Why Your Emails Aren’t Reaching Humans (Anymore) | Branding Momentum Podcast Episode

Veronica Di Polo
3 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

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You’re not being ignored, you’re being filtered.

Your newsletters, your launch updates, even your personal follow-ups aren’t being read by the people you think they are.And it’s not your copy, your timing, or your subject lines.

It’s the machine reading your message before any human ever does.

In this episode of Branding Momentum, Veronica de Polo explains why inbox AI tools like Gmail, Outlook, and Copilot are silently deciding what makes it to a person’s inbox—and what never will.

Here’s what we cover:

The invisible AI filter between your words and your readers
Why tone now matters more than templates
The trigger words that send your emails straight to “Promotions”
How Gen Z turned email into DMs (and why AI likes it)
What “fake enthusiasm” looks like to an algorithm
How to write human-sounding copy that still converts
The quick test to see where your own emails are landing

Inbox AI doesn’t wait for the reader, it pre-reads, sorts, and scores every email. It decides what sounds like a relationship and what sounds like a pitch.

If your message has too much “marketing energy,” it’s gone before it’s ever seen. That means words like limited time, free, offer, bonus, and guarantee aren’t helping, they’re burying you.

👉 Hit follow so you don’t miss the next breakdown. And if you’re ready to make your words findable, you’ll want to listen all the way through.

I’m Veronica Di Polo, a marketing strategist based in Moraira, Spain, helping service-based business owners get leads with words that sell.

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When AI Thinks You’re Selling

Modern inboxes now evaluate emotion and rhythm, not just keywords. Too much urgency, too many exclamation points, or exaggerated excitement signal manipulation.

“Don’t miss out!” → spam.“ Only 24 hours left!” → promotions.

AI isn’t punishing you—it’s protecting the reader.

What Still Works in 2025

Sound like a human. Keep your tone short, warm, and conversational.
Simplify your design. Heavy images, long templates, and multiple links scream “campaign.”
Make it personal. “Hey [name]” will always beat “Dear subscriber.”
Replace trigger words. Try these swaps:

🚫 Don’t use	✅ Try instead
Free	Complimentary / My treat
Discount	Preferred price
Act now	Save your spot
Guarantee	Built to deliver
Unlock your potential	Start doing what you already know you can

The Automation Trap

Tools like Copilot and Google Duet summarize emails before the recipient even looks at them. If your email sounds generic, it may never be summarized, or even displayed.

The more human your writing feels, the higher your chances of being surfaced to the actual person.

The Visibility Test

Step 1: Send yourself your own emails.
Step 2: Check where they land (Primary, Promotions, or Spam).
Step 3: Rewrite the subject and first line if they don’t make it to Primary.
Step 4: Avoid hype, keep it human, test again.