As a business owner, you understand how valuable your email list can be. And it’s important to make sure you are sending emails that are timely, newsworthy, and, most importantly, read by the recipients.
While any email with good content will do well in your audience’s inboxes, it is important to pay special attention to the email subject line and how you can make it more effective. Here are a few tips to ensure your email subject lines attract the readers you need and deserve.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Short and sweet should always be the aim when it comes to email subject lines, as this helps to ensure the reader receives a clear and concise message. Keep the subject line short, up to 25 characters if possible, focusing on the main concept of the email.
Avoid using overly lengthy, flowery language that can confuse the recipient; be brief and specific, and any confusion or misunderstandings are less likely to occur.
Utilizing phrases like ‘time-sensitive,'” urgent,’ ‘action needed,’ or ‘FYI’ can help to communicate the importance of the communication to the recipient, in addition to being short and sweet in the subject line.
For those emails requiring a response, the subject line should clearly state this. Be wary of capitalizing each word; it can appear ‘shouty’ to the reader.
Aim for clarity above all else. Employing these writing tips in an effective email subject line will heighten the chances of getting noticed and your message responding to efficiently.
Use Keywords That Will Grab the Attention
An effective email subject line is key to helping the receiver understand what the email is about and whether they should open it. By including keywords relevant to your email in the subject line, you can help to grab the reader’s attention.
Try to include action words that pertain to the content of your email, as this will help to get the reader’s attention. When creating the subject line for any particular email, try to be concise, with about six words or fewer.
However, use words that contain the impact yet are still relevant. Also, don’t forget to proofread the subject line to ensure that it is accurate before you send the email.
Using keywords to grab the attention of the reader will help to get them to open the email, increasing your chances of conveying the message you want to send.
Use Active Language
An effective email subject line should use active language to grab the reader’s attention. Instead of using a passive phrase such as “Subject for consideration,” be more direct and specific: “Consider new plans for our next event.”
Be concise and clear in what the email is about so the reader knows exactly what they are going to read in the body of the email. When possible, use action words like “Choose,” “Improve,” or “Discover” to engage the reader and emphasize the goal of the email.
When appropriate, consider setting a deadline to prompt the reader to take action. A subject line that includes the recipient’s name, such as “[Name], let’s plan for our next event,” can also be used to grab attention and increase readability.
Make It Specific
A clear and specific subject line will let the recipient know immediately what the email is about, resulting in a far higher chance of your message being opened and read. A vague or generic subject line can lead to confusion or being marked as spam.
Make sure to give the recipient enough information about the email’s content but keep it concise. Do research on the company to assess its tone and culture, then compose something that follows the style guidelines.
A well-crafted, specific subject line should effectively communicate your message and show the importance of the email. It’s a necessary yet often overlooked element of successful email marketing.
Ask a Question
If you are using an email to ask a question, you should make sure the subject line of your email is effective and catches the attention of the reader.
It should not be too long, but it should still be descriptive enough that the reader knows what the email is about. A useful technique is to start your subject line with “question,” as this will make it more noticeable.
You should then briefly summarize the question at hand. For example: “Question: Can you provide information on XYZ?”. By doing this, you are more likely to elicit a response, as people are more likely to open an email with a clear indication of the purpose.
An effective email subject line is one that accurately reflects the content of the email, is specific enough to let the recipient know what the email is about, and is interesting enough to entice the recipient to open it.
Make it Informative
Start by catching the attention of the reader with a brief yet pertinent subject line that clearly states what the email is about. This can include using action verbs to create a sense of urgency and keep the message from being overlooked.
The subject line should provide the reader with enough information to have a basic knowledge of the content without giving anything away.
Create Urgency
Create urgency in your email subject line by clearly demonstrating why the recipient should open the email now rather than later. Identify a key benefit of the email and incorporate it in the subject line to create a sense of urgency.
Use phrases like “Hurry, limited time offer,” or “Last chance to grab it.” Use language that encourages the reader to act quickly, such as “Don’t miss out” or “Act fast.”
When possible, include an end date or time that the offer expires to create a greater sense of urgency. Also, keep the subject line as short and direct as possible so that the recipient knows exactly what they should expect before they even open the email.
Test Different Subject Lines
When it comes to testing different subject lines, the best approach is to craft several possible options and assess each for key components such as length, impact, clarity, and relevance. Always keep it concise and direct.
Consider using personalization tokens if your audience is large and/or personalized. Last, use actionable language to provoke a response from the recipients. Try to be creative and think of something interesting that could grab their attention.
If you plan to track email results, A/B testing is a great way to determine the efficacy of different subject lines. Try sending the same email with different subject lines to a sample of your audience to find out which one resonates better with them.
Knowing how to write an effective email subject line will help you gain the most optimal results from your campaigns.
Make Use of Tools
When it comes to writing tricks for effective email subject lines, it is important to make the most of the available tools. Tools like email subject line checklists can provide guidance. It gives ideas on how to write titles that grab attention and convey the message of the email.
Tools like search engine optimization (SEO) tools can be used to improve the visibility of emails in search engine results. Tools such as A/B testing and online surveys can also be used to get feedback on subject lines, enabling you to hone them before sending.
As such, making effective use of such tools to gather information and ideas can play a significant role in improving the impact of email subject lines.
Don’t Use Capital Letters
When writing an effective email subject line, it is important to avoid using all capital letters. Doing so can make the content sound too aggressive as if the writer is merely shouting instead of making a request or communicating important information.
It is best to stick to sentence cases or capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns. The subject should clearly and succinctly state the main point of the email.
Writing content that is overly long, vague, or unclear can be confusing and turn away potential readers. Focus on making the email subject line unique and memorable. This will help increase the chance of receiving prompt replies and getting the message out correctly.
Steer Clear of Generic Phrases
When writing email subject lines, it is important to avoid generic phrases like “Hey” or “Check this out.” This type of language is not clear and can be seen as unprofessional. Instead, focus on being specific and to the point.
Try to include the reason why the recipient should open the email in the subject line. If you are sending an email to announce a new product, you can use a subject line such as: “Introducing [product name] – the best value on the market!”
This line immediately conveys the purpose of the email and the reason why it should be opened. You can also use questions or powerful adjectives to grab the recipient’s attention.
Don’t Use Misleading or Clickbait-Y Headlines
Such headlines detract from the overall content of the email and create a negative impression of the sender. A good email should be concise and to the point, respecting the time of the recipient.
An effective subject line should be direct and convey the purpose of the email. It should include some words about the content, goal, or action required by the recipient in the email.
Utilizing action verbs such as ‘submit,’ ‘confirm,’ or ‘review’ can help to make the subject line succinct and to the point. The subject line should encourage the recipient to open the email but should be honest, not misleading, and not sound like a ‘Clickbait’ headline.
Use a Strong Call-To-Action
By utilizing a call to action that can explain the importance of a situation and its urgency, you give customers a reason to act. A strong call to action should focus on an outcome that customers want, such as a discount, reward, or access to something exclusive.
It should also be unambiguous – one that is simple, specific, and demands an immediate response. The call to action should be brief and concise, with language that is easily understood by the target audience.
Proofread Your Email
Carefully reviewed emails come across as professional, direct, and clear. Paying attention to the small details in emails will make a huge difference. It is important to read your email out loud; this helps you to catch any typos or grammar errors you have made.
It is also important to take your time and read through your email multiple times to ensure accuracy. It is beneficial to have another person review your email after you have done the initial read-through. A fresh set of eyes can often catch mistakes you have not.
It is also important to double-check your spelling and punctuation, especially when writing a professional email answer. No one appreciates convoluted emails clogged with errors. Make sure to review your email first before sending it to keep the quality of what you are writing. This helps you to send a clear and concise message that will be understood.
Learn to Write the Best Subject Line Starting Today
Writing an effective email subject line is a great way to stand out from the crowd and make sure that your message gets read. By using keywords, personalization, and urgency, you can craft a compelling subject line for any type of email.
With some practice, you will be able to write effective and attention-grabbing subject lines in no time!
