The Importance of Using an Informative Subject Line in an Email

Thirty-five percent of email recipients click open an email solely based on the subject line. Therefore, it’s a great practice to ensure that your campaigns’ emails are aligned with the criteria of a good subject line, so that users are persuaded to open and view your email. In the following passage, you will find some valuable tips for writing a good subject line.

KEEP IT SHORT, STRAIGHTFORWARD YET CATCHY

Long subject lines get cut off, especially when the email is being viewed on a smartphone. Research shows that about 40% of all emails are viewed on smartphones or tablets; this means that the subject lines need to be cut short to less than 50 characters.

Would you be able to find ways to keep the subject lines short? Remove words of less value. For example, the word “Newsletter” showed a decreased open rate of up to 18.7% as compared to the other more attractive words in the subject line. If you’re researching on how to shorten your subject line, then try subject line tester. Such software helps you test your potential subject line and inform how good they may be.

INCORPORATE SOME LOCALIZATION

Every user wants to witness that the emails are relevant to their interests. By including words that relate to their local area or neighbourhood, chances are that the open rate will be relatively higher.

CUSTOMIZE THE NAME OF THE SENDER

Users are more likely to click open an email when they are sent from a recognized or familiar name. The open rates of such emails have proved to be higher than sending an email from a unique, unknown name.

CLEARLY STATE THE PURPOSE OF THE EMAIL

Please just avoid the temptation to suppress the actual subject of your email. Users will be disappointed if they open your email and discover that their expectations aren’t fulfilled. A study shows that the best subject lines are those that clearly state what’s inside the email, whereas the worst subject lines are those that focus on selling the products mentioned inside the email. Connecting with the users is essential to achieve a higher open rate.

BEGIN WITH ACTION-ORIENTED VERBS

Action verbs make an email more tempting, and emails naturally become more enticing if a vibrant verb is added at the start. Actionable subject lines will encourage people to click on your email by introducing urgency and thrill. For instance, consider these two subject lines: “Join us for a fantastic experience at our mall-11 am to 11 pm” is more effective than “Mall is open from 11 am to 11 pm”. The first one gives a sense of urgency and valuable experience, whereas the second one communicates little experience and no call to action.

PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL SPECIAL

Exclusivity is a great motivator, especially for the high-priced market segments. It is natural for people to feel more connected to a group relating to their background. This sense of belonging helps decrease barriers and encourages users to click open your email. For instance, you can phrase your subject line like “For selected clients only,” or “A pre-market offer only for an exclusive group.”

SOUND URGENT

Email marketers realized that subject lines with a sense of urgency resulted in 22% higher open rates. Using deadlines that communicate scarcity can encourage users to act now instead of leaving it for a later date.

USE NUMBERS

It's best practice to use numbers in the subject line as they give more detail and insight into the topic under consideration. Adding vague statements in the subject line is a big NO because this only results in a lower open rate. A killer combo would be to use data and numbers along with localized details. For instance, an event announcement email can have a subject line like “Meet 200 companies in our next career fair”.

AVOID THE FOLLOWING WORDS AT ANY COST

It would be best if you were very careful with the words you use. Several words need to be avoided while writing a subject line. The following words are a big NO: “perfect,” “Awesome,” “wonderful,” “% Off,” “Free,” “Deal,” etc. Also, do remember to remove the exclamation mark “!!!” from the subject line because it is not as effective as one may think of it to be.