6 Tips to Write Email Subject Lines That Convert
June 28, 2022 - by Themba Mahlangu - 7 min read
Did you know that
64% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line
alone? This underscores the critical role that subject lines play in email marketing. A compelling subject line can make or break your email’s open rate. Let’s explore how to write converting email subject lines that will spark your reader’s interest.
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6 Actionable Tips for Email Subject Lines That Make Readers Click
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- Create a Sense of Urgency and Excitement
To make your email subject lines stand out, consider using actionable verbs that inspire urgency and excitement. These verbs can make your subject line more compelling and increase the likelihood of your email being opened. Here are some examples:
“Improve”: This word suggests growth and progress, which can be very appealing. For example, “Improve Your Marketing Skills with Our Free Webinar.”
“Discover”: This word suggests the promise of gaining new knowledge or insights. For example, “Discover the Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs.”
“Join”: This word creates a sense of community and belonging. For example, “Join Our Exclusive Networking Event.”
“Get”: This word is direct and to the point, suggesting the recipient will receive something. For example, “Get Your Free E-book Today.”
“Save”: This word appeals to those who are cost-conscious. For example, “Save 50% on Our New Course.”
Remember, the subject line should be relevant to the content of the email. Misleading subject lines can lead to high unsubscribe rates. Also, keep the subject line short and (if you can) avoid using spammy words, such as “free” or “win”, as these can trigger spam filters.
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- Use Power Words
Power words are words that evoke emotion and can help to make your email subject line more catchy. They can create a sense of urgency, curiosity, or excitement, encouraging the recipient to open the email. Here are some examples of power words and how you can use them in your email subject lines:
“Amazing”: This word can create a sense of wonder and curiosity. For example, “
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Amazing
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Tips to Boost Your Productivity.”
“Fearless”: This word can evoke a sense of courage and determination. For example, “Become a
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Fearless
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Public Speaker with Our Course.”
“Boost”: This word suggests improvement and growth. For example, “
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Boost
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Your Sales with Our Proven Strategies.”
“Epic”: This word can create a sense of grandeur and adventure. For example, “
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Join
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Our Epic Adventure Tour.”
“Conquer”: This word can evoke a sense of power and victory. For example, “
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Conquer
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Your Fears with Our Self-Help Guide.”
“Elite”: This word can create a sense of exclusivity and superiority. For example, “Join Our
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Elite
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Membership Club.”
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- Use Relevant Keywords
When crafting your email subject lines, it’s crucial to use keywords that are relevant to your email’s content. This not only ensures that your message is clear and not misleading, but it also helps in making your email more searchable.
For instance, if your email is about a new product launch, you might want to include the words “new product” or the name of the product in the subject line. This way, when your recipient is searching through their inbox for information about new products, your email is more likely to appear in their search results.
Moreover, using relevant keywords can also help prevent your email from being marked as spam. Many email providers have spam filters that flag emails with misleading subject lines. By accurately reflecting the email’s content in the subject line, you can minimize the likelihood of it being categorized as spam by the recipient’s email system.
Here are a few examples:
If your email is about a discount offer, you could use a subject line like, “Save 20% on your next purchase.”
If your email is about a webinar, your subject line could be, “Join our free webinar on digital marketing.”
If your email is about a company update, you could use a subject line like, “Exciting updates from [Your Company Name].”
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- Be Personal
Personalization can significantly increase the open rates of your emails. When a recipient sees their name or a personal reference in the subject line, it can make them feel like the email was specifically crafted for them. This can increase the likelihood of recipients to open the email and engage with its content.
One simple way to personalize your email subject lines is by using the recipient’s name. Most email marketing platforms allow you to automatically insert the recipient’s name into the subject line. For example, “John, check out these new products we think you’ll love.”
Another way to personalize your subject lines is by referencing a recent purchase or interaction. For example, if a recipient recently purchased a laptop from your online store, you could send them an email with a subject line like, “How’s
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your new laptop, John? Here are some tips to get the most out of it.”
You can also use personal pronouns like “you” and “your” to make your subject lines feel more personal. For example, “Your exclusive offer is waiting.”
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- Keep It Short
In the sea of emails that flood inboxes every day, simplicity and clarity are your best allies. Aim to keep your subject lines concise and to the point, ideally under 50 characters. This ensures that your subject line doesn’t get cut off on mobile devices and makes it easier for your recipients to quickly understand what your email is about.
For example, instead of “Check out our latest collection of summer dresses now available in our online store,” you could say, “New Summer Dresses Now Available!” By breaking down your subject line into a clear, easy-to-read format, you increase the chances of your email being noticed and opened.
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- Test Different Subjects Lines
Testing different subject lines can help you figure out what works best for your audience. This process, often referred to as A/B testing, involves sending two versions of an email with different subject lines to a small portion of your audience. You then track which version gets a higher open rate and use that subject line for the rest of your audience.
Here are some elements you could test in your subject lines:
Capital Letters: Using capital letters can make your subject line stand out in an inbox. However, it’s important to use them sparingly to avoid coming across as shouting. For example, you could test “Get your free e-book today” versus “GET your FREE e-book TODAY”.
Emojis: Emojis can add a fun, personal touch to your subject lines and help them stand out. However, not all audiences may appreciate or respond well to them. You could test a subject line with and without emojis, such as “Save 50% on our new course
🎉
” versus “Save 50% on our new course”.
Personalization: As mentioned earlier, personalization can significantly increase open rates. You could test a generic subject line against a personalized one, such as “Check out our new products” versus “John, check out our new products we think you’ll love”.
Offers: If you’re promoting a special offer or discount, you could test different ways of framing it. For example, “Save 20% on your next purchase” versus “Get 20% off your next purchase”.
Remember, what works best can vary greatly depending on your specific audience and the context of your email. Therefore, it’s important to continually test and refine your subject lines based on your audience’s response.
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Conclusion
Crafting compelling email subject lines requires a deep understanding of your audience, a talent for writing engaging content, and a willingness to experiment and adapt. By incorporating a sense of urgency, using powerful words and relevant keywords, personalizing your approach, keeping it concise, and continually testing your strategies, you can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts.
Remember, the subject line is your first impression in the inbox. It’s your opportunity to spark the interest of your recipients. So, invest the time and thought necessary to make your subject lines as compelling as possible. The success of your email marketing campaigns depends on it.