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MailMonk Help

Content best practices

Content matters. Even with perfect authentication and a clean list, certain content patterns make filters nervous — especially on a young domain.

Balance text and images

Section titled “Balance text and images”

Image-only emails (one big graphic, little or no real text) are a classic spam signal. Aim for a healthy text-to-image balance:

  • Include real, readable text — not just a picture of text.
  • Make sure your message still makes sense if images don’t load.
  • Always set descriptive alt text on images.

Don’t stack trigger words

Section titled “Don’t stack trigger words”

No single word will send you to spam, but stacking money/urgency words together raises your score. Go easy on combinations like “FREE!!! ACT NOW — GUARANTEED — LIMITED TIME — $$$”. Write the way you’d write to a customer, not a billboard.

Skip the ALL-CAPS and excessive punctuation

Section titled “Skip the ALL-CAPS and excessive punctuation”

ALL-CAPS subject lines and bodies, and runs of !!! or ???, read as shouting to both humans and filters. Use normal sentence case.

Other content tips

Section titled “Other content tips”
  • Subject lines: clear and honest. Misleading subjects drive complaints.
  • Links: link to your real domain; avoid link shorteners and mismatched display URLs.
  • Personalization: relevant, targeted content earns engagement, which is what actually builds reputation.
  • Keep one clear purpose per email rather than cramming everything in.