As an email marketer, you're constantly seeking a balance between the right amount of text, the perfect images, and buttons that drive clicks. But before clicks and purchases even begin, you need your customers willing and excited enough to open your emails in the first place.
If you feel like you've tried everything and your open rates still aren't budging, it's frustrating to say the least. But at Email By Design, we've seen how mastering your subject lines gets more eyes on your emails, and ultimately on your website. Here are our top tips, and where they land in the inbox:
The top one uses a name, an emoji, curiosity and preview text. The lower one gives it all away and gets scrolled past.
Call out their name
Did you know you can include a customer's first name in your subject line? Just as you'd use the name property tag {{ first_name }} at the start of an email, using it in the subject personalises the experience from the get-go and makes customers more attentive. Paired with the right text, like "We picked this for you" or "We know you'll love this," it can lift open rates. Be careful though: this can feel repetitive if overused, so break it up with other subject lines so customers don't become desensitised.
Don't overshare too quickly
Your subject line is the gateway to your email, but you don't want it to give everything away. If it does, customers who aren't already interested won't find a reason to open. Tell your story and get your point across, but stay elusive. Small changes leave the reader wanting more:
Use eye-catching emojis
When customers get so many emails, you need to stand out, and a pop of colour from an emoji is one of the easiest ways. We recommend playing with a mix of popular and less common ones:
Hearts, thumbs up and stars create familiarity, helping your audience feel comfortable opening.
Cars, animals and flags are unexpected, so they grab attention quicker.
Stick to a maximum of two emojis to prevent overkill, and check they stay relevant to your brand so the subject line works in context.
Remember to be clear
Being elusive is one thing, lying is another. Talking about sales, deals and promotions may grant higher open rates, but bait tactics build distrust. It might work the first few times, then it costs you:
A promo subject line with no promo inside. Works once, then erodes trust for good.
The subject matches what's inside, so once you win high open rates, you keep them.
Keep it short and sweet
Subject lines typically get cut off after 40 to 60 characters, depending on the email client and device. To make sure your whole message shows, aim to stay within that range:
Don't overlook preview text
It's the sneak peek right under your subject line, your chance to add a little extra excitement, tease what's inside, or spark curiosity. Use it to its full potential and leave readers excited to see what's in your email.
The subject line doesn't sell the product. It sells the open. Everything else waits inside.
Let's get your emails opened.
We understand the frustration of pouring endless effort into your emails only for the open rates to fall short. Ready to make a positive change to your email metrics? Contact us today to get started.
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