When preparing to send any form of marketing email—whether a newsletter, cart abandonment email, promotion, or other—the subject line is often overlooked. In truth, the subject line is crucial since it is the only chance companies have to persuade recipients to read the letter. If the receiver does not perceive value in the subject line, finds it dull, or believes the letter is nothing more than spam, all of the work spent drafting the email is for nought.
Because marketing emails are such a crucial element of any company’s strategy, it is critical that each subject line stands out from the crowd in an engaging manner. We’ve detailed some fundamental best practises that organisations may adopt to improve the efficacy of their email subject lines below.
Keep it brief and sweet
According to a Marketo research, an email subject line of 41 characters (or 7 words) or less results in best engagement—though you may go slightly longer or shorter and still find decent results. While this may not seem to give much space for you to get your message across, it does compel you to include just the most crucial information and leave out any unnecessary details. Try to remove as many filler words as possible to help make your message more succinct.
Concisely summarise the email’s content
In a limited number of characters, your subject line should convey recipients what’s inside the email. It should neatly convey the primary idea of the message, whether it’s a company statement or a limited-time special offer. There’s no need for puffery here—just inform recipients what they’re going to read so they can determine if it’s worth their time. One key rule of thumb is to compose the email’s content first, then the subject line—this helps you to convey the substance of the message in a short and convincing way.
Make it clear why the recipient should open the email
Put yourself in the position of the receivers and consider why they would want to read your communication in the first place. This activity will help you identify the most compelling reason for consumers to open your email, which will then become your subject line. Is it a reminder about upcoming Christmas shipping deadlines? Is it a good article on how to utilise your product? Is it a notification to check their account? Include language that explains why they should be concerned.
Make the recipient feel valued
Consider the last time you went through your email. How many emails did you disregard because they seemed to be bulk emails sent to 100,000 other people? Attract your recipients’ attention by employing customization, such as their first name, to demonstrate that this communication is intended for them individually. You may also make it seem as though the email is just for them or a limited group of your customers—if a receiver feels singled out in a favourable manner, they are more likely to listen to what you have to say.
Begin with terms that are significant and/or action-oriented
Because it’s impossible to predict how many characters will appear on each recipient’s device or email client, start the subject line with the most crucial terms (i.e., “sale,” “action needed,” etc.) so that they are certain to view at least that section of the message. If you have any leeway, try to make the first word in your subject line action-oriented (i.e., “save,” “open,” etc.) so the receiver feels compelled to act rather than scroll through.
Use a deadline or another date to convey urgency
Creating a feeling of urgency is a terrific approach to motivate people to take action on a variety of projects, and email subject lines are no exception. If your email is offering a deal with an expiry date, include the date (if it’s coming up soon) or a word like “limited-time” (if it’s farther out) to make recipients feel compelled to buy right away. If your email is to register for an event, emphasise that there are just a few spaces left so that recipients are motivated to read the email and learn more.
Avoid seeming too salesy or spammy
Although you want your receivers to be eager about reading your email, don’t overdo it with the subject line. It’s not a good idea to use all capitals (which shows screaming), many exclamation marks (which indicates desperation), or terms like “free” or “act immediately.” Subject lines like this will serve as a reminder to recipients of the hundreds of previous sales emails they’ve received—and ignored. It also raises the likelihood of your email ending up in the spam folder.
Use your imagination when it comes to marketing emails
Because you don’t want your email to seem like every other marketing email in an inbox, don’t be scared to be creative with your email subject line. In order to spark recipients’ attention, ask a question that makes them ponder and desire to learn more, or add a pun. Just make sure your tone is consistent with your brand identification so recipients aren’t confused about whether your company sent the email or not.
Don’t overlook the preview text!
While the subject line is the major attraction in everyone’s inbox, the preview text may also be a useful approach to provide extra information that draws the recipient’s attention. Follow the same criteria as above to guarantee that your preview text is effective—include the most crucial terms first, remind readers why they should open the email, make it customised, and so on. Just make sure the most important information is placed in the subject line, since it is much more noticeable.
Last Thoughts
Investing appropriate time and thought into your subject line is a must if you want your emails to be sent to—and opened by—your intended audience. By following the guidelines above, you can guarantee that your subject line is intriguing while also persuading readers that your email is worth their time to read.
