[FAQ]

Hi,

I’m an e-commerce manager for a brand based in Bristol, and we’re planning our next big sale. I really want to use scarcity (“Only 50 left”) and urgency (“Sale ends in 4 hours”) in our email copy to drive conversions, as I know it can be really effective.

My main concern is that I’ve always heard these high-pressure words are major triggers for spam filters. I’m worried that by trying to be a good marketer, I’ll end up damaging our deliverability and getting our whole campaign sent to the junk folder.

What are the best practices for writing this kind of email copy safely? How do you get the balance right without looking like a spammer to services like Gmail?

Any advice would be brilliant. Cheers.

[Jeff Bullas]

That’s a very common concern.

Quick Answer: You use scarcity and urgency safely by ensuring your text-based copy is professional and honest, not gimmicky. Spam filters are triggered by a combination of factors, including high-pressure phrases, poor sender reputation, and spammy formatting, not just by the mention of a real deadline.

The key is to communicate your genuine offer with clarity, rather than resorting to high-pressure tactics.

Spam filters look at the whole picture. An email with text like “BUY NOW!!! ONLY 3 LEFT ACT FAST!!!” is a massive red flag, especially when combined with all-caps text, bright red fonts, or excessive exclamation marks. This is a classic spam tactic. A far safer and more professional approach is to write clear, honest text, such as “Our mid-year sale ends this Friday” or “There are 50 units of this item remaining at the sale price.” One is a high-pressure scam; the other is a legitimate commercial announcement.

Your email’s design also plays a critical role. An email that is just one large promotional image with very little supporting text is a common spam filter trigger. You must ensure you have a healthy balance of descriptive text to support any promotional images. The safest and often most effective way to create urgency is to use a dynamic image, like a live countdown timer. This visual element creates a powerful, real-time deadline without you having to write any risky, high-pressure text.

Ultimately, if you have a good sender reputation built on sending high-quality content that people want, you have a lot more leeway. If your content is consistently good, a simple line of text like “Sale ends tonight” will be seen by filters as helpful information, not a threat.

Cheers,
Jeff

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