The subject lines of an email are the first contact email subscribers make to you about your campaign. A catchy subject line in an email can encourage readers to click, open and buy. A catchy subject line can get half the recipients to open email content. Nearly 70% of recipients also report receiving spam emails.
However, a poor email subject line can turn customers off, and your brand may be moved to the spam folder. Your campaigns won't be worth anything if your target audiences don't see the content.
Email newsletter marketers need to create catchy subject lines each time. There are no exceptions. Although it takes more effort, this can increase your open rates and click-throughs, spread brand awareness, and even prevent the spam (or trash) folder. ).
7 Ingredients To Create A Conversion Subject Line
Email marketing is widely used across all industries. The average open rate for email marketing was 21%, with 30- 40% higher than that average. This statistic can be improved by choosing the right subject line for your email marketing campaigns.
It takes only a few ingredients. These ingredients can be referred to as your spice rack. Although you don't have to use all of them, they can yield amazing results combined.
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Personalization
Marketers can now use customer data to provide the best possible customer experience. Email subject lines do not have to be dull. Personalization gives readers the sense of belonging and importance they desire.
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Benefit
Many people want to know the contents of marketing emails before they open them. This question can be answered in the subject line of your email. If you hint at it, your audience will be more likely to accept freebies, discounts or other information.
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Relevance
Subscribers receive emails to stay informed, learn about brands and topics, and get sweet discounts. This is a great way to attract clicks. Create subject email lines that relate to customers' lives and current topics.
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Urgency
FOMO (fear and obsession with missing out) is a common condition. You can help readers overcome their itch by communicating urgency and offering a solution. Perhaps you set a deadline or countdown to the event. This tactic should not be used in excess. If you don't, your urgent emails will be "just another Tuesday".
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Intrigue
Subject lines for emails can be effective in part because recipients get benefits. Sometimes they work because they provide a mystery or an answer readers need to solve.
Personalized email subject lines that seem intriguing often have higher open rates because readers must click to satisfy curiosity.
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Celebrity Branding
To increase clicks, you can add the name of a relevant celebrity to your subject line. Name recognition is the reason for this. People want to know where they are at all times. This email marketing strategy should not be used unless it aligns with your brand. You don't need to use well-known names just for recognition.
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Engaging Previews
Previews should not be in your subject line. However, they are equally important. You can see the content of your email through the preview text. This is a great way to increase depth and interest in your topic area.
Best Email Subject Line
Every email marketing automation serves a purpose. This should be reflected in your email subject lines.
These best practices will allow you to maximize your online marketing efforts, even though your subject lines might change in tone, style, and direction.
If you have one, identify the CTA
Each email subject doesn't need to include a call-to-action, but all emails do.
Let recipients know why they should read it, including your CTA in the subject line.
Segment Your Lists
Email Marketers email all their subscribers. This can sometimes cause more confusion than clicks. You don't just show that you don't know your readers if you send a list of the best "local" bars to someone living 3,000 miles away. This is important to remember when creating your highly personalized subject line.
Personalization Tokens
Tokens for appreciation are something you may have heard of. Let's now talk about tokens for personalization. Research shows that subject email lines that include the recipient's first and last names can increase clickthrough rates.
It doesn't have to be named. It's possible to establish a relationship with people, places and companies. It is important not to get too personal. You could come across as creepy. Every once in a while, you can make small but occasional changes.
Avoid Spam Traps
Readers may send you to the spam box if they see too many subject lines. You can send the subject line directly to the spam folder, or the spam filter can do it automatically.
These include:
- Loud punctuation (LIKE ALL CAPS) and lots of exclamation marks
- Multiple types of punctuation may be used in the same subject !?*-/! }{
- Clickbait language or aggressive sales ("FREE!" "Buy now!" "Make $$$$ Today!"
- Strange spacing issues
- Fonts that are difficult to read or require special attention
- In your email copy, make false or misleading statements
Instead of focusing on "unique" promotional styles, you should offer expertise, information, and even wit to build real connections.
Good Timing of Your Emails
Determining when your audience will most likely act on your emails is crucial. It is crucial to know when your email messages are being sent. You can even go further using "timed subject lines to email"!
A food magazine might send an email with the subject "The Best Drinks in [City] Tonight" just before happy hour. This would get you more clicks than waiting until midnight.
Be Unique, But Brand-Aware
Effective subject lines can only be created by understanding your audience and brand. Your brand's strengths should be highlighted in your email subject lines.
Don't be afraid to put your company name on the internet to build trust and engagement. It is important to be open to taking risks.
It is often difficult for readers to distinguish between what is meaningful and what is annoying. Finding your happy place, having fun, and creating a niche is possible.
Tips to Write Great Subject Lines
It is the art of creating subject lines that convert. It takes practice and testing. These tips can help you find your voice.
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Get Inspired by Successful Email Subject Lines.
We often look at examples to get ideas when stumped about what to write in our subject lines. We can get ideas from clever wordplay and emojis in our favorite newsletters. We've collected 100 examples of subject email lines real businesses use to help you get started. We hope you will be as inspired.
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Keep It Brief And Sweet
Email subject lines that are too long will be truncated, especially on mobile devices. We advise against using subject lines longer than 50 characters in emails because up to 46% of email openings occur on mobile devices. This will make sure that everyone who reads your email does so completely.
By concentrating on the phrases that are most crucial and eliminating extraneous information, you can shorten the length of your subject lines. Wouldn't it be preferable to say "Your order is being dispatched" rather than "Order #9435893458358" when emailing an order confirmation?
Regular emails also fall under this category. The phrases "update" and "newsletter" in your subject line waste time. As they alert recipients that the email is part of a series and that they can read the next one, studies suggest that these words may reduce open rates.
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Use A Familiar Sender's Name
Name recognition applies to everyone; it's not just to the well-known. When entering the sender's name, be as truthful as you can. People's first impressions of Olivia@yourcompany.com when they open their inboxes are welcoming and unthreatening.
Please use your name as the address if you have already spoken with your intended audience. This is true even if the company as a whole sent the email. If your consumers perceive that you are collaborating with them rather than the entire business, they will be most impressed.
It doesn't really matter what the subject line says if the "from" name does not sound like it is from someone you would like to hear from, according to Joanna Wiebe of Copy Hacker. People are time-constrained and won't try to converse with you if it isn't casual or friendly.
Read More: Ten Trends in Email Marketing for 2022
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Avoid the 'No Reply' Sender Name
Because they receive so much spam, most people are reluctant to open emails from senders they don't know. Fewer individuals still like conversing with machines. Consider calling a business and not being able to reach anyone. I know it's frustrating. Email is impacted as well.
Use "noreply@company.com" at no time. Do not use this email address, I say again. It makes it less personable and stops people from adding it to their address books.
Avoid using an email address that is not unique, and instead, send the email to someone you know. We found emails from " were more likely to be received than those sent from "."
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Personalization Tokens are a Great Option
Keep in mind that customization. Use personalization cues in the subject line to establish rapport, like your name or address. If it's a name, this is especially true. Everyone enjoys how their name sounds. Moreover, clickthrough rates are raised. According to research, email subject lines that include the receiver's first name are more likely to be clicked on than those that do not.
Use subject lines tailored to the recipient's area, such as a list of their favorite outdoor pubs or eateries, as a successful personalisation method.
Avoid becoming too intimate. This has a spooky quality. These subtle, sometimes scary personal touches let people know you care about them beyond their email addresses. If personalization tokens are impossible or desired, you can still sound like you are speaking personally to the recipient by using the pronouns "you" and "your."
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Segment Your Lists
Email campaigns distributed to all your contacts may be interesting and valuable to some but not everyone, which could cause confusion and annoyance. Even though I am a vegetarian, why would this establishment provide me with suggestions for nearby steakhouses? Why was the company sending me case studies when I signed up for its email list last night?
You may tailor your offerings to each consumer by using information from previous actions, such as the forms your customers have completed, their industries, and their preferences. Using list segmentation in email marketing enables you to customize the experience for your recipients.
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Don't Make False Promises
Your email's title makes a promise concerning the message you'll send to your readers. To get your email opened, you must be sincere and refrain from making empty promises. Your viewers will become irritated by this and doubt your subject lines. Lower open rates and a greater unsubscribe rate are the results.
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Tell Them What's In Your Heart
Speaking of promises, you should use a subject line like "Your new ebook inside!" if your visitor downloaded an offer. The phrase "Your guide awaits!" This makes it evident that there is the content inside the email, which is preferable to just saying "Thank you!"
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It's Important To Time It Correctly
Emailing at the right time and with the right subject line can significantly affect your open and click-through rates. A good illustration? An email titled "Where to Drink Beer Now" is sent at 6:45 PM on a Wednesday, just in time for happy hour. It was flawless.
Another well-known illustration is the email from Warby Parker with the subject, "Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring." It was sent two weeks before the recipient's prescription renewal deadline. By sending emails at the proper time, Warby Parker enhanced the likelihood that they would be opened. Also, there was a suggestion to replace your spectacles.
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Use Concise Language
Remember that people scan emails quickly, so being succinct and clear is crucial. Unless you aim to entice readers with an enigmatic subject tone, it is preferable to be succinct rather than use sophisticated and flowery language.
Consider how your email will benefit the recipients when writing a succinct subject line. This advantage ought to be crystal clear. Saying "Boost your open rate by 50% today" is more enticing than "How can you increase open rates?"
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Begin with Action-Oriented Verbs
In that they are designed to entice users to click, subject lines and calls to action are comparable. Subject lines are less enticing than action verbs. A strong verb at the beginning of your emails will increase clickability.
If your emails have a captivating subject line that exudes urgency and enthusiasm, people will click on them. Instead of "Dine with Bruins icon Bobby Orr" or "Local Boston Sports Legend Dinner," which are more general and less actionable, an email inviting recipients to dinner with hockey star Bobby Orr can include the subject line "Dine with Bobby Orr." The word "Dine" was included in the email to let readers picture themselves at a dining table.
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Make People Feel Special
It is powerful to believe in the psychology of exclusivity. People feel more connected when they feel inside. This builds loyalty and encourages them to open your emails.
Your recipients will feel special if you use the right words. Here are some examples of phrasing:
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"For Our Dear Customers Only"
- "An exclusive deal for you"
- "My gift for you"
- "You're invited!"
- "Private invite"
- Give yourself a sense of significance.
"Act now!" is a term many of us are familiar with.
While we don't advise utilizing this precise terminology in your content, we concur that it might be useful in email subject lines conveying urgency and scarcity to force readers to click (or take action). But when applied cleverly and deliberately. Your brand shouldn't be known as "the brand that screamed wolf." Employ these topic lines sparingly and only when compelled to take immediate action.
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Use Numbers
Several companies send emails with ambiguous subject lines. Because of this, using statistics and figures in your emails is an excellent method to get them to read. Use data and numbers to clearly communicate your service and establish expectations.
Like blog headlines, effective email marketing best practices include employing numbers in the subject line. Numbers can describe your subject line, the number of pages, or the quantitative value of a resource. Join more than 750 people at this event, for instance!
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Pose A Compelling Question
People may be drawn in by a query in the subject line, especially if it is pertinent to the buyer persona of your recipient. This is one technique to pique the already mentioned curiosity. Try asking yourself, "Are these SEO errors?" "Are you aware of the issues with your website?"
What Can You Afford? was the subject of an email from Zillow once. You were directed to a website with rental flats by clicking the link. This topic line is both competitive and uplifting. The knowledge that affordable apartments are an option encourages you. Yet, it also contrasts the options available on the market.
DocuSign provides yet more illustration. Late in the lead nurturing process, DocuSign sent an email with the subject, "What are your customers telling you?" The body of the email included a number of case studies that were supposed to help the recipient decide whether or not to buy DocuSign. This was a wise choice because those further down the funnel are more inclined to pay attention to customer reviews.
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Do Not be Afraid to Go Punny
Good puns are quite popular. This is a fantastic method to make your receivers happy and liven up your email.
One of Quirky's invention-focused platform's email subject line read, "Abracord-abra!" Indeed, we did just that. The second section is conversational, self-referential, and similar to what most people would say after making an incredibly bad joke.
It's not necessary to be overly snarky. If you desire, there are a few ways to smuggle them into your correspondence. Never do it too frequently. Always consult a colleague if you are unsure.
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DON'T use ALL CAPS!!
The subject line "OPEN NOW TO RECEIVE A FREE TRY" or "50% Discount Coupon Today!!!!!!!!" should not be used. Your email is not likely to be opened. Your email will likely be rejected as a result.
Why? Why? These strategies look spammy and disruptive. Personalize them, create relevancy, and use catchy, wonderful language to make your email stand out instead of employing disruptive strategies like these.
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Do Not Include An Exclamation And A Question In The Same Subject
Here is an illustration of a subject line that will be put into the recipient's spam folder immediately: "You're looking for a quick fix. Go ahead!"
In the aforementioned illustration, the issue is not a simple fix. Despite the fact that those are well-known email marketing spam terms, it is not "act immediately." You can combine the two words. This is a common email sabotage tactic that can take many different shapes. All you have to do is simultaneously ask and shout.
Web Servers often flag spam emails if they include an exclamation and a question mark in the subject line. This is a typical instance. Is there a better solution? This is a bad idea!
This format is not only overdone but also alienates your audience. It's a sign of ignorance. Any good marketer is more knowledgeable than open-ended questions.
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Use Engaging Preview Text
Although preview text isn't technically in your subject line, it appears near it and deserves your attention.
Preview text allows recipients to see the contents of your email. Email clients like the iPhone Mail app and Gmail will display the content alongside the subject line. The exact amount of text displayed depends on the email client used and the user's settings.
The email client will pull the body of your email if you don't specify the preview text. This can make your email look messy, depending on the content of your email. It's also a missed opportunity to engage your audience.
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You can A/B-test Your Subject Lines
These tips and best practices can be a great starting point, but what works for one company may not work for another. It all comes down to figuring out which approach works best for you. A/B Testing /split testing is where it all comes in.
Although it is tempting to guess what subject line language will get people to click on your emails using intuition, you should always A/B-test your most important subject lines and adjust the wording based on your results. Which subject line works best for you? Include numbers or not? Questions or statements?
Key Takeaways
An email subject line that is clear and concise can make or break an email campaign. You must test the subject matter of A/B Testing often. Keep testing the winner against another competitor. Never stop learning. Personalization is a key foundation for a subject line with high open rates. Ask questions if you're not sure if your question works. Avoid shocking subject lines.
