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subject lines

How to Optimize your Email Subject Line for Greater Open Rates and Conversions

nextgennow · January 1, 2021 ·

The goal sending and email is to get folks to read them, right? And, of course, depending on the goal of a campaign, click and convert.  But first, they must OPEN them.

Given the daily bombardment of emails, how can yours stand out amongst all other emails?  How can you get someone to read your email?  

The key is to craft a catchy subject line. Here are a few things to keep in mind so that your subject lines ensure your emails are read.

Be short and descriptive.

Your subject line should have no more than 4-7 words or 40 characters. Most email providers will truncate And, keep in mind that more and more users are opening their emails on mobile devices. 
 

Entertain, warn, inform.

A lot of people sign up for marketing emails hoping to obtain valuable information from the sender. That’s you! Use your expertise and entertain them with a funny anecdote or inform them of something they are not likely to be aware of.

Example: YES! Claim Tax Deductions from Your Summer Vacation

You can also warn them about something that your organization can prevent. For example, a veterinary clinic might warn readers of the dangers of ticks and Lyme’s disease in the summer months.

Entice the reader to read further by using teaser.

A subject line should act as a teaser or state a benefit of opening the email. It can contain an “offer” if it doesn’t contain spam-like characteristics. Using the subject line in conjunction with our email’s pre-header will give you a little more room to get your point across. 

Ask a question.

Questions are a great way to grab your readers’ attention and pique their curiosity about what your email includes. 

Example: Want to put a smile like this on your dog?

Share something of value.

Are your readers looking for specific information or expertise from you? If you have something helpful to share, call it out in the subject line to let them know exactly what they’re getting.

Create a sense of urgency.

Let your subject line create a sense of urgency that will encourage them to act now, instead of putting it off till later. 

Use alliteration.

Incorporate recognizable quotes or sayings or make a pun that relates to your email topic or call to action.

Take time to rhyme.

See what I did there? Rhyming subject lines tend to stick out amongst a sea of subject lines because we’re attracted to rhythmic sounds. Give it a try in your next subject line. You never know, you might be a poet and you didn’t even know it!

Whatever you do, there are definitely a few things you should never do.  At the top of the NEVER DO list is…

Avoids spam-like characteristics.

  • Words like – free, guarantee, spam, Viagra, sex, etc.
  • Phrases like “be amazed,” “your income,” “subject to credit approval,” “earn XXX per week,” “act now”
  • Uppercase – WRITING IN ALL CAPS
  • Punctuation – Excessive use of …, !!! and ???
  • Symbols – Excessive use of $$, %, and other symbols. 

If your subject line doesn’t comply with these guidelines, it’s likely that your email may be routed directly into your contacts’ junk or spam folders. 
 

Another thing you should never do is worry about THE perfect subject line!  Why?  Because you can always …sorry, let me re-phrase that—SHOULD always be testing.

Make sure to utilize A/B Testing with your subject lines. More on that later…

To learn more about how you can optimize your subject line to increase engagement and conversions, email us.  We would love to hear your goals and build your business together! 

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