First impressions are everything, and you can be sure that your recipients judge your emails based on their subject lines. They may be the smallest part of your message, but they are absolutely essential to sparking the interest of your readers and increasing your open rates. So, make it stand out. Start by following these 8 tips to make your subject line shine:
Keep it short and sweet. Though it may be difficult to make your point in fewer words, some of our industry colleagues say that your subject line should be 50 words or less in order to effectively get your point across. At Flair, we say that an email subject line with even fewer words is probably better.
Make it clear. Don’t use overly flowery, complex language. Clarity is much more important. Make your point clear.
Don’t make false promises. Don’t try to trick your audience into opening your email. This will turn them off, and it may even inspire them to click unsubscribe.
Stop readers in their tracks. Urgency is an effective way to get your readers to stop and read your message. Headlines like, “24 hour giveaway” or “today only” will encourage your subscribers to take immediate action.
Send at the right time. Sending the right subject line at the right time of day is key. For example, if you send an email with information about a seminar that starts at 9:00 a.m. on a Thursday, but don’t send it until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, you probably won’t see much of a turnout, as there was little to no notice.
Use numbers. Numbers are always eye-catching, so use them in your subject line. People are drawn to numbered lists, like “5 Reasons You’re Not Drawing Traffic” or “Top 10 Reasons to Up Your SEO Game.” Opt for numerical form over spelling out the words five, ten, or whatever number you’re using.
Ask a question in your subject line. Questions are engaging and prompt your readers to click. For example, “Are You Making These Marketing Mistakes?”
Don’t overuse capitalization. It doesn’t create urgency; it can actually turn your audience away. In a digital environment, caps give the impression of screaming. You definitely don’t want to approach your subscribers this way.
Remember, if your emails aren’t even being seen, your message is not getting across. You already know that you have great content worth sharing, so don’t lose your audience to a bad subject line.
We love email marketing so much, we even have a book about it! Check it out:
