The email subject lines you create are probably the most important element when it comes to engagement. After all, if your subscribers don’t open it, none of the rest matters. The subject line is what makes them open the email.
Here are some tips to help you on your journey to writing attention-grabbing subject lines.
1. Look at your own inbox for inspiration
You likely are already on several companies’ automated email sequences. Take some time to actually look at those email subject lines.
Which ones are you most likely to click on? What makes you feel that way? Are they funny? Clever? This exercise can help you if you’re feeling stuck and not sure what to write.
2. Keep it clear and concise
Be direct and to the point. The subject line of an email doesn’t need a lot of characters and will get cut off if you go too long. Plus, since almost half of your opened emails are going to be on a mobile device, you might want to stick to as little as 50 characters.
Example: How to Maximize Your Affiliate Revenue!
3. Personalization
Use the recipient’s name or other relevant personal data to catch their attention. Tailor your subject lines based on subscriber behavior or specific interests when possible.
4. Use action-oriented words
This means you encourage your readers to act. Words like ‘Discover’, ‘Learn’, ‘How to’, ‘Unlock’, ‘Boost’, ‘Uncover’ or ‘Get’ can be effective.
For example: Discover How to Boost Your Email Open Rates!
5. Never use click-bait-type subject lines
Your email subject line is essentially making a promise to the reader about what’s coming in the content. Honor that promise. If your subject line is irrelevant to the content of the email or makes a promise that’s not in line with your brand or product, your audience is going to be irritated at best.
You’ll have lower open rates and higher unsubscribe rates.
6. Tell them what they’re getting
If they’ve signed up for your lead magnet and you’re delivering it in an email, tell them that in the subject line. They wanted it enough to give up their email address, so try to make them excited that it has arrived.
If you are promoting a product, pique their interest without being too vague. Tease the content in a way that compels the reader to find out more.
Example: Discover How to Skyrocket Your Affiliate Revenue!
7. Test different styles
Experiment with humor, questions, or intriguing statements to see what resonates with your audience.
Using humor can create a memorable impression and make your emails more relatable. Just ensure it aligns with your brand and audience.
Example: Need More Cash or Just More Coffee?
Questions engage the reader’s curiosity and encourage them to seek answers within the email.
Example: What’s Keeping You from Affiliate Success?
INtriguing statements pique curiosity by hinting at valuable content, encouraging clicks to learn more.
Example: The One Affiliate Trick You’re Missing…
In addition to the subject line, there are other things to take into consideration when crafting your emails. These tips can help you get your subscribers to open your emails.
Timing is everything
The right subject line sent at the right time can have a tremendous impact on your open and click-through rates. Choosing the right time to send your emails will really depend on your audience.
If your audience mainly consists of 9-5 workers, times that tend to work best are in the morning, and right after lunch. If you’re not sure, you can also test out what times work better for your customers. Try a couple of different times and track open rates.
Use a familiar and approachable sender name; avoid using “no-reply”
When setting the sender name for your email sequence try to be as human as you can. Yourname@yourcompany.com makes the recipient feel more comfortable about opening the email right from the start.
People get a lot of spam and hackers tend to hide viruses inside emails. Your audience is already going to be hypervigilant about not opening things from people they don’t know.
Segment your lists
Segmenting your lists is a great way to get better open rates and click-through rates. Personalizing the customer experience using the information you’ve already attained through their previous actions can help to personalize the email experience.
You can segment by demographics, buying habits, or location within your sales funnel. You can also segment people who are engaging with your emails and people who aren’t, which is really helpful.
The Bottom Line
There are entire courses that will teach you how to write great email subject lines. There are a lot of technicalities that can go into it, as well as basic human psychology.
Writing email subject lines is a huge part of the success or failure of your email marketing, so spend some time figuring out what works. Learn how to tap into FOMO (fear of missing out), as well as highlight the benefits of opening the email to get your open rates soaring.
To get you started, I have 50 email subject lines that you can use. They are useful for any niche. Fill in your name and email and I will send the link to the PDF right to your inbox!
