EMAIL: Subject Line Best Practices
Sarah Haug has pulled together some solid info on email subject line best practices. Learn 'em, envangelize 'em, and put 'em to use before the next blast to your list.
In the most recent DoubleClick Consumer Email Study, 35% of responders said that the subject line was the most important driver in inciting them to open an email (60% cited the From address as the biggest driver).
Tactics to keep in mind when writing a subject line:
1. Clearly state the purpose of the email, requiring minimal interpretation. For example,
BAD: “Newsletter Name, Vol 1”
GOOD: “Newsletter Name: 10 Tips for Saving Energy”
2. Create a connection with the reader by using “you” in the subject line.
BAD: Save the Rainforest
GOOD: You Can Save the Rainfores
3. If possible, provide geographical link to the reader.
In an email test by the Boston Museum of Science, the “Ancient Egyptian artifacts coming to the Museum of Science” email subject line drew a 30% better response than the subject line “Exclusive Egyptian exhibit coming soon.”1
BAD: “Protect Clean Water”
GOOD: “Protect the Natural Waters in Your Area”
4. If the content is timely, be certain to express the timeliness of the content in the subject line.
A great example: during the Presidential debates, a Sierra Insider with subject line: “The Debate You Didn’t See” had a 37% unique open rate.
However, be careful not to cross the line and use words which may trigger spam filters, such as “urgent”, “hurry”, or “Breaking News.”
5. Use direct, specific appeals rather than indirect general appeals. For example,
BAD: "Oceans at risk - protect sea lions in Alaska, dolphins in Japan"
GOOD: "Protect sea lions in Alaska, stop dolphin killings in Japan"
The "Oceans at risk" summary is unnecessary and turns off readers.2
6. Only focus on one topic or action in the subject line.
BAD: "Just Say No to Arctic Drilling and Protect Caribou”
GOOD: “Just Say No to Arctic Drilling”
7. If the subject line uses negative wording, also try to offer a solution in the subject line.
BAD: “Bush’s Anti-Environmental Regulations”
GOOD: “You Can Stop Bush’s Anti-Environmental Regulations”
8. Try to use creative wording.
Instead of writing: ‘Top 10 Tips to Save the Environment’, try ‘Saving the Environment Takes 10 Easy Steps’.
9. Be familiar with words, phrases and formats which may trigger spam filters.
It’s surprising to learn that “Oprah” was a spam term in 2003.
Check Spam Filter before finalizing your subject line.
A few terms to avoid: All natural, Be amazed, Being a member.
*Remember - This also applies to your email content as well.
10. Other formatting to avoid which may trigger spam filters is:
Excessive capitalization.
Overuse of punctuation – Never use exclamation points or special characters.
11. Based on recent testing, subject lines shorter than 50 characters long in length lead to increased open rates.
Subject length 0-49 characters, open rate 27%.
Subject line length 50+ characters, open rate 23.7%3.
.....................................
Sources Cited:
1. Joanne Hunt Blatte, ed., Email Marketing Metrics Guide Second Edition,
(MarketingSherpa, Inc, 2003), 55.
2. Andrew Stocking, Some Thoughts About Subject Lines
3. Loren McDonald, How Message Size, # of Links and Subject Length Affects Email Results – Shorter Subject Lines Rule
4. Loren McDonald, Optimizing Your Subject & From Lines for Email Clients
In the most recent DoubleClick Consumer Email Study, 35% of responders said that the subject line was the most important driver in inciting them to open an email (60% cited the From address as the biggest driver).
Tactics to keep in mind when writing a subject line:
1. Clearly state the purpose of the email, requiring minimal interpretation. For example,
BAD: “Newsletter Name, Vol 1”
GOOD: “Newsletter Name: 10 Tips for Saving Energy”
2. Create a connection with the reader by using “you” in the subject line.
BAD: Save the Rainforest
GOOD: You Can Save the Rainfores
3. If possible, provide geographical link to the reader.
In an email test by the Boston Museum of Science, the “Ancient Egyptian artifacts coming to the Museum of Science” email subject line drew a 30% better response than the subject line “Exclusive Egyptian exhibit coming soon.”1
BAD: “Protect Clean Water”
GOOD: “Protect the Natural Waters in Your Area”
4. If the content is timely, be certain to express the timeliness of the content in the subject line.
A great example: during the Presidential debates, a Sierra Insider with subject line: “The Debate You Didn’t See” had a 37% unique open rate.
However, be careful not to cross the line and use words which may trigger spam filters, such as “urgent”, “hurry”, or “Breaking News.”
5. Use direct, specific appeals rather than indirect general appeals. For example,
BAD: "Oceans at risk - protect sea lions in Alaska, dolphins in Japan"
GOOD: "Protect sea lions in Alaska, stop dolphin killings in Japan"
The "Oceans at risk" summary is unnecessary and turns off readers.2
6. Only focus on one topic or action in the subject line.
BAD: "Just Say No to Arctic Drilling and Protect Caribou”
GOOD: “Just Say No to Arctic Drilling”
7. If the subject line uses negative wording, also try to offer a solution in the subject line.
BAD: “Bush’s Anti-Environmental Regulations”
GOOD: “You Can Stop Bush’s Anti-Environmental Regulations”
8. Try to use creative wording.
Instead of writing: ‘Top 10 Tips to Save the Environment’, try ‘Saving the Environment Takes 10 Easy Steps’.
9. Be familiar with words, phrases and formats which may trigger spam filters.
It’s surprising to learn that “Oprah” was a spam term in 2003.
Check Spam Filter before finalizing your subject line.
A few terms to avoid: All natural, Be amazed, Being a member.
*Remember - This also applies to your email content as well.
10. Other formatting to avoid which may trigger spam filters is:
Excessive capitalization.
Overuse of punctuation – Never use exclamation points or special characters.
11. Based on recent testing, subject lines shorter than 50 characters long in length lead to increased open rates.
Subject length 0-49 characters, open rate 27%.
Subject line length 50+ characters, open rate 23.7%3.
.....................................
Sources Cited:
1. Joanne Hunt Blatte, ed., Email Marketing Metrics Guide Second Edition,
(MarketingSherpa, Inc, 2003), 55.
2. Andrew Stocking, Some Thoughts About Subject Lines
3. Loren McDonald, How Message Size, # of Links and Subject Length Affects Email Results – Shorter Subject Lines Rule
4. Loren McDonald, Optimizing Your Subject & From Lines for Email Clients
posted by Amy Stein at 6:06:00 PM
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