Tag: email subject lines

• 

Professional writers and digital marketing professionals know the importance of email subject lines. However, for those that write dozens of emails as a method of daily communication, it can be easy to forget its importance before clicking send. Since the subject line determines how quickly a recipient responds, either by opening, reading, or purchasing, reaching out to potential clients needs to be approached with the utmost care. Continue reading for nine tips to writing email subject lines, whether for email marketing, customer service responses, or beyond. 

Tip #1: Write your email subject lines first

While attempting to articulate virtual communication, it’s super easy to forget the subject once the email is written and proofread. That said, when email subject lines are forgotten, those emails are much more likely to go unread or get lost in spam/promotions folders. When crafting a new email, from the moment you click create, you have an intention on what you’re writing, so before anything else is jotted down, consider the subject line as your first task. 

Tip #2: Keep it short and to the point 

Email is one of the modern forms of communication and its intention is to professionally pass along information quickly and concisely. That’s why it’s important to keep your email subject short and punchy. Since a typical email inbox will reveal about 60 characters, use this space to get right to the point in about six to eights words so that the receiver knows what the email is about without even having to click it. 

Tip #3: Be sure to place the most important words at the beginning

When receivers will glace at their inboxes some will read through every email, others will look for key phrases to catch their attention or pass up on opening emails until later. That’s why bold email subject lines are so important. Since many other e-commerce businesses are sending their emails at the same optimal open times, you can squash out competition for sales by working hard to create a compelling email header. 

Tip #4: Tap out the filler words

While we always encourage writers to take punctuation and grammar seriously, when it comes to writing email subject lines, don’t waste time by writing unnecessary filler words like “hello”, “thanks”, or “nice to meet you”. You can save that for the email if it absolutely must be there. 

Tip #5: Be clear and specific about the topic

Many business owners will attempt to draw in their audience by using misleading email subject lines, and we do not believe this practice demonstrates trust with the consumer. In fact, we think building a strong foundation relationship is far more important, which is why writing clear, specific headlines will draw the right attention from the right people. 

Tip #6: Consider the keywords you’re using for search filtering

People that readily use their emails may have filters and/or folders set up to manage their inboxes, which is why you can harness this narrative by including keywords related to your topic that can easily be searchable later on. After all, even if your sale or product alert isn’t applicable anymore if an email receiver wants a reminder or your business, whatever the reason, shouldn’t you make it as easy as possible for them to find you down the road?

Tip #7: Mention deadlines 

Whether you’re inviting your email list to take advantage of an upcoming sale or announcing an item in your online store that’s available for pre-order, if your message has any deadlines, be sure to consider them in the subject line. Not only does this express a sense of urgency but it will have to avoid the pitfall of a user thinking they’ve missed out simply because of your lack of communication. 

Tip #8: Avoid using all caps

Some e-commerce business owners think that capped words are a great means for getting the attention they deserve, but we’re here to explain why this method in email subject lines sends off the wrong impression. It’s the digital equivalent of yelling! Since no one enjoys being yelled at, we recommend that you utilize dashes, colons, and/or exclamation points to separate any thoughts and avoid using full capped words. 

Tip #9: Reword your work

Like anything you write, always remember to reread over your email subject lines before they’re sent out. One of the biggest, and avoidable, mistakes you can make is copying and pasting for a large group of receivers, but forgetting to change the same or tailor the copy for each reader on the other end. Do yourself a favor and don’t be in a rush or you risk looking unprofessional and careless.

While we don’t currently offer a service to write email subject lines for every email that a client wants to send, we do offer an email marketing service, which aside from a great design filled with content, our team member also creates a header and/or subject line using all of the above tips. 

Do you have any other email subject lines’ tips? Drop them in the comments section below to share with our readers.