why does content context matter more than keywords?

Modern spam filters use machine learning that evaluates content holistically, not simplistic keyword matching. "Free" isn't a spam trigger—"FREE!!! CLICK NOW!!!" in an email from an unknown sender with suspicious links might be. The word isn't the problem; the context is.

Filters consider: sender reputation (established senders get benefit of doubt), recipient engagement history (people who read your emails signal legitimacy), email composition (legitimate business patterns vs. spam patterns), link destination reputation, and aggregate behavior (how others respond to similar content). A trusted sender can use any word without issue; an untrusted sender using innocent words still looks suspicious.

Stop worrying about "spam words." That's 2005 thinking. Focus on being a legitimate sender with content people want. Banks say "account," pharmacies say "prescription," retailers say "sale." Context—who you are, how you send, what recipients do—determines filtering, not vocabulary. Use the words your business needs. If you're getting filtered, the problem almost certainly isn't word choice.