How to Run a Spam Test
A spam test analyzes your email against major spam filters and gives you a score. OutSends built-in spam testing helps you identify and fix problems before they hurt your campaign.
What you'll need
Before you start, make sure you have the following ready.
- An OutSends account
- A campaign ready to test
- Access to your spam score testing tool
Step-by-step guide
Follow these steps to complete the setup.
Create or open a campaign
Open your draft campaign in the OutSends editor to run the spam test.
Click "Run Spam Test"
The button is located in the campaign toolbar. OutSends analyzes your email against 15+ spam filter criteria.
Review the report
See your spam score (0-5 scale), content warnings, authentication check, and provider-specific issues.
Fix flagged issues
Common issues: spammy words, missing alt text, broken links, low text-to-image ratio, missing unsubscribe link.
Re-test and send
Make fixes, re-run the test, and once you're below 2.0, you're ready to send.
Tips for best results
Pro tips to get the most out of this setup.
- Score under 2.0 = excellent. Score 2-4 = review recommendations. Score 4+ = do not send
- Check your plain text version — some spam filters score HTML-only emails higher
- Run a spam test for each email variant in A/B tests
Frequently asked questions
Can OutSends guarantee my email won't be marked as spam?
No tool can guarantee inbox delivery. Spam tests identify risk factors but ISP decisions are ultimately based on recipient engagement.
How often should I run spam tests?
Every campaign, especially when you change templates, content style, or sending domain.
What is a spammy word?
Words like "free", "guaranteed", "act now", and excessive exclamation marks can trigger spam filters. The spam test highlights these.
Related guides
Explore more how-to guides for OutSends.
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