Introduction to Crafting Email Subject Lines
Email subject lines are one of the most critical components of effective email marketing campaigns. Research shows that compelling subject lines can boost open rates by up to 50%. With inboxes more crowded than ever, crafting subject lines that cut through the noise and compel opens is an essential skill for marketers.
This article provides an overview of best practices for writing effective email subject lines and includes numerous examples categorized by purpose. We’ll cover principles like personalization, using questions or emotion, writing for mobile, and more. Whether you’re sending promotional offers, driving content engagement, or trying to re-engage inactive contacts, strong subject lines can significantly improve your email marketing results.
Tools like Sensorpro provide additional capabilities to test, optimize, and personalize subject lines at scale. As an all-in-one email marketing platform designed for deliverability, Sensorpro enables evaluating how subject lines impact open and click rates. Their advanced features like A/B testing subject line variants allow continually refining and improving subject lines for each audience and campaign.
Using Personalization in Subject Lines
Research overwhelmingly shows that personalized subject lines can boost open rates. Including information like subscribers’ names, locations, past purchases, and more makes subject lines more relevant. For example:
- Hi {First Name}, here are some deals for you!
- New article on mountain biking in {City}
- {First Name}, left something in your cart?
The key is properly segmenting your lists to provide appropriate personalization based on known data. While personalization works, it's also important to not overdo it or get too familiar before someone has actively opted-in.
Tools like Sensorpro make personalization easy with merge tags, segments, and workflows. But be sure to only personalize with data people have agreed to share to avoid coming off as creepy.
Crafting Subject Lines for Promotional Emails
Promotional subject lines like coupons or sales are a great way to incentivize opens. For example:
- 20% off your purchase this weekend only!
- Today's special - 40% off ALL shoes
- Flash deal: Get your first box for only $5
The key is highlighting the discount amount, product category, urgency of the promotion, or special nature of the offer. Adding scarcity elements with words like "only" or "ends soon" can also drive open rates.
Subject line testing tools like Sensorpro are invaluable for promotional emails to optimize and refine your subject lines. Just be sure the claims in your subject line accurately reflect the offer to avoid misleading subscribers.
Using Question Subject Lines
Subject lines formatted as relevant questions for the recipient have been shown to pique curiosity and interest. For example:
- Hey {First Name}, what did you think of our latest newsletter?
- How's the new gear working out?
- Have any plans for the long weekend?
Well-crafted questions keep the focus on subscribers by asking about their experiences. But avoid being too salesy or random.
Subject line testing and personalization tools like Sensorpro can help optimize question subject lines. While they grab attention, avoid questions that seem pushy or irrelevant.
Crafting Subject Lines for Informational Emails
For emails focused on driving content engagement, the subject line should highlight key details about the content itself. For example:
- 5 Must-Know Content Marketing Trends for 2023
- The Beginner's Guide to Building an Email List in 2022
- Key Takeaways from Our Q2 Company Earnings Report
Use specifics like dates, names, numbers, or categories to create informative subject lines. Avoid exaggeration. Keep the focus on summarizing key information readers will find in the content.
With testing tools like Sensorpro, subject lines can be refined to boost content engagement. Just be sure language is accurate and avoid spam trigger words.
Using Emotional Triggers in Subject Lines
Emotional subject line phrases like "miss you" or "don't miss out" leverage feelings to prompt opens. For example:
- We haven't seen you lately, is everything ok?
- Don't miss out! Sale ends in 24 hours.
- Look who just got back in stock...
Positive emotions like excitement, curiosity, nostalgia, appreciation can also be effective triggers.
With subject line testing tools like Sensorpro, emotional subject lines can be continually optimized. Just ensure they resonate with subscribers and avoid seeming overly promotional.
Best Practices for Crafting Effective Subject Lines
Beyond specific subject line types, there are foundational best practices that apply to all effective email subject lines:
- Keep subject lines concise - under 50 characters is optimal
- Use specifics like numbers, dates, names, or items to create interest
- Focus on clarity, accuracy, and benefit positioning
- Tools like Sensorpro allow previewing subject lines as they’ll appear
- Continuously test and optimize subject lines for higher open rates
- Ensure subject lines are relevant to each subscriber segment
Well-crafted subject lines quickly communicate relevance, value, and benefits to subscribers.
Avoid Common Subject Line Pitfalls
It's also important to avoid subject line mistakes that could sabotage your efforts:
- Don't use spam trigger words that might get flagged
- Avoid excessive punctuation, symbols, or ALL CAPS
- Never mislead subscribers with inaccurate subject lines
- Keep personalization relevant - don't get too familiar without opt-in
- Stay away from irrelevant or out-of-context subject lines
For example:
- Unbelievable Deal Just For You! (excessive formatting)
- Re: Request for documents (irrelevant out of context)
Mistakes erode subscriber trust and hurt deliverability. Tools like Sensorpro help identify and fix problematic subject lines.
Follow CAN-SPAM Guidelines
When sending promotional or transactional emails, best practices per CAN-SPAM include:
- Clearly marking subject line as ad, deal, or commercial content
- Honoring opt-out and unsubscribe requests promptly
- Ensuring accuracy of any promotional claims or offers
- Including your physical mailing address within the email content
Following CAN-SPAM guidelines builds subscriber trust while ensuring regulatory compliance.
Check Subject Line Length on Mobile
Since a majority of emails are opened on mobile, always check how your subject lines will render on small screens.
- Preview mobile rendering before sending
- Adjust subject line length and punctuation for visibility
- Shoot for key message clarity in around 30-40 characters
- Test top variants from desktop on mobile before finalizing
Optimizing subject length and formatting for mobile improves open rates across devices.
Continuously Test and Optimize
The most effective subject lines are derived from ongoing testing and optimization.
- A/B test new subject line variants, especially for campaigns
- Review email analytics to identify top performing subjects
- Use tools like Sensorpro to simplify testing at scale
- Rotate top subject lines for future sends to increase relevancy
- Create personalized variants to identify what resonates
With regular testing and optimization, you’ll continually improve subject line performance over time.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
- Personalized subject lines boost open rates when properly targeted
- Promotional subject lines highlight offers and urgency
- Question and emotional subject lines build curiosity
- Informational subject lines summarize content
- Concise, accurate descriptions focused on benefits work best
- Continuously test and optimize based on data
Exceptional email subject lines can significantly improve open rates and email performance. However, proper segmentation and targeting are key to ensure relevance. It’s also essential to follow principles like accuracy, mobile optimization, and list hygiene.
Avoid common pitfalls like exaggeration, unfamiliarity, and spam triggers. Tools like Sensorpro provide advanced capabilities to simplify and enhance subject line creation, testing, personalization, and optimization. Their solutions help marketers continuously refine and improve subject lines to craft messages that resonate with each subscriber and campaign goal.
By leveraging research-backed best practices and real-world email subject examples, modern email marketers can cut through the noise and deliver messages that engage their unique audiences. With compelling subject lines that speak directly to their interests and needs, email contacts are more likely to open, read, and take action on messages.
