Writing Compelling Subject Lines

How to Create Subject Lines That Get Emails Opened

Writing compelling subject lines is an essential skill in email marketing. Your subject line is the first thing a reader sees. It can either make them open your email or ignore it. This means it has to be clear, interesting, and relevant.

To craft a good subject line, keep it short and simple. Most phones and email apps show only 40 to 50 characters, so you need to get your message across quickly. Avoid long words and complicated phrases.

Make sure your subject line tells the reader exactly what to expect inside the email. If your message seems unclear or misleading, people will lose trust and stop opening your emails.

Tips for Writing Subject Lines That Work

1. Use action words that invite the reader to do something, like “Save”, “Discover”, or “Learn”.
2. Personalise the subject line by including the reader’s name or something relevant to them.
3. Ask a question to spark curiosity or interest.
4. Create a sense of urgency or scarcity, but be honest. For example: “Only 2 days left to join!”
5. Avoid spammy words like “Free”, “Guarantee”, or excessive punctuation such as multiple exclamation marks.
6. Use numbers and lists, e.g. “5 tips for better emails”.

Testing your subject lines is very important. Try sending different versions to small groups in your target audience and see which one gets more opens. This method is called A/B testing. It helps you learn what works best for your readers.

Remember to review your subject lines on different devices. Sometimes they look fine on a computer, but get cut off on a mobile phone. Make sure the main message shows well everywhere.

Finally, your subject line should match the tone of the email content. If your email is friendly and helpful, the subject line should sound the same. This builds confidence and makes readers want to engage with your emails again.

By focusing on writing compelling subject lines, you improve your chances of getting your emails opened and read. This leads to better results for your email marketing campaigns.