How to Write an Effective Email Subject Line
Writing an email subject line is the ultimate “judge a book by its cover test.” Crafting a subject line is one of the essential factors in email marketing and determines whether or not your email will get opened and read. Here’s how to write a compelling email subject line.
1. Keep it short
How often have you opened an essential email for work, seen its length, and promptly closed it? Emails can induce stress, and their length is a big part of this. Once the email or subject line hits a certain point, people stop reading. It’s why TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) was invented. People want the short and sweet version of just about everything in life.
The sweet spot for a compelling email subject line is 5 to 7 words or 40 characters. This helps your reader scan their inbox without having to commit. When your subject line is concise, they’ll know they’re interested immediately.
2. Don’t use spammy words
The quickest way to have people ignore or unsubscribe from your email list is to spam them repeatedly. The language and punctuation you use will be a significant part of this. These are the factors you should keep in mind.
- Avoid all caps
- No multiple exclamation points
- No promotional language like “Buy now” or “Free.”
You may think, “How on Earth will I promote my product if I can’t use those words or tactics?” Believe us; there are plenty of ways. Your promotion should revolve around sharing your information and expertise. This will allow you to build a relationship with your client base via email marketing.
3. Ask questions
An open-ended question helps to grab the recipient’s attention. Since they’re incomplete and leave the reader hanging, they prompt the reader to open the email to learn more. Here are some great examples of questions for a compelling email subject line.
- How can you grow your YouTube Channel?
- How can you save $1,000 each month?
- How can you learn to code in 1 week?
4. Include a date or deadline
There are individuals with hundreds of thousands of unread emails in their inboxes. What makes your email important? By attaching a date or deadline to your email marketing, you put it at the top of the list. The recipient could miss out on something big if they don’t open it in time.
5. Hook your recipient
Email marketing relies on the ability to hook your recipient in. Sparking their interest will prompt them to open the email, wondering what the contents are inside. Think about it this way. No one loves a commercial, but everyone loves a movie trailer. Why? Because it doesn’t directly sell you anything… encourages and shows you what could be in store if you’re interested to find out.
Final thoughts
An email subject line is one of the best tips for effective email marketing. You’ll drive your open rates and avoid the dreaded spam folder.
