Many people believe there is a secret list of "trigger words" that send an email straight to the spam folder. That is not how spam filtering works. Once you understand what filters actually weigh, you can stop worrying about individual words and focus on the things that keep your email in the inbox.
The myth vs. the reality
The myth is that mail providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo keep a fixed banned-word list, and that using a word like "free," "donate," or "urgent" automatically flags your message as spam.
The reality is that modern spam filtering does not work that way. Filters are driven mostly by your sender reputation, whether your domain is properly authenticated, and how recipients actually engage with your mail. Word choice is a minor signal at most. A well-authenticated sender with an engaged audience can use words like "donate" and "urgent" all day, because that is normal language for political fundraising. A sender with a bad reputation and a stale list will land in spam no matter how carefully they pick words.
So no single word guarantees the spam folder, and no safe-word list guarantees the inbox. Word choice is a real but minor factor. The bigger levers are reputation, authentication, consent, and engagement.
Content habits that actually help
These are worth doing, not because of a word list, but because they keep your mail clear, honest, and easy for recipients to engage with.
Write subject lines that match the content. Misleading or bait-and-switch subject lines are one of the few content patterns that genuinely hurt you, because they drive complaints and low engagement.
Keep a healthy balance of text. An email that is almost entirely one big image with very little text is harder for filters to read and looks like classic spam.
Write the way you would talk to a supporter. Normal fundraising language is fine. You do not need to dance around words like "donate," "contribute," or "deadline."
Make your ask clear. Confusing or deceptive messages get reported, and complaints are what actually damage your reputation.
Formatting and link pitfalls to avoid
A handful of formatting habits do correlate with spam and are easy to avoid.
Avoid ALL CAPS in the subject line and body. A whole message in capitals reads as shouting and looks spammy.
Avoid excessive punctuation, like "FREE!!!" or "ACT NOW!!!!!" Strings of exclamation points and dollar signs are a weak negative signal and add nothing.
Avoid URL shorteners and link-cloaking services. Shortened links hide the real destination, which is exactly what malicious senders do, so filters treat them with suspicion. Link directly to your real domain.
Do not stuff the email with many unrelated links or links to low-reputation sites.
Do not hide text, use tiny fonts, or match text color to the background. These old tricks are obvious to filters and will hurt you.
The factors that matter far more
If you want your email to reach the inbox, spend your effort here instead of on word choice.
Authenticate your sending domain. Raise More uses a guided DNS verification flow that sets up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC for your domain. A sending identity becomes usable only after the domain is verified. This is the single most important technical step, and it matters far more than any word in your message.
Send to people who actually opted in. Real consent means fewer complaints, which is the strongest protection for your reputation. Buying or scraping lists is the fastest way to get blocked.
Keep your list engaged. Mail to people who open and click. Sending to a stale list of addresses that never engage drags down your reputation for everyone on the list.
Make unsubscribing easy and honor it immediately. Raise More handles unsubscribes for you and permanently suppresses anyone who opts out, along with addresses that bounce or file spam complaints. A clear unsubscribe link reduces the chance someone hits the "report spam" button instead, and spam complaints hurt you much more than an unsubscribe.
Watch your bounce and complaint rates. High bounces and complaints are direct signals to mailbox providers that something is wrong. Raise More automatically suppresses hard bounces and complaints so they do not keep dragging you down.
FAQ
Is there a list of words I should never use?
No. There is no authoritative banned-word list, and any list you find online is at best a rough guess. Normal fundraising language is fine.
Will the word "free" or "donate" send my email to spam?
On its own, no. These words are completely normal for political fundraising. Reputation and engagement decide where your mail lands.
My emails are going to spam. What should I check first?
Confirm your sending domain is verified in Raise More, then look at your bounce and complaint rates and how engaged your list is. Those are far more likely causes than word choice.
Does an unsubscribe hurt me as much as a spam complaint?
No. An unsubscribe is normal and low-cost. A spam complaint is a strong negative signal to mailbox providers, which is exactly why an easy unsubscribe link is worth having.