When it comes to cold outreach, many marketers and sales teams focus on the quality of the email list. But, here’s some real talk. No matter how great your connections are, your cold email template can make or break your dreams.
You may be sitting on a goldmine of perfect prospects, but if your email template isn’t set up for deliverability, your message may never even end up in their inbox.
Given that approximately 45.6% of emails worldwide were classified as spam, who’s to say your emails are guaranteed to land in your target inboxes?
Spam filters have become more intelligent and even more sophisticated. They can now identify the usual patterns that spammers have been using over time. So even if your email isn’t really spam, or even if you’re the most legitimate sender ever, certain elements can make your email look like unsolicited marketing.
The top spam triggers in cold email templates
If you’re dabbling in cold outreach, you need to know how to avoid common spam triggers. We’re talking about certain words, formatting tactics, and specific elements that can cause ESPs to flag your email as spam.
🔖 Related Reading: Words That Trigger Spam Filters (And How to Fix Them with a Template Checker)
Here are some of the most common spam triggers to watch out for:
Spammy words and phrases
Spam filters scan emails for certain phrases and language that are usually used in marketing or advertising emails. Common spammy words include:
- Free
- Guarantee
- Limited time offer
- 100% satisfied
- Click here
- Earn money
- No cost
- Act now
So what happens if you use these words? Even if your message is relevant to your recipient, these words can still be flagged as part of a promotional or spammy message. There’s a very big chance your email will not land in the inbox.
Overused formatting tactics
Your cold email’s format is just as impactful as the words you use. Certain formatting styles can make your email look overly, causing email providers to treat it as suspicious.
- When your cold email has too much bold or italics, it may appear as a marketing pitch or advertisement—common reasons for spam filters to block an email.
- All caps are often associated with shouting or sales spam. Example: “HURRY UP AND GET YOUR FREE TRIAL NOW!”
- Spammers usually include a ton of external links to questionable sites, or even images with embedded links.
- Broken links (missing page, 404 error, or invalid URL) signal to ESPs that your email content isn’t reviewed or managed correctly.
Crafting a cold email template that passes the spam filters
Yes, it’s very possible to come up with a cold email that gets approved by spam filters:
Focus on simple and clean formatting
A messy email can raise red flags and be flagged as spam—even if it is not. Meanwhile, a clean and simple layout improves both readability and deliverability.
Best practices for email layout:
- Use a single column layout and do not overload with text or images.
- Keep your font size and style consistent. Allot enough white space.
- Divide your email into smaller parts through the use of headings.
- Use shorter paragraphs.
- Too much bold text, italics, or colored fonts are suspicious.
Keep your email short and sweet
The ideal cold email should consist of only 100-150 words. If it’s longer, your readers’ attention may not hold.
- Include only one clear call to action (CTA).
- Avoid including too many discussion points.
- Be straight to the point.
🔖 Related Reading: The Anatomy of a High-Performing Cold Email
Personalize your cold email
This improves deliverability, helps you avoid spam traps, and encourages recipients to engage.
You don’t need to overdo the personalization efforts. A simple “Hi [Name],” already adds a personal touch without overdoing it. You can also look into mentioning the recipient’s company or job role: “I noticed [Company Name], recently launched [Product].”
Find the balance between tone and language
- Avoid phrases like “Act fast!” or “Hurry, limited offer!” or anything similar
- Be helpful and focus on the recipient’s needs. For example, “I’d love to help you solve [problem] by providing [solution].”
- Write like you’re chatting with someone you’ve met at a networking event.
Best practices for testing your cold email templates
Go through the content to spot spam triggers early
Before sending your cold emails at scale, do test your email templates to ensure they don’t have any elements that might trigger spam filters and send them to the spam folder. It’s too risky to send bulk campaigns and risk damaging your sender reputation early on.
If you’re able to catch spam triggers early, you can make adjustments before sending it to your full list.
Pre-send checklist for a spam-free email template
Are there any spammy words? Review if you have terms like “free,” “guaranteed,” or “limited time offer.”
How is the formatting? Review the usage of bold, italics, and ALL CAPS.
Are all links working? Test each link. Remember to only include necessary ones.
Is there an effort to personalize? Or is it a generic email?
Call to Action (CTA): Make sure your CTA is clear and direct.
Proofread. Check for any typographical, grammatical, or spelling errors.
Last but not the least, check your email signature. Yes, it may be an afterthought for some, but it actually affects deliverability. (Read more: Signature Showdown: Crafting the Perfect Email Signature for Maximum Deliverability is a recent experiment from the Warmy Research Team that compares six email signatures and one baseline signature template to determine how they affect deliverability)
A/B testing continuously for optimal results
A/B testing is the process of creating two or more versions of your cold email template. Then, they are sent to small segments of your list to test which works better for your audience. Here are the metrics usually tested:
- Open rates: If you have high open rates it means your subject line, preview text, and sender name are effectively working. So if you want to increase your open rates, these are the elements you will need to test.
- Spam reports: If your spam complaint rate keeps going up, you may want to work on your copy.
- Click-Through Rates (CTR): Higher CTRs mean your CTA is effective. (Read more: Boost Your Email Click-Through Rate and Skyrocket Engagement)
- Bounce rates: High bounce rates may mean there are issues with your sending domain or list quality.
Use Warmy’s Template Checker
Warmy’s Template Checker is a free tool that helps senders ensure their emails will not trigger any spam filters. If you use the template checker, you’ll be able to catch problems before you send out bulk email campaigns.
User-friendly interface and automation. You don’t need to be a developer to run a professional-quality template check. You simply need to paste the email content into the tool. Then it will scan your cold email template and reveal potential spam triggers, formatting issues, and other deliverability concerns.
Actionable reports with clear recommendations. The tool provides recommendations on how to go about fixing these issues. It also shows the criteria used to assess your email template, so you know exactly how the tool evaluates your email template. This makes it easy to understand how to improve your emails in the future and increase their chances of landing in the inbox.
New Chrome Extension for seamless review. Additionally, Warmy recently released a Chrome Extension version of the template checker. This extension helps senders test their email template as they write the email so they can make necessary adjustments before sending. With this extension, you will be able to better determine whether your email will be recognized as spam and make tweaks before sending it.
Using Warmy.io’s tools to ensure your email content stays spam-free
Warmy.io is an all-in-one deliverability solution designed to optimize every aspect of your email outreach. Here are some of its features that will help your cold email get through.
AI-powered warmup with tailored preferences
When you’re sending cold emails from a new or inactive email address, it’s important to gradually increase the volume of emails you send—this process is known as email warmup.
Warmy’s AI-powered warmup takes care of the entire warmup process. It automatically and gradually ramps up your sending activity to prevent sudden spikes that could trigger mail server rejections. It simulates natural email interactions to show ESPs your domain and your emails are trusted and valuable. By warming up your domain before sending at scale, you minimize the chance of being blocked or flagged as spam.
The new Warmup Preferences feature also allows senders to tailor the distribution of the warmup across various providers. At the same time, you can choose between B2B or B2C engagement patterns to simulate. This, coupled with the Template Checker, ensures relevance and personalization during the warmup process.
Email Signature Builder
The email signature is not usually an area of focus. Most senders focus on a catchy subject line or an engaging email body. But the truth is, a professional and well-crafted signature can actually contribute to your credibility and deliverability.
With Warmy’s Email Signature Builder, you can create signatures that are optimized for deliverability. The tool helps you craft signatures that will help your emails land in your target inboxes.
Advanced seed lists
The success of your cold email campaign isn’t just about the message—it’s also about how email providers treat your emails. One of the most effective ways to monitor how your emails are performing across different ESPs is through the use of Seed Lists.
Warmy’s advanced seed lists are genuine email addresses that simulate real human behavior. This means your emails are opened, read, scrolled through, and clicked—reducing the chances of landing in spam. And if ever emails land in spam, they are manually removed and marked as important to improve future deliverability.
You can use these seed lists to send test emails and test your email content. These emails help simulate how your cold emails will perform across major email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, MS365, and others.
Don’t let spam filters block your success—get started with Warmy
Ensuring your cold email content stays spam-free is vital to the success of your outreach campaigns. With Warmy’s tools, you can take the guesswork out of email deliverability. We provide everything you need to optimize your outreach and avoid common deliverability pitfalls.
Don’t let your emails get lost in the spam folder—use Warmy.io’s tools to ensure your cold emails land in the inbox, where they belong. Sign up for free today.
