Best email marketing practices for subject lines

March 02, 2023

A good subject line is the first step in an effective email campaign. That’s the first thing that grabs the attention of your customers. So, do your best to make a good impression. 

If you aren’t quite sure how to make a successful email campaign or you’re worried that your subject lines falling flat, or that your subscribers ignoring your emails. Then this article will be of great help to you.

In this article, you’ll discover how to create subject lines that will make your audience click, open, and engage with your emails. We’ll dive into the subject line best practices, including word choice, length, personalization, and more. 

What is a successful subject line

The subject line is the key to success if you’re trying to get people to open your emails. It’s like the trailer for your email–if it’s boring, people won’t bother reading the whole thing. There are around 306 billion emails sent per day, so you have tough competition when you are trying to stand out to people with subject lines.

So, what makes a subject line successful? Three magic words: humor, scarcity, and urgency. These attention-grabbing elements can make people want to read more. But how do you achieve this? 

Here are some tips:

  • Keep it short and sweet so it’s easy to read on any device.
  • Personalize it or make it descriptive to give people a reason to check it out.
  • Use effective keywords like “free,” “available,” or “new.”
  • Use curiosity-inducing subject lines or address pain points and offer solutions.
  • Be straightforward when appropriate.

Remember, it’s essential to consider your audience and test different approaches to see what works best. With these tips in mind, you’re on your way to writing subject lines that get results

4 email marketing practices to create engaging subject lines

A great subject line can mean the difference between getting your email opened or getting it sent straight to the trash folder. For a salesperson, winning a customer and losing one is the difference.

Here’re 4 email marketing practices to make sure your subject line is engaging and effective.

Keep it short and sweet

Long-winded subject lines are a total snooze-fest and less likely to get clicked. That means sticking to around 5-7 words or 50 characters max.

But don’t stop there. Your subject line should also be intriguing, informative, and honest. Nobody likes clickbait, so make sure your subject line accurately reflects what’s in the email. Otherwise, you risk getting reported as spam by 69% of recipients.

How do you create a catchy subject line that hits all the right notes? Just keep your subject lines short and simple, use creative language, and accurately represent the content of your email.  

Make your subject line stand out with a fun, witty twist that makes people want to see what’s inside. Easily craft captivating subject lines with the help of the subject line tester by Omnisend, ensuring your emails always shine in crowded inboxes.

Use limited punctuation to avoid looking like spam

Do you want to ensure your email subject lines aren’t in the spam folder? A tip: keep your punctuation to a minimum! 

Too many exclamation points or question marks can scare off subscribers. Plus, using fewer punctuations can limit your precious subject line to real estate.  Instead, try using all caps for a keyword or adding attention-grabbing language like “important” or “attention.”

Personalize the subject line

Did you know that customized subject lines can boost open rates by 50%? 

Plus, you’ll see a 58% increase in click-to-open rates. Readers are 26% likelier to click on emails with personalized subject lines, so it’s worth the effort. 

But don’t just slap a name on there and call it a day. A good subject line should be personal or descriptive, giving the recipient a clear idea of the email and why it’s valuable to them. 

Use their name to create that personal touch, or throw in an action-oriented verb to make sense of urgency. Just keep it reasonable and justified because thoughtless and blind personalization can have the opposite effect.

Include personal touches

Adding personal touches to your subject lines by mentioning recent purchases or interests of your audience will make you grab their attention instantly.

Think creatively and have fun with it! You can get oddly specific or ask thoughtful questions to show you care. Consider using listicles to make your subject lines more engaging and easy to read. And remember to convey the value of your email. Let the recipient know how they’ll benefit from opening it. Personalizing your subject lines will make your audience feel special and create a deeper connection between you and them.

How does the subject line affect profit and email marketing goals

First, your subject line is the key to a successful email campaign. It’s the first thing your subscribers see, and it’s what determines whether they will open your email or send it straight to the trash bin. 

But that’s not all. Personalizing your subject lines can make a huge difference in your email open rates. Emails with personalized subject lines have a 26% higher available rate than those without. 

So, use your subscribers’ names or any other relevant information you have about them to make your emails stand out in their crowded inboxes.

And when it comes to the length of your subject lines, less is more. Emails with 6-10 words in the subject line have the highest open rate at 21%, while shorter subject lines (1-5 comments) have the next highest available rate at 16%. So, keep it short and sweet, and make every word count.

Optimizing your email marketing subject lines can increase your open rates, click-through rates, and, ultimately, your conversions. This means more sales, more revenue, and more happy customers. 

So, take into account the power of a well-crafted subject line. It can make all the difference in achieving your email marketing goals.

Conclusion

Remember, crafting and converting subject lines is an art. Keep them short, personalized, and attention-grabbing.

Following best practices, you can create subject email lines that grab your attention and make them want to open your emails. In the end, all of this will increase your open rates.

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