Best Email Subject Lines That Work: Understand the Best Practices

What Are Email Subject Lines?

Subject lines are the email equivalent to the title of an article or blog post. They’re text that provides a preview of the content of the email so that the recipient can get an idea of what the email is about as soon as they see it in their inbox.

Because it’s the first thing the recipient sees, subject lines are crucial for email marketing. A good subject line captures the reader’s attention and resonates with the target audience, encouraging higher open rates.

The right subject line evokes curiosity or interest and sets the right expectation for the email content. 

How Do Email Subject Lines Work?

The main purpose of an email subject line is to encourage the recipient to open the email and read the content. There are various methods you can use to achieve this, including:

• Grab the reader’s attention: A subject line that instantly captures the reader’s attention and stands out in a crowded inbox is essential. 
• Create curiosity: A subject line that evokes curiosity or interest, or even a sense of urgency, is a great strategy to stand out. Bonus points if your subject line offers a solution to a problem, which prompts immediate action from the recipient. 
• Don’t mislead: Your subject line should align with the email’s content. If seen as misleading, it can reduce trust in your brand. 
• Keep it short: Subject lines of 50 characters or fewer are shown to be most effective.

Key Components of an Email Subject Line

Crafting a successful email subject line that reaches your marketing goals is more challenging than you think! You need to think carefully about each component to encourage your audience to open the email and take action. 

Sender Name

Your sender name must be personalized and recognizable so the recipient sees you as a trusted brand. Make sure you are building your email list from subscribers who have opted in and are aware of your brand, as this will make it more likely for the reader to see your sender name as trustworthy.

Using a business-to-business (B2B) platform like BookYourData to build your email list is a great solution, as they ensure an industry-leading 97% accuracy rate!

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Subject Line

The subject line should offer clear value or benefit to the recipient as a way to prompt immediate action. Highlight your offer, sale, or event so that your recipient can see what you have to offer them.

Ensure the subject line isn’t too long and follows best practices for length. Also, ensure it is optimized for mobile viewing — your recipient needs to be able to see the whole thing.

Use powerful action words to play on the reader’s emotions and encourage action.

The ideal subject line incorporates emojis or special characters judiciously. Too many can appear spammy or unprofessional. 

Preheader

The preheader is the bit of the subject line that is displayed in your recipient’s inbox before the email is opened. Think of it like an extension of the subject line — it can expand on the information of the subject line, acting as a teaser that evokes curiosity or interest.

The preheader is also a good place for a call to action (CTA) designed to drive urgency. This encourages higher open rates and ensures your email stands out in a crowded inbox. 

Benefits of Effective Email Subject Lines

Higher Open Rates

A subject line that captures the reader’s attention can boost open rates. When the subject line resonates with the target audience, they will want to read further and engage with the email’s content. 

Increased Engagement

You don’t just want high open rates; you want your subscribers to interact further with your email’s content! A compelling subject line makes your reader likelier to participate in a sale or take you up on an offer or discount code. 

Improved Deliverability

Use subject lines that avoid spammy language to ensure your emails aren’t sorted into spam folders. This will help it reach your preferred audience. 

Clearer Message Conveyance

A clear subject line sets the right expectation for the email content, avoiding confusion and ambiguity. 

Enhanced Brand Recognition

A well-crafted subject line should reflect the brand’s voice and tone. Along with this, effective use of email marketing strategies can significantly boost your business's revenue. Learn more about this in our article on how to make money with email marketing. This improves brand recognition among your subscribers, encouraging them to trust emails from your company name. 

Boosted Click-Through Rates

A well-thought-out subject line naturally leads to higher click-through rates — readers are more likely to click on links and take advantage of offers if the subject line is enticing. 

Reduced Unsubscription Rates

When your subject lines offer clients value and ensure each is tailored to the recipient’s preferences, you’re less likely to have people click that dreaded ‘unsubscribe’ button. 

Optimized Mobile Experience

Most emails are opened on mobile, so a subject line optimized for mobile viewing is crucial. 

Crafting the Perfect Email Subject Line

To create the perfect subject line, you need to consider several factors! Read on for ideas, tips, and steps to get the perfect email subject line.

Research Your Audience

Research Your Audience: Understanding who you’re emailing and what resonates with the target audience is essential. A crucial aspect of this is having a well-targeted email list. If you need a robust list to start with, consider buying an email list from Bookyourdata. Look at the data, interact with customers on social media, and find out what topics, offers, or words most likely resonate with them.

Make sure you also research the best time to send emails based on your audience location and demographics to ensure you give your emails the best possible chance to be seen. 

Keep It Short and Sweet

The ideal subject line follows best practices for length. It should be concise and punchy to capture the reader’s attention and optimized for mobile viewing. 

Use Actionable Language

A savvy email marketer utilizes powerful action words in their subject line to inspire the reader to take action. Words like ‘discover,’ ‘buy,’ or ‘try’ are all excellent options that prompt immediate action. 

Create Urgency and Scarcity

Make the most of the feeling of missing out! A successful email marketer uses urgency effectively by using phrases like ‘limited time offer’ to encourage recipients to act quickly. 

Be Creative and Memorable

Be creative so that you stand out from the crowd! Try puns, jokes, or sarcasm — anything that reflects the brand’s voice and tone while evoking curiosity and interest. 

Personalize Your Message with Names or Details

Our findings show that the ideal subject line integrates personalization seamlessly by including the recipient’s name or referencing past interactions or purchases. This makes the email feel more personal, familiar, and tailored, making it more likely to open. 

Test Different Techniques to Increase Open Rates

Make sure your approach is tested through A/B split tests with a variety of subject line examples to see what is affecting open rates. Ensure your approach then adapts based on past performance metrics. 

Avoid Spam Triggers that Could Land You in the Junk Folder

Avoid large amounts of emojis, spammy language, and excessive exclamation points — all of these can be spam triggers. 

Examples of Email Subject Lines That Worked

What are some examples of email subject lines that have worked? According to our experience, these are some great starters — feel free to personalize or change them up to suit your business or customer base!

Welcome Email Subject Lines

With welcome subject line examples, you want to keep things friendly and personalized, encouraging the recipient to interact with your brand further.

Some examples include:

• Thanks for joining us, [recipient name]!
• Welcome aboard! Now, discover what’s next!
• You’re in! Let’s get started!
• Beginning your journey with [brand name].

Personal and Personalized Subject Lines

Personalized subject lines make the recipient feel singled out and unique. Including their name or a reference to a previous purchase or interaction are great options for achieving this:

• [Recipient name] — a special offer for you!
• Your personalized product recommendations are inside!
• Curated picks for your taste, [recipient name].
• [Recipient name], we thought you’d like these!

Curiosity-Inspiring Subject Lines

With curiosity-inspiring subject lines, you don’t want to reveal too much in the subject line — the key is to prompt the recipient to open the email to find out more. 

• Guess what’s back in stock?
• A surprise offer just for you!
• Want to try our most hyped product yet?

Sense of Urgency Subject Lines

Our research indicates that when you create a sense of urgency, your recipient must act now to avoid missing out on an offer or deal. Including a deadline in the subject line or indicating that time is running out is key!

• Only a few items are left in stock!
• The last item left in [recipient’s size]!
• The sale ends tonight! Don’t miss out!
• Last chance — grab one before they’re gone!

Question Subject Lines

Question subject lines prompt the recipient to open the email to answer the question. They are similar to the curiosity subject lines — let’s take a look at some examples:

• Looking for the ideal gift?
• Are you ready for the new line of [products]?
• Want to receive exclusive offers?
• How can we help to improve your shopping experience?

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Add Emojis to a Subject Line?

When crafting your subject line, incorporate emojis or special characters sparingly. Overuse of emojis can make your emails seem unprofessional or spammy and even lead to them being caught in spam filters! 

You can insert emojis into your subject lines using keyboard shortcuts. If you’re using an email marketing platform, they will often have built-in emoji features to make inserting emojis easy. 

What Are Good Cold Email Subject Lines?

When cold emailing, ensure your subject line offers clear value or benefit and avoids spammy language. It’s crucial to include personalized details and relevant information so that your subject line resonates with the recipient. 

Examples include:

• Exclusive offer for professionals in [recipient’s industry]!
• Finally, a solution to [specific problem in the recipient’s industry].
• Introducing [targeting product or service] — here’s how it can help you!

Can a Good Email Subject Line Help With Email Deliverability?

Definitely! A good email subject line can help your email avoid spam filters. Ensure you prevent spammy language and spam triggers like excessive use of capitalization, emojis, exclamation points, or words like ‘free’ or ‘winner’.

Wrapping Up: Crucial Reminders on Best Email Subject Lines

Email subject lines are an essential part of email marketing — they capture the reader’s attention and greatly affect open rates. 

When you’re crafting subject lines, make sure you understand your target audience and do your research on their preferences. This will ensure your subject lines resonate and improve your click-through and open rates. 

Using techniques like personalization and urgency in your subject lines can boost engagement in your content significantly. 

Test your subject lines with A/B split tests to determine which subject lines are more effective with your target audience. It’s also essential to ensure the subject line aligns with the email’s content so that your recipients see your brand as trustworthy and credible. 

Use a blend of creativity, analysis, and personalization to make your subject line stand out among the many emails in your recipients’ crowded inboxes. 

To take your email marketing to the next level, try using a B2B marketing platform like BookYourData with real-time email verification and 97% accuracy guarantee. They can ensure a high accuracy rate and target specific audience niches, so you can ensure your emails will find their intended audience.

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