Write Effective Email Subject Lines: A Begginner guide

A step-by-step guide to crafting subject lines that get opened and clicked

Introduction

Your email subject line is one of the most important factors in determining whether or not your email will be opened. A well-written subject line can grab your recipient’s attention, pique their curiosity, and make them want to learn more. On the other hand, a poorly written subject line is likely to be ignored or deleted.

So, how do you write effective email subject lines? Here are a few tips:

• Keep it short and sweet. Aim for subject lines that are 50 characters or less, so that they don’t get cut off in the inbox.
• Be specific and descriptive. Avoid generic subject lines like “Important update” or “New offer.” Instead, tell your recipients exactly what your email is about.
• Use keywords. If you’re sending an email to a list of subscribers, include keywords that they’re likely to be interested in in the subject line. This will help your email stand out in their inbox.
• Create a sense of urgency. If you’re offering a limited-time promotion or discount, mention that in the subject line. This will encourage your recipients to open your email right away.
• Personalize your subject lines. Whenever possible, use the recipient’s name in the subject line. This will make your email more personal and relevant.

How to write effective email subject lines

There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing effective email subject lines:

• Keep it short and sweet. Aim for subject lines that are 50 characters or less, so that they don’t get cut off in the inbox.
• Be specific and descriptive. Avoid generic subject lines like “Important update” or “New offer.” Instead, tell your recipients exactly what your email is about.
• Use keywords. If you’re sending an email to a list of subscribers, include keywords that they’re likely to be interested in in the subject line. This will help your email stand out in their inbox.
• Create a sense of urgency. If you’re offering a limited-time promotion or discount, mention that in the subject line. This will encourage your recipients to open your email right away.
• Personalize your subject lines. Whenever possible, use the recipient’s name in the subject line. This will make your email more personal and relevant.

How to test your email subject lines

Once you have written a few subject line ideas, it’s important to test them to see which ones perform best. There are a few different ways to test your subject lines:

• A/B testing: This is the most common way to test subject lines. You send out two different versions of your email with different subject lines and see which one has a higher open rate.
• Split testing: This is similar to A/B testing, but you send out a single email with multiple subject lines. The email client will then randomly assign one of the subject lines to each recipient.
• Seed testing: This involves sending out a small test email to a subset of your list with different subject lines. Once you have the results of the test, you can send out the email to your entire list with the best-performing subject line.

 Guide to writing effective email subject lines

1. Start by understanding your audience. What are their interests? What are their pain points? What kind of language do they use? Once you understand your audience, you can start to craft subject lines that will appeal to them.
2. Brainstorm a list of subject line ideas. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and come up with some creative ideas. Once you have a list of ideas, start narrowing it down to the best ones.
3. Test your subject lines. If possible, send out a few test emails to a small group of recipients with different subject lines. This will help you see which subject lines are getting the best open rates.

Tips for writing effective email subject lines

• Use action verbs. Action verbs are more likely to grab your recipient’s attention than passive verbs. For example, instead of saying “New product announcement,” say “Try our new product for free!”
• Use numbers and stats. People are drawn to numbers and stats, so use them in your subject lines to stand out from the crowd. For example, instead of saying “Improve your marketing results,” say “Increase your website traffic by 200%.”
• Use personalized pronouns. Using personalized pronouns like “you” and “me” can help to make your email more engaging. For example, instead of saying “Tips for writing better emails,” say “3 tips for writing emails that get opened.”
• Ask questions. Asking questions is a great way to pique your recipient’s curiosity and make them want to open your email. For example, instead of saying “New blog post published,” say “5 things you need to know about email marketing in 2023.”
• Use emojis. Emojis can be a fun way to add personality to your subject lines and make them more eye-catching. However, use emojis sparingly and avoid using too many, as this can make your subject lines look unprofessional.

Conclusion

Writing effective email subject lines is an important skill for anyone who wants to get their emails opened and clicked. By following the tips above, you can craft subject lines that will grab your recipient’s attention and make them want to learn more.

Bonus tips:

• Test your subject lines on different email clients. Different email clients display subject lines differently, so it’s important to test your subject lines on a variety of clients to make sure they look good on all devices.
• Use a subject line tester. There are a number of online tools that can help you test your subject lines and predict their open rates.
• Track your results. Once you start sending out emails, track your open rates to see which subject lines are performing best. This information will help you refine your subject line writing skills over time.