Crafting Winning Subject Lines: Tips & Tricks

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but people definitely judge emails based on their subject line!

Do you want your email newsletters opened, read, and clicked? Of course, you do! We’ll let you in on a little secret—it all starts with the subject line.

Yes, email subject lines are arguably the most important component of your emails. Since they are the first thing subscribers see in their inbox, they have the power to influence whether or not they open your email.

Ready to boost that open rate? Read on for some of our marketing team’s tried-and-true tips and tricks to help jazz up your email subject lines!  

What Makes a Good Email Subject Line?

Before we dive into our tips, let’s go over a few fundamentals of what makes a great subject line. There are some essential elements that it should have:

#1. Urgency

A fantastic technique to motivate your subscribers to act is to instill a sense of urgency. When a special deal or event's start or end date is highlighted, inbox-scrolling readers will click in to discover what is available within that window of time. This is also a smart move if you do it in a series of emails that tally down the remaining time.

Just remember, don’t flood their inbox as it will come off as spammy!

#2. Curiosity

To excite the recipient's curiosity, it can be useful to occasionally maintain a degree of mystery about what is contained in the email.

Because they have to open the email to get more information, these emails can result in a higher open rate. But it is important to confirm that the subject line still aligns with your brand. Too obscure, and it could end up being seen as spam.  

#3. Personalization

Because no two email subscribers are the alike, neither should the emails you send to them. There have never been more ways to find out about the interests, occupations, or general likes and dislikes of your subscribers.

You should occasionally tailor the content you send to the recipient.

Charisma Tip: You can easily do this by segmenting your list and sending targeted emails to each segment from time to time.

#4. Relevance & Timeliness

Those that join email lists typically do so because they want to stay informed or at the very least learn more about a particular subject.

Create email subject lines that use timely headlines or popular themes to establish your company as an authority in the field and encourage readers to click through and read.

#5. Interesting Stories

Here is another place where curiosity can be key. Your audience is more likely to be intrigued to open your email and learn more if your subject line has a captivating reference to a story.

For example; if you are a plumbing company, try including an anecdote from a plumbing emergency or if you’re a lawyer, allude to a case result for one of your clients.  

Again, verify that the story is relevant to your brand. Otherwise, it might confuse your readers.  

Now, let’s dive into email subject line best practices!

Best Practices for Compelling Email Subject Lines

Here are a few of our top tips to boost your email open and click rates!  

Keep it Short & Sweet

Remember, email subject lines will get cut off if they are too long, especially on mobile devices.  

We recommend using subject lines with fewer than 50 characters or about 5 to 7 words to ensure that people scanning their email read your entire message.

Keep in mind, readers scan their inboxes quickly so subject lines that use only one or two words will often stand out and get the most engagement.  

Avoid Spam Words

The subject lines that are most likely to be tagged as spam are those that are overtly "sales-y." Hence, you should refrain from using overtly promotional language such as "purchase now" or "free," as well as punctuation such as all caps and several exclamation points. 

Charisma Tip: Instead of focusing on promotions, try sharing information, like blog posts, that your audience will find useful.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Why should you use questions in your email subject lines? Well, they are a great way to grab your subscribers’ attention.  

Including a question encourages readers to open the email and look for the solution because questions can feel incomplete on their own. 

Use Engaging Preview Text

While your email’s preview text isn’t technically part of your subject line, it does appear right after it and definitely deserves your attention.  

Preview text provides recipients with a sneak peek at the content inside your newsletter, giving you another opportunity to engage with your audience.  

Read More >  You’ve Got Mail: Improve Your Email Open Rate

Send Compelling Email Newsletters

With the right strategy and a creative mindset, you can create compelling newsletter subject lines that engage with your readers and get them to click.  

Not sure where to start? Lean on our email marketing pros at Charisma! We can craft compelling emails that reach out to your subscribers in a meaningful way. By sharing thoughtful content, you'll make sure your subscribers keep coming back for more!  

Grow your email audience and get more clicks! Schedule an email marketing consultation with us today!

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