Email Marketing Subject Line Best Practices

This article discusses email best practices by listing various dos and don’ts that can help you reach a recipient’s Inbox.

The four main things to remember when writing subject lines are:

Do Not:

• Put spaces between letters in words

• Create subject lines that are more than 50 characters (20-40 characters is ideal)

• Use all caps

• Use a lot of punctuation!!!

• Make spelling or grammar mistakes

• Plea for recipients to open your email (“Read me!”)

• Give away everything in the subject line

• Use only one word

• Use the same words in the subject line a lot in the body of the email

• Add “re:” or “fw:” to subject line to deceive readers

• Trick readers with a false promise

• Use the word “Help”, it is typically ignored by readers

Do:

• Perform A/B Subject Line tests on all campaigns to see what type of subject lines work best for your audience to increase open rates

  • Please note that this will constitute as TWO orders as they both need their own tracking

• Use your Company’s name in the subject line when appropriate, this can increase open rates (tests should be done to make sure it is right for your company)

  • e.g. Macy’s is giving it all away for Christmas

• Get your reader interested in opening your email within the first 20 characters of the subject line if possible

• Use a Reasons Why or List approach to your subject line when relevant

  • e.g. 5 reasons why you should trade in your car today

• Use Benefit subject lines

  • e.g. Get slimmer while you sleep

• Use Question subject lines

  • e.g. Tired of driving an old car?

• Use Testimonial subject lines

  • e.g. More Californians drive on Michelins

• Use How-to subject lines

  • e.g. How to make a fortune with a foolish idea

• Use News subject lines

  • e.g. New iPhone 7 Coming in January

• Use “Fascination” subject lines

  • e.g. Discover the secret to staying young

• Use Targeted subject lines

  • e.g. Attention BMW owners looking to upgrade

• Use Urgency, Hybrid or Personalized subject lines (when you have personal information)

  • e.g. Eric, Don’t wait to claim your coupon

• Seasonal subject lines when relevant

• Huge savings on holiday overstock

• Editorial Content subject lines when relevant

  • e.g. The Daily Scoop from The Onion 12/11/2020

• Command subject lines

  • eg. Take advantage of our Sunshine Sales Event

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT LINES IN OUR SYSTEM

• Your Daily Horoscope and Local Weather 11 December 2021

• Jenna, Jump Start the Holidays at Colonial Kia

• Cyber Monday Daily Deals All Week

• Cyber Week starts early – shop amazing savings

• Treat Your Tastebuds to Lobster Night

• Save Big with the blu PLUS+ Xpress Bundle

• See our brand new Cadillac specials

WORDS TO AVOID IN SUBJECT LINES TO AVOID SPAM FILTERS

• !!!

• #1

• $$$

• 100% free

• 100% Satisfied

• 4U

• Accept Credit Cards

• Act Now!

• Ad

• Additional Income

• Affordable

• All natural

• All new

• Amazing investment decision

• Amazing

• Investment decision

• Amazing stuff

• Apply now

• Apply Online

• As seen on

• Attention

• Auto email removal

• Bad Credit

• Bargain

• Best price

• Billing address

• Billion

• Buy direct

• Call

• Call free

• Can't live without

• Card Accepted

• Cash bonus

• Cents on the dollar

• Cheap

• Check

• Claims
  Click / Click Here / Click below

• Click to remove

• Collect child support

• Compete for your business

• Congratulations

• Cost / No cost

• Credit

• Credit bureaus

• Dear friend

• Decision

• Dig up dirt on friends

• Discount

• Do it today

• Double your income

• Earn $

• Earn extra cash

• Eliminate debt

• Email marketing

• Explode your business

• Extra income

• Fast cash

• Fees

• For free

• Form

• F r e e

• Free and FREE

• Fast cash

• Financial freedom

• Free gift

• Free grant money

• Free info

• Free installation

• Free investment

• Free leads

• Free membership

• Free offer

• Free preview

• Free website

• Full refund

• Get it now

• Giving it away

• Guarantee

• Here

• Hidden

• 'Hidden' assets

• Home based

• Home-based business

• Hot

• Income from home

• Increase

• Increase sales

• Increase traffic

• Increase your sales

• Incredible deal

• Info you requested

• Information you requested

• Leave

• Legal

• Limited time offer

• Lose

• Lose weight

• Lowest price

• Make $

• Marketing

• Marketing solutions

• Message contains

• Money

• Month trial offer

• Mortgage Rates

• Multi-level marketing

• Name brand

• Never

• No gimmicks

• No hidden Costs

• No investment

• No obligation

• No purchase necessary

• Now

• Obligation

• Offer

• One time / one-time

• Opportunity

• Order / Order Now / Order Status

• Orders shipped by

• Partners

• Performance

• Phone

• Please read

• Potential earnings

• Pre-approved

• Prices

• Print out and fax

• Priority mail

• Profits

• Promise you

• Rates

• Real thing

• Refinance

• Remove / Removal

• Reverses aging

• Risk free

• Sales

• Satisfaction guaranteed

• Save $

• Search engine listings / search engines

• Serious cash

• Solution

• Special promotion

• Success

• Stock disclaimer statement

• Stop snoring

• The following form

• Thousands

• Trial

• Unsolicited

• Unsubscribe

• Urgent

• US dollars

• Web traffic

• Weight loss

• Wife

• Win

• Winner

• Work at home