# Email Review > Pre-send email quality review and scoring across 5 dimensions (subject line, copy quality, technical/HTML, deliverability, compliance). Analyzes subject lines, body copy, HTML structure, spam triggers, and CAN-SPAM compliance. Scores 0-100 with detailed recommendations for improvement. Use when user wants to review an email before sending, check email quality, or validate marketing email best practices. - Skill: `shenxingy/email-review` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add shenxingy/email-review` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/shenxingy/email-review/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: shenxingy (https://skillmd.com/u/shenxingy) - Updated: 2026-08-19 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/shenxingy/email-review --- # Email Review Sub-Skill ## Purpose Reviews email content before sending and provides a comprehensive quality score (0-100) across 5 weighted dimensions. Identifies critical issues, suggests improvements, and provides a rewritten version for low-scoring emails. ## When to Activate - User asks to "review this email" - User provides email content (subject + body) for feedback - User requests email quality check or score - User wants to validate email before sending - User provides Gmail draft ID for review - User asks about email deliverability or spam risk ## Input Formats Accept email content in any of these formats: 1. **Pasted text** - Subject line + body in conversation 2. **File path** - Path to HTML email file 3. **Gmail draft ID** - Fetch via `gmail_get_draft` MCP tool 4. **Raw HTML** - HTML email source code ## Scoring Framework ### Overall Score Calculation Total score = weighted sum of 5 categories: | Category | Weight | Focus | |----------|--------|-------| | Subject Line | 25% | Length, power words, spam triggers, personalization | | Copy Quality | 25% | Word count, CTA clarity, framework structure, readability | | Technical/HTML | 20% | Size, responsiveness, dark mode, alt text, preheader | | Deliverability | 15% | Spam signals, link count, sender reputation factors | | Compliance | 15% | CAN-SPAM, unsubscribe, physical address, RFC 8058 | --- ## 1. Subject Line Scoring (25% weight) **Base Score: 0-100, then weighted at 25%** ### Length Check (0-25 points) - **Optimal**: 6-10 words OR 30-50 characters = 25 points - **Acceptable**: 5 or 11 words = 20 points - **Marginal**: 4 or 12 words = 10 points - **Poor**: <4 or >12 words = 0 points ### Spam Trigger Detection (-5 points each) Penalize for each occurrence: - ALL CAPS words - Multiple exclamation marks (!!!) - Phrases: "FREE", "Act Now", "Limited Time", "Guaranteed", "Winner", "Click Here", "Buy Now", "Order Now" - Excessive punctuation ($$$, ???) ### Power Words (+5 points each, max +15) Bonus for strategic use of: - "New", "Exclusive", "Proven", "Secret", "Discover" - "Ultimate", "Essential", "Complete", "Breakthrough" - Industry-specific power words ### Personalization (+10 points) - Contains merge tags like `{{first_name}}` or `{{company}}` - Behavioral personalization indicators ### Emoji Usage (+5 or -5) - **1 emoji** = +5 points (increases open rates) - **2+ emojis** = -5 points (reduces professionalism) - **No emoji** = 0 points (neutral) --- ## 2. Copy Quality Scoring (25% weight) **Base Score: 0-100, then weighted at 25%** ### Word Count (0-20 points) - **150-300 words** = 20 points (optimal) - **100-149 or 301-400** = 15 points - **50-99 or 401-500** = 10 points - **<50 or >500** = 0 points ### CTA Count (0-25 points) - **1 primary CTA** = 25 points (best conversion) - **2 CTAs** = 15 points (acceptable) - **3+ CTAs** = 5 points (diluted focus) - **0 CTAs** = 0 points (no action path) ### CTA Clarity (0-15 points) Score based on: - **15 points**: Action verb + benefit ("Get My Free Guide", "Start Your Trial") - **10 points**: Generic action ("Learn More", "Download") - **5 points**: Vague ("Submit", "Click Here") - **0 points**: No CTA or unclear ### Framework Structure (0-15 points) Check if email follows proven framework: - **PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)**: 15 points - **AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action)**: 15 points - **BAB (Before-After-Bridge)**: 15 points - **FAB (Features-Advantages-Benefits)**: 15 points - **4Ps (Picture-Promise-Proof-Push)**: 15 points - **No clear structure**: 0 points ### Readability (0-15 points) - Short paragraphs (2-3 lines max): +5 - Bullet points or numbered lists: +5 - Scannable with subheadings: +5 - No walls of text: +5 - Deduct -5 for each readability issue ### Personalization Beyond Name (0-10 points) - Behavioral triggers (past purchase, browsing): +5 - Location/timezone awareness: +3 - Industry/role customization: +2 --- ## 3. Technical/HTML Scoring (20% weight) **Base Score: 100, deduct points for violations** ### Total Size (-20 if fail) - **Must be under 102 KB** (Gmail clips emails over this) - Check HTML + embedded images (if data URIs) ### Text-to-Image Ratio (-15 if fail) - **Minimum 60% text / 40% images** - Image-heavy emails trigger spam filters ### Responsive Design (-10 if fail) Check for: - Viewport meta tag: `` - Media queries for mobile breakpoints - Fluid tables or container widths ### Dark Mode Support (-5 if fail) Check for: - `` - CSS with `@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)` - Dark mode color overrides ### Alt Text on Images (-5 per missing) - All `` tags must have `alt` attribute - Alt text should be descriptive, not just filename ### Table-Based Layout (-5 if fail) - Email should use `` for layout (HTML email best practice) - Deduct if using CSS Grid/Flexbox (poor email client support) ### Font Safety (-5 if fail) - Must use web-safe fonts with fallbacks - Example: `font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;` - Avoid custom web fonts without fallbacks ### CTA Button Size (-5 if fail) - Minimum **44x44 pixels** (mobile touch target) - Check all `` styled as buttons ### Plain-Text Version (-10 if fail) - Must have plain-text MIME part OR - Text-only fallback within HTML ### Preheader Text (-5 if missing) - **30-80 character** preview text - Located immediately after `` tag - Often hidden with CSS for HTML view --- ## 4. Deliverability Signals (15% weight) **Base Score: 100, deduct points for red flags** ### Spam Word Density (-5 per word) Count occurrences of spam triggers in body: - "Free", "Winner", "Guarantee", "Risk-free", "Act now" - "Cash", "Bonus", "Extra income", "Work from home" - "Unsecured credit", "Viagra", "Pharmacy" ### Link Count (warn at 5+) - **0-3 links** = 0 penalty - **4-5 links** = -5 points (warning threshold) - **6+ links** = -15 points (spam signal) ### Image-Only Email (-20 if fail) - Emails with **only images and no text** are spam signals - Must have substantive text content ### Unsubscribe Link (-25 if missing) - **Required for marketing emails** - Must be clearly visible and functional - Check for `` with "unsubscribe" keyword ### Sender Name (-10 if generic) - Deduct for: "info@", "noreply@", "admin@", "support@" - Personal or company name preferred ### Link Shorteners (-10 if detected) - Penalize use of: bit.ly, tinyurl, goo.gl, ow.ly - Spam filters distrust shortened URLs --- ## 5. Compliance Scoring (15% weight) **Base Score: 100, deduct points for violations** ### Physical Address (-20 if missing) - **CAN-SPAM requires postal address** - Check footer for street address or P.O. Box ### Unsubscribe Mechanism (-25 if missing) - Must have working unsubscribe link - Should process within 10 business days (CAN-SPAM) ### Honest Subject Line (-15 if misleading) - Subject must accurately reflect email content - No deceptive "Re:" or "Fwd:" if not a reply ### RFC 8058 Headers (-10 if missing for bulk) For bulk/marketing emails, check for: ``` List-Unsubscribe: List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click ``` ### Sender Identification (-10 if missing) - Must clearly state who is sending the email - Check for "From" name and footer company info --- ## Score Interpretation | Score | Rating | Status | Recommendation | |-------|--------|--------|----------------| | 90-100 | Excellent | ✅ Ready to send | Minor tweaks optional | | 75-89 | Good | ⚠️ Review suggested | Address medium-priority issues | | 60-74 | Fair | ⚠️ Fix before sending | Resolve high-priority issues | | 40-59 | Poor | ❌ Needs rework | Significant changes required | | 0-39 | Critical | ❌ DO NOT SEND | Major compliance/deliverability issues | --- ## Output Format Structure the review report as: 1. **Header**: `## Email Quality Review` with overall score, rating, status 2. **Score table**: 5 categories with raw score, weight, and weighted score 3. **Issues Found**: Grouped by severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low) with specific fixes 4. **Detailed Breakdown**: Per-category analysis (subject length/triggers/power words, word count/CTA/framework, HTML size/responsive/dark mode, spam words/links, address/unsubscribe/RFC 8058) 5. **Improved Version** (if score < 75): Rewritten subject line, copy fix recommendations, HTML fixes Use status badges: ✅ Ready to send (90+), ⚠️ Review suggested (75-89), ⚠️ Fix before sending (60-74), ❌ Needs rework (40-59), ❌ DO NOT SEND (0-39). --- ## Workflow ### Step 1: Intake Identify input format and extract: - Subject line - Body copy (text or HTML) - HTML source (if applicable) ### Step 2: Run Analysis Scripts (if available) Check for and execute: ```bash # Subject line scoring python scripts/score_subject_line.py --subject "[subject]" # HTML email analysis python scripts/analyze_email_html.py --file [path] ``` ### Step 3: Manual Scoring For each category: 1. Start with base score 2. Apply positive adjustments 3. Apply penalties 4. Calculate weighted score ### Step 4: Reference Checks Consult knowledge files for edge cases: - `references/technical-standards.md` - HTML/CSS email rules - `references/compliance.md` - CAN-SPAM, GDPR, CASL requirements - `references/deliverability-rules.md` - Deliverability scoring and spam signal reference ### Step 5: Generate Report Format output per template above, ensuring: - Clear categorization of issues by severity - Actionable fix recommendations - Improved version if score < 75 ### Step 6: User Confirmation Ask user if they want to: - Apply suggested improvements - Re-review after manual edits - Send as-is (if score >= 75) --- ## Quality Gates ### Hard Rules (Automatic Failure) These issues result in "DO NOT SEND" status regardless of total score: 1. **Missing unsubscribe link** (for marketing emails) 2. **Missing physical address** (CAN-SPAM violation) 3. **Email size > 102 KB** (Gmail will clip) 4. **Image-only email** (no text content) 5. **Deceptive subject line** (FTC violation) --- ## Edge Cases ### Gmail Drafts If user provides draft ID: 1. Use `gmail_get_draft` MCP tool to fetch 2. Extract subject from `payload.headers` 3. Extract HTML body from `payload.parts` (mimeType = text/html) 4. Proceed with normal review ### Plain-Text Emails If email has no HTML: 1. Skip technical/HTML scoring (default to 80/100) 2. Focus on copy quality, subject line, compliance 3. Adjust weighting: Subject 30%, Copy 35%, Deliverability 20%, Compliance 15% ### Non-English Emails 1. Note language in report 2. Skip spam word detection (English-specific) 3. Focus on structural/technical issues 4. Provide caveats about readability scoring ### Transactional Emails If email is transactional (receipts, confirmations): 1. Relax compliance rules (unsubscribe not required) 2. Focus on technical delivery and clarity 3. Note in report: "Transactional email - relaxed marketing rules" --- ## Tools Integration ### Available Scripts Run these scripts from the `scripts/` directory: **score_subject_line.py** - Input: `python scripts/score_subject_line.py --subject "Subject line text" --json` - Output: JSON with length, spam triggers, power words, score - Use: Auto-score subject line component **analyze_email_html.py** - Input: `python scripts/analyze_email_html.py --file path/to/email.html --json` - Output: JSON with size, responsiveness, alt text, preheader, issues - Use: Auto-score technical/HTML component ### MCP Tools **gmail_get_draft** - Fetch draft email from Gmail by ID - Extract subject and HTML body **gmail_send_message** - Send reviewed email (after user approval) --- ## Examples **High-scoring email** (92/100): Subject "New guide: 5 proven SEO tactics for 2026" -- 8 words, power word, no spam triggers, 280 words, 1 CTA, responsive HTML, all compliance elements present. Status: Ready to send. **Low-scoring email** (23/100): Subject "FREE MONEY!!! ACT NOW GUARANTEED WINNER!!!" -- all caps, 4 spam triggers, 50 words, 5 CTAs, missing unsubscribe and address. Status: DO NOT SEND (CAN-SPAM violations). --- ## Notes - Always run available scripts before manual scoring - Reference knowledge files for edge cases - Provide specific, actionable recommendations - Never approve emails with compliance violations - Weight user industry context (B2B vs B2C vs transactional) - Update scoring criteria based on evolving best practices