Tips for Better Email Subject Lines

When you write better subject lines, several things will happen to let you know you’ve succeeded. First, more of your subscribersshould open your emails. Second, you should see more clicks through to your website. And as a result of both, you should end up selling more of your products and services to customers new and old.

The strong subject line is probably the most elusive part of email marketing. There’s a lot of information out there regarding what makes a good one and what makes a weak one. But if you are going to make the distinction yourself, then there are several questions to consider.

Are You Spamming Your Customers?

We all understand what spam is — it lands in most people’s email every single day. Though it can sometimes be difficult to give a precise definition, we definitely know it when we see it. This is especially true if you’re in marketing. But even if you’re not spamming your subscriber list, you could be including words in your subject lines that set off the spam filters of various service providers. Check out the following link for a guide to subject line terms and phrases that could send your message straight to the spam folder:

• Email Subject Lines That Trigger Spam Filters

Know Your Limit

While there is no absolute answer for how many characters should be in an ideal subject line, shorter subject lines tends to be better. Many sources claim a range of 40 to 70 characters. This makes Twitter’s limit of 140 characters seem generous. But there is an art to crafting short, effective subject lines. Check out the tips in the following link — they may help you trim things down:

• 5 Tips for Writing Winning Subject Lines

Say What You Mean

Overall, the best piece of subject-line writing advice is this: say what you mean, and mean what you say. In other words, the subject line should accurately and concisely tell your recipients what value they will find in the email itself. If you’re having a clearance sale on winter outerwear, just say so. But do it concisely and without spam-triggering words.

Forcing yourself to keep those three keys in mind — concision, directness and avoiding spam filters— will help you write more effective subject lines and lead to more open emails.And if more customers are reading your emails, then your investment in marketing is more likely to pay off.

What Next?

Interested in learning more about improving your email marketing? Check out all of our email marketing articles here.