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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's:

  • Add personalization - Personalization is shown to increase open rates for most users, and may work well when combined with targeted automations such as birthday deals and post-purchase follow-ups.
  • Be descriptive - Sometimes, it's better to be direct and descriptive than trendy. Seasonal slogans such as "Fall into savings" or "Sizzling summer bargains" are popular but don't offer a specific hook. Instead, try to communicate the benefits of your promotions, or call attention to specific deals.
  • Keep it short - For many recipients, especially those reading your emails on mobile devices, shorter is often better. We recommend you use no more than 9 words and 60 characters.
  • Limit punctuation - Our research shows that it’s best to use no more than 3 punctuation marks per subject line. Too many punctuation marks can make your email look like spam, especially if you use a lot of special characters.
  • Use emojis carefully - According to our research, you should use no more than 1 emoji at a time. - Use emojis to supplement words rather than replace them, to make sure your main message gets across.
  • Promotion - Include promotions and/or sales in the subject line to entice users to open the email

Don'ts:

  • 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

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