The First Impression Power of the Email Subject Line
To open an email or not to open an email? This is the question email recipients ask themselves when they are on the fence about opening or deleting a message. Email marketers understand the importance of the subject heading. It has to entice the reader with an immediately recognizable benefit without making an over-the-top hard sell. If this weren’t tricky enough, adhering to CAN-SPAM compliance makes creating an engaging, actionable and deliverable subject heading all the more challenging.
In order to increase conversions, improve sales and drive results for clients, email marketing and creative teams should work together to produce highly-targeted, high-performing messaging. To maximize collaborative effectiveness, these departments should keep the following email subject line best practices top of mind:
- Avoid obvious SPAM words like Free, Coupon and Cash
- Keep it Short – Subject length should be up to 50 characters or less
- Refer to best performing competitive offers
- Include company name for credibility and better branding
- Create a recognizable, relevant benefit for the reader
- Continually test and compare open rates
Obviously, the subject heading alone will not convert to sale. Email marketers must ensure that the body messaging offers strong selling points. But if the subject line doesn’t grab the reader, the body of the email might as well be lost in online space.
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