How to write email subject lines that get your emails opened (10 strategies included)
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 4:07 am
Email subject lines have one and one job only – to get your email opened.
So, why do so many subject lines fail at that one job? There are many reasons (some beyond our control, like the sheer number of emails in the inbox we’re competing with.) So, what do good email subject lines look like?
Let’s look at the ways to improve your chances of getting that email opened – because, luckily, there are some.
Why is the email subject line so important?
An average email inbox might look something like this:
Image showing the different email subject lines in the email inbox.
All the email subject lines in an email inbox (in this case, my own inbox, to be precise)
Now, take a closer look at that image, I probably don’t have to tell you what it takes for your email to even get seen by your email recipients – let alone opened. And yet, marketers writing their emails and subject lines rarely have this very view in mind. (Do you?)
It’s almost like sometimes, you just write phone number database anything in your subject line and hope for the best.
And no, it’s not an effective strategy (but we’ll talk about some more effective ones good email subject lines use in a minute.)
Next to the sender name and the right timing of your email, the subject line (maybe supported a little by the preview text, a.k.a. the preheader) is what gets your audience excited or interested enough to open your email:
A good subject line grabs readers’ attention in the first place, standing out in the sea of other email subject lines.
Best email subject lines also hint at whether clicking to see what’s inside is really worth their time.
And that’s basically it. No need to summarize your email or squeeze in as much as you can (which will get cut off anyway, especially on mobile devices.)
And in doing all that, it probably goes without saying that subject lines have a significant impact on your email open rates. (Though, if you ask me, numbers are secondary to the actual impact you’re making with your email and subject line, if you know what I mean.)
So, here are some optimization strategies you can use to improve the effectiveness of email subject lines in doing their job (and improving those numbers you later report to your boss, in hopes of a promotion and a bigger Q3 marketing budget.) Plus some great examples of the best email subject lines I found in my inbox (a few of the worst subject line examples, too.)
10 strategies to improve your email subject lines
1. Sound like a human
Disclaimer: this does NOT equal “don’t use AI-based text generators.” Because you can write an email subject line yourself and still sound robotic. Just like you can use AI to get a human-sounding headline.
It’s all in the choice of words you use in subject lines and some other things like:
Not using all caps, even though it might maybe stand out a little – but lets people know they’re dealing with an ad. (And let’s make it super clear: all caps don’t equal catchy email subject lines.)
Email subject line example using all caps.
Zara not really making an effort with their email subject line.
Not using title case in subject lines, which almost always looks like an ad, instead of an email an actual person wrote.
Email subject line example using title case.
Title case in an email subject line instantly gives off a “not-from-a-friend” vibe
Not using buzzwords that, again, feel like an ad the moment you see them. (Guess what: buzzwords also don’t make catchy email subject lines.)
Email subject line using buzzwords.
What does future-proofing even mean, Dennis?
So, what makes subject lines work?
Imagine the real person you see on the other side of the screen, and write your subject line to them. Or imagine what would make you open the email? (Of course, with that latter, back it up with A/B tests and user research. Things we think will work are often not the ones that actually do.)
And if you use an AI generator, give your email subject line a read and see if you can make any tweaks to make it sound more human.
Like in this example:
Quick, human email subject line.
A quick, human subject line might just be what gets your email open
Or one of my all-time favorite subject lines when it comes to welcome emails (which, btw, already get high open rates just by virtue of being expected.)
Example of a subject line showing author's personality.
You can tell a human wrote this email subject line (or at least told AI to write it
)
Oh, and avoid spam words. Great subject lines really don’t need them.
Struggling to write enticing subject lines? Discover our new AI Subject Line Generator and launch your email campaigns in moments!
2. Stop overusing personalization
Studies have long shown that personalization in subject lines can increase open rates. But according to a GetResponse study, it can actually make emails perform worse. Could that be because we’ve overdone it, like so many things in marketing?
Again, it doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t use it in your email campaigns – because maybe your target audience actually appreciates it. But keep testing it along with other approaches to see if that’s indeed the case. After all, personalization in subject lines is not the only thing that’s been widely overused.
Here’s an example of a personalized email subject line that’s definitely intended to get attention. Though, I definitely don’t like the fact that it pretends to be a notification – this might work once, but the more email campaigns do it, the more people become wary of such tactics. And nobody likes to be fooled. So I’d definitely keep that in mind.
So, why do so many subject lines fail at that one job? There are many reasons (some beyond our control, like the sheer number of emails in the inbox we’re competing with.) So, what do good email subject lines look like?
Let’s look at the ways to improve your chances of getting that email opened – because, luckily, there are some.
Why is the email subject line so important?
An average email inbox might look something like this:
Image showing the different email subject lines in the email inbox.
All the email subject lines in an email inbox (in this case, my own inbox, to be precise)
Now, take a closer look at that image, I probably don’t have to tell you what it takes for your email to even get seen by your email recipients – let alone opened. And yet, marketers writing their emails and subject lines rarely have this very view in mind. (Do you?)
It’s almost like sometimes, you just write phone number database anything in your subject line and hope for the best.
And no, it’s not an effective strategy (but we’ll talk about some more effective ones good email subject lines use in a minute.)Next to the sender name and the right timing of your email, the subject line (maybe supported a little by the preview text, a.k.a. the preheader) is what gets your audience excited or interested enough to open your email:
A good subject line grabs readers’ attention in the first place, standing out in the sea of other email subject lines.
Best email subject lines also hint at whether clicking to see what’s inside is really worth their time.
And that’s basically it. No need to summarize your email or squeeze in as much as you can (which will get cut off anyway, especially on mobile devices.)
And in doing all that, it probably goes without saying that subject lines have a significant impact on your email open rates. (Though, if you ask me, numbers are secondary to the actual impact you’re making with your email and subject line, if you know what I mean.)
So, here are some optimization strategies you can use to improve the effectiveness of email subject lines in doing their job (and improving those numbers you later report to your boss, in hopes of a promotion and a bigger Q3 marketing budget.) Plus some great examples of the best email subject lines I found in my inbox (a few of the worst subject line examples, too.)
10 strategies to improve your email subject lines
1. Sound like a human
Disclaimer: this does NOT equal “don’t use AI-based text generators.” Because you can write an email subject line yourself and still sound robotic. Just like you can use AI to get a human-sounding headline.
It’s all in the choice of words you use in subject lines and some other things like:
Not using all caps, even though it might maybe stand out a little – but lets people know they’re dealing with an ad. (And let’s make it super clear: all caps don’t equal catchy email subject lines.)
Email subject line example using all caps.
Zara not really making an effort with their email subject line.
Not using title case in subject lines, which almost always looks like an ad, instead of an email an actual person wrote.
Email subject line example using title case.
Title case in an email subject line instantly gives off a “not-from-a-friend” vibe
Not using buzzwords that, again, feel like an ad the moment you see them. (Guess what: buzzwords also don’t make catchy email subject lines.)
Email subject line using buzzwords.
What does future-proofing even mean, Dennis?
So, what makes subject lines work?
Imagine the real person you see on the other side of the screen, and write your subject line to them. Or imagine what would make you open the email? (Of course, with that latter, back it up with A/B tests and user research. Things we think will work are often not the ones that actually do.)
And if you use an AI generator, give your email subject line a read and see if you can make any tweaks to make it sound more human.
Like in this example:
Quick, human email subject line.
A quick, human subject line might just be what gets your email open
Or one of my all-time favorite subject lines when it comes to welcome emails (which, btw, already get high open rates just by virtue of being expected.)
Example of a subject line showing author's personality.
You can tell a human wrote this email subject line (or at least told AI to write it
)Oh, and avoid spam words. Great subject lines really don’t need them.
Struggling to write enticing subject lines? Discover our new AI Subject Line Generator and launch your email campaigns in moments!
2. Stop overusing personalization
Studies have long shown that personalization in subject lines can increase open rates. But according to a GetResponse study, it can actually make emails perform worse. Could that be because we’ve overdone it, like so many things in marketing?
Again, it doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t use it in your email campaigns – because maybe your target audience actually appreciates it. But keep testing it along with other approaches to see if that’s indeed the case. After all, personalization in subject lines is not the only thing that’s been widely overused.
Here’s an example of a personalized email subject line that’s definitely intended to get attention. Though, I definitely don’t like the fact that it pretends to be a notification – this might work once, but the more email campaigns do it, the more people become wary of such tactics. And nobody likes to be fooled. So I’d definitely keep that in mind.