7 Subject Line Tips That Get Your Emails Opened
Your newsletters and marketing emails are worthless if your prospect never opens them. That's a challenge that every internet marketer faces everyday.
According to a 2007 study by Jupiter Research, 1 out of 3 Americans open emails solely based on the subject line. And the E-Mail Sender and Provider Coalition (ESPC) report that nearly 70% of American internet users click the "This is Spam" button based on what they read in the subject line.
The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to quickly increase your emails' open ratios. Here are 7 of them.
Keep It Short
The rule of thumb is that you should keep your subject lines to less than 50 total characters. Anything more risks getting cut off by the screen or your email reader.
EmailLabs.com ran tests last year showing that emails with subject lines of fewer than 50 characters had open rates that were 12.5% higher than longer emails.
More importantly, the shorter subject lines delivered click-through rates that were 75% higher than emails with longer subject lines.
Although 50 characters is the maximum length for effective subject lines, other studies have shown that keeping it under 35 is even more effective.
Make It Relevant
People get tired of the "same old, same old." Make sure that your emails are current and relevant to what your target market is seeking.
For example, in this year of the presidential campaign, the effect of politics on health insurance is a timely and relevant concern. The best way to excite your readers is by giving them relevant information that they can actually use.
As you write the subject line, consider the practical needs of the intended reader. If you're writing to a new lead looking for more information, consider offering links to educational material on your websites.
Identify yourself
Although your information may already be in the "From" line, it often pays to identify yourself again in the subject line-but in a slightly different way.
For example, if you're emailing a newsletter, consider branding the email with the newsletter's name in the subject line [inside brackets]. According to Jupiter Research, "including the company name in the subject line can increase open rates by up to 32 percent over a subject line without branding."
Be Honest
A true sign of spam and untrustworthy marketers is the "bait and switch" email. You probably see examples of these everyday. These emails promise something but never deliver.
Your subject line needs to clearly state what's inside the email. And your email must quickly get to the point advertised by the subject line. Yes, you may lose a few people because they're simply not interested in the topic. But you build and maintain your reputation-as well as your subscription list.
As eROI.com found in a 2006 study, 1 out of 3 email recipients delete the email if they can't quickly see or understand the email's topic.
Interrupt and Engage the Reader
Although your email may have a big, bold headline of its own, the subject line is actually your email's primary headline. The subject line is like the circus barker enticing people to come inside and check out the show.
Your words need to interrupt and engage the reader. One of the best ways to do this is by asking a relevant question. For example, if you're sending an email to health insurance prospects with families, you may want to ask them if they have enough coverage if their children are injured in an accident.
A question such as "Are You Protecting Your Kids?" is short but still manages to hit a hot-button issue. The challenge is to keep it honest, to the point and respectful.
Consider the Magic Words
The two most powerful words for marketers are "free" and "you." You may want to avoid using "free," as many spam filters consider that a big red flag-but "you" is still golden.
In addition to spam filters, many consumers also react suspiciously whenever they see the word "free" or "no cost." Instead, consider using "percent off," "reminder" or "help", which MailChimp.com claims won't trigger spam filters or lower your open rates.
Don't Annoy
In their zeal to get attention, many email senders can end up annoying their prospects and lowering their open rates. Three practices in particular regularly annoy readers:
All CAPS.
Don't capitalize your subject line. Most readers find this very annoying; and spam filters will slam you for it. You also risk an automatic delete. It's a weak substitute for good writing. Beware of humor.
Being funny in your subject line doesn't always work. In fact, a 2006 ReturnPath.com study found that only 14.1% of respondents found humor in subject lines to be attractive. Humor may not always hurt your email; but if it doesn't help, look for a better option. Avoid hard sells.
MailChimp.com recently quipped "The best subject lines tell what's inside, and the worst subject lines sell what's inside." Although you can still use subject lines to "sell" what's inside the email, avoid any hard sell. For example, avoid giving readers a deadline on your special offer. Instead, just highlight your offer and invite your reader to read more.
According to ReturnPath.com's study, the most attractive marketing subject lines "clearly state the offer." They were closely followed by subject lines that identified the brand name or sender.
Finally, these 7 tips have one more advantage: most marketers don't use them. Check out the other commercial emails you've received during the past week. How many marketers follow these guidelines? The next time you send out a newsletter or mass email - and start applying these tips - you'll already be ahead of the crowd.
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