Do you know how long it takes to nail that first impression? Seven… seconds! Yes, you read that right. Not hours, not minutes, but seconds.
That’s why you need a catchy email subject line every time you send an email. Maybe you’ve written an amazing email body, but if your subject line doesn’t cut it, your readers won’t open the email.
In this blog post, we share the best email subject lines for professional emails, introduction emails, cold outreach, abandoned carts, and more.
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The Best Email Subject Lines To Copy, Customize, and Hit Send!
When writing an email subject line, it’s important to ensure that it effectively conveys the message you are trying to send. It should be short and descriptive so that people can quickly identify what the email is about.
Here are some great email subject lines you can use right away.
1. Professional email subject lines
- “Meeting Request: Follow Up” 📧
- “Project Update: Deadline Approaching” 🚨
- “Invitation to a Webinar” 👨💻
2. Email subject lines for networking
- “Introducing Myself” 🙋♂️
- “Seeking Ideas/Advice” 💭
- “Connecting With A Mutual Contact” 🤝
- “Asking For A Referral” 🙂
- “Inviting You To An Event” 🎉
- “Requesting To Connect On LinkedIn” 💻
- “Collaboration Opportunity” 🤝🏼
- “Introducing An Idea/Project, I’m Working On” 💡
- “Question About The Industry” ✋
- “Reaching Out To See How I Can Help” 👐
3. Email subject lines for outreach
- “Following Up On Your Inquiry” 🙋🏾♂️
- “Check In On An Old Project” 💾
- “Request For A Reference” 🙏🏿
- “Hello From An Old Colleague” 👋🏿
- “Catching Up After Some Time Apart” 🤗
- “Requesting Assistance With An Issue” 🧑🔧
- “Inviting You To Participate In A Survey/Research Study” 🗳️
- “Requesting An Update On A Mutual Contact” 📱
- “Checking In To See How You Are Doing” 📞
4. Email subject lines for introduction
- “Introducing Our New Product” 📢
- “Welcome To Our Newsletter” 📰
- “Getting to Know Our Company” 🔍
- “We Are Excited to Meet You” 😃
- “Please Join Us for a Special Event” 🎊
- “Greetings From Our CEO” 🖖
- “Thanks For Signing Up! Here’s What Comes Next” 👉
- “Introducing Our Team” 👨🦱 👩🦰
- “Come Check Out Our Latest Offerings” 🏃♀️
- “We’d Love To Connect With You” 👉🏽 📲
5. Welcome email subject lines
- “Welcome To Our Team!” 🤩
- “It’s Great to Have You Here” 👍
- “We’re Thrilled To Have You Onboard” 🧑✈️
- “Welcome Aboard! Here’s What To Expect” 📑
- “Let’s Get You Started With Us” 📋
- “We Can’t Wait To Show You Around” 😊
- “A Warm Welcome From Our Team” 🤘
- “It’s Great To Have You Here” 🙃
- “We’re Excited To Get You Started” 🛅
- “Thanks For Joining Us! Let’s Get Started!” 🖊️
6. Email subject lines for checking in
- “Checking In On Your Progress” 📝
- “Asking For An Update” 👇
- “Following Up On The Project Status” 🗨️
- “A Quick Check-In On Your Progress” 💬
- “Reaching Out For An Update” ❔
- “Checking In To See How You’re Doing” 🖐🏻
- “Just Checking Back In” 🙆
- “How’s Everything Going?” 🧐
- “Reaching Out To See How I Can Help” 🤙
- “Let Me Know If You Need Anything” 👌
7. Touching base email subject lines
- “Touching Base About The Project” 📒
- “Catching Up On Recent Developments” 🗞️
- “Following Up On Our Last Conversation” 👂
- “Just Checking In To See How Things Are Going” 🙋🏻♂️
- “Quick Update On The Project Status” 🤙🏻
- “Following Up On A Few Things” ☝🏿
- “Scheduling Time To Talk” 📅
- “Checking In With An Update” 🙋🏿♀️
- “Requesting A Follow-Up Meeting” 🙏🏾
- “Reaching Out For An Update” ✍🏾
8. Cold email subject lines
- “Introducing Our Product/Service” 📦
- “Inviting You To Join Us” ✉️
- “A New Opportunity For You” 🎡
- “You Deserve This Offer” 🥰
- “We Can Help With Your Problem” 👨🔧
- “Let Us Help Take Your Business To The Next Level” 💲
- “We Have Something Special For You” 😉
- “Introducing Our Revolutionary Product” 🤯
- “Thought You Might Be Interested In This Opportunity” 😇
- “We Can Make Your Life Easier” 🔧
9. Catchy email subject lines
- “A Surprise Just For You” 🤫
- “You Won’t Want To Miss This” 💣
- “Unlock The Secret To Success” 🔓
- “Unbelievable Offer – Act Now!” 🔥
- “Discover The Easiest Way To…” ↗️
- “This Might Change Your Life” 💫
- “The Secret To Saving Time & Money” 💵
- “Unlock The Door To A Better Future” 🚪
- “Don’t Miss Out On This Incredible Offer!” 🕝
- “Discover The Key To Success Now” 🔑
10. Sales email subject lines
- “It’s Time To Take Action” ⌚
- “Introducing Our New Product/Service” ♨️
- “Special Offer – Act Now!” ⏰
- “Don’t Miss Out On This Opportunity” ⏳
- “Discover The Secret To Increasing Your Sales” 💹
- “It’s Time To Get The Results You Want” 🕰️
- “Unlock The Potential Of Your Business Now” 🤑
- “Take Advantage Of This Special Offer Today” 👽
- “The Solution To All Your Problems Is Here” 🗝️
- “Grow Your Business With Our Help” 📈
11. Newsletter subject lines
- “Here’s What You Missed This Week” 📯
- “All The Latest News In One Place” 🗃️
- “Stay Up To Date With Our Newsletter” 📬
- “Get The Latest Updates Now” 📮
- “Weekly Roundup – Don’t Miss Out!” 👆🏾
- “Keep Up With The Latest Trends” 🌐
- “Your Weekly Digest Of News & Updates” 🗒️
- “Our Newsletter Is Now Live! Subscribe Now!” 📇
- “Our Newsletter Has Just Been Released – Check It Out!” 📤
- “Stay In The Know With Our Latest Newsletter” 🤓
12. Email subject lines for surveys
- “Your Opinion Matters To Us” 💯
- “We Need Your Help – Please Take Our Survey” ✏️
- “Share Your Thoughts With Us!” 🗣
- “Take Part In Our Survey Now!” ✍🏿
- “We Value Your Feedback – Please Participate” 🥺
- “Help Us Improve By Taking Our Survey” 💪
- Tell Us What You Think – Take Our Survey!” 🤷♀️
- “Help Us Make Things Better – Please Take Our Survey” 🌝
- “We Want To Hear Your Voice – Please Participate” 🔊
- “Your Input Matters To Us – Please Share It Now!” 👁🗨
13. Abandoned cart email subject lines
- “Don’t forget about your order!” 🛍
- “You left something behind…” 😮
- “Oops, you forgot this!” 🤦♀️
- “Still thinking about it?” 🤔
- “Complete your purchase now!” 💳
- “Pick up where you left off” 🈁
- “Your cart is still waiting for you” 🛒
- “Get your items before they’re gone!” ⏲️
- “Don’t miss out on this amazing offer!” 😱
- “It’s not too late to complete your order!” ☝🏻
- “Still need something? Don’t forget about it.” 😳
- “Come back and get what you need!” 😈
- “You don’t want to miss out on this.” 😛
14. Out-of-office subject lines
- “Out of the office and unavailable” 🔇
- “Taking some time off” 🛌
- “Away from my desk” 🪑
- “Unplugging for a bit” 📵
- “Working remotely today” 🏡
- “I’ll be back soon!” 🔜
- “On vacation until (date)” 🏞️
- “Away on a business trip until (date)” 🛩️
- “Stepping away from my inbox” 😴
- “Out of office: Catch up with you soon!” 🍻
15. Holiday email subject lines
- “Tis the Season: Celebrate with Us” 🥂
- “Get Ready for the Holidays Now!” 🥳
- “Unwrap Joyful Savings This Holiday!” 💸
- “Let’s Deck the Halls Together” 🧑🎄
- “Countdown to Christmas – Shop Now and Save!” 💰
- “Make Memories Last with Gift-Giving Ideas” 🧸
- “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” 🎅
- “Tis Better to Give than Receive – Shop Now!” 🧧
- “Celebrate the Holidays with Us!” ✨
- “New Year, New Savings: Start Shopping Now!” 👗
16. Memorial Day email subject lines
- “Remember and Honor: Memorial Day” 👮
- “A Time to Reflect & Remember Those Who Served” 🧎
- “Grateful For Our Freedom: Celebrating Memorial Day ” 🏳️
- “Honoring the Heroes of Memorial Day” 🙇
- “Remembering Our Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day” 🕯️
- “Celebrate with Gratitude this Memorial Day” 🎖️
- “A Nation’s Thank You: Celebrating Memorial Day” ❤️
- “Show Respect and Appreciation: Happy Memorial Day” 😔
- “Give Thanks & Pay Tribute on Memorial Day” 🙇♀️
- “Honor the Fallen Heroes of Our Country this Memorial Day” 🎗️
17. Email subject lines for events
- “You’re Invited To Our Special Event!” 💌
- “Don’t Miss Out On Our Upcoming Event” 🎤
- “Come Celebrate With Us At Our Event” 🥁
- “Join Us For An Unforgettable Experience” 🎆
- “The Countdown Is On: RSVP Now!” ⌛️
- “Ready To Make Some Memories? Join Us!” 💃
- “Get Excited: Our Event Is Almost Here” 🎠
- “Looking For Something To Do? Join Us At Our Event” 🎇
- “Mark Your Calendars: You Won’t Want To Miss It!” 📆
- “Let’s Celebrate Together At Our Event!” 🍾
18. Fall email subject lines
- “Get Ready for the Season with Our Fall Deals!” 💝
- “Look No Further – The Perfect Fall Outfit is Here!” 👕
- “Refresh Your Home Decor with Stylish Fall Finds” 🏠
- “Celebrate the Season with Amazing Fall Savings!” 💶
- “Step into Autumn in Style – Shop Now!” 👛
- “Treat Yourself to Our Fall Deals – Don’t Miss Out!” 🏃🏿
- “Welcome Cooler Days with Seasonal Style” 🩳
- “Update Your Look for the New Season” 👠
- “Get Ready to Fall in Love with Our Latest Collection” 💞
- “Embrace the Changing Leaves with Colorful Autumn Inspiration!” 🍂
19. Summer email subject lines
- “Stay Cool and Refresh With Us This Summer!” 🌞
- “Beat the Heat and Get Ready for Summer Fun!” 🏊♀️
- “Don’t Miss Out- Summer Deals Await!” 👙
- “Take a Break From The Sun- Shop Now!” 👒
- “Enjoy the Great Outdoors with Our Summer Offers!” 🚵
- “Get Ready for Summer Vacation with Us!” ⛵️
- “Get Ready for the Sun- Find Your Favourite Summer Must-Haves Here!” ☀️
- “Time to Take a Summer Break and Enjoy the Deals!” 🧉
- “Beat the Heat with Our Amazing Summer Offers!” ⛱️
- “Refresh Yourself This Summer With Our Cool Deals!” 🧃
20. Spring email subject lines
- “Get Ready for Spring with Our New Collection” 💐
- “Feel the Freshness of Spring in Style!” 🌼
- “Look Good, Feel Good: Update Your Wardrobe This Spring” 👖
- “Revive Your Look with a Trendy Spring Makeover” 💄
- “Celebrate the Warm Weather with Stylish Outfits” 👡
- “Enjoy the Blossom of Spring with Our Seasonal Styles” 🥻
- “Welcome the Freshness of Spring with New Apparel” 🌻
- “Get Ready for Summer Fun with Our Latest Collection” 🚣
- “Refresh Your Style with Fresh Tops & Bottoms This Spring” 👔
- “Enjoy the Sunshine & Look Fabulous in the Latest Trends!” 🧘
21. Reminder email subject lines
- “Don’t Forget: Take Action Now!” 🛑
- “Last Chance to Do Something Great!” 😯
- “Did You Forget About This?” 😩
- “Time is Running Out – Act Now!” 🕐
- “Important Reminder – Don’t Miss Out!” 🔔
- “Attention: Take Action Today!” 🔴
- “Make Sure You’re Not Missing Out!” 📌
- “Don’t Delay – Take Action Now!” ❗️
- “Get It Done Before Time Runs Out!” 🆘
- “Act Now and Receive Your Reward!” 🔖
22. ‘Last chance’ or ‘FOMO’ email subject lines
- “Don’t Miss Out On This Incredible Opportunity!” 😟
- “Last Chance to Grab Your Discount!” 😖
- “Hurry – Offer Ends Soon!” 🏃🏿♂️
- “Final Hours to Take Advantage of This Deal!” 3️⃣ 2️⃣ 1️⃣…
- “Time Is Running Out – Act Now!” ⏳
- “Don’t Let This Opportunity Pass You By!” 🤦🏾♂️
- “Seize This Limited-Time Offer Now!” ⚡️
- “Get It Before It’s Too Late!” 😮💨
- “Don’t Delay – Secure Your Discount Today!” 🆓
- “Last Chance to Get the Best Deal Around!” ⚠️
23. Formal email subject lines
- “Request for Meeting” 💼
- “Invitation to Join Project” 🧑🏿💻
- “Proposal Submission Deadline” 🛄
- “Upcoming Travel Plans” 🏖️
- “Follow-Up on Recent Discussion” 🙋🏿
- “Finalizing Details” 📜
- “Action Required” ✒️
- “Research Update” 🔬
- “Technology Upgrade Plan” 🧰
- “Employee Performance Review” 🏆
24. Referral email subject lines
- “Refer a Friend and Get Rewarded!” 👩❤️👩🎁
- “Share the Love & Earn Rewards!” 💕 🎁
- “Join Forces with a Friend & Get Rewarded!” 👭
- “Invite Your Friends & Enjoy the Benefits Together!” 👯♂️
- “Double Up on Rewards by Referring a Friend!” 🚻
- “You Win, They Win: Refer and Get Rewarded!” 🤪
- “Get Rewarded for Sharing the Good News!” 😎
- “Spread the Word & Reap Rewards Together!” 👩🌾
- “Be a Hero & Earn Big with Referrals!” 👮♀️
- “Unlock Benefits with a Friend’s Referral!” 🔐
25. Email subject lines for job application
- “Ready to Take on New Opportunities” 👨🏻🎓
- “Experienced Professional Looking for Career Growth” 🧑🏻🚀
- “Bringing Proven and Innovative Skills to the Table” ⚔️
- “Excited to Pursue a Challenge with Your Company” 🔏
- “Interested in Exploring Job Possibilities with You” 📡
- “Seeking an Opportunity to Make an Impact” ☄️
- “Qualified Professional Looking to Join Your Team” 🧑🏿🎓
- “Looking for Meaningful Career Prospects with You” 👩🏾🎓
- “Bringing Diverse Expertise to the Table” 🧠
- “Ready to Take My Career to the Next Level with You!“ 🧑🏻💼
26. Personal email subject lines
- “Let’s catch up over Coffee” ☕️
- “Congratulations on Your Promotion!” 👏 🧑💼
- “Thank You for the Gift” 🎁
60+ Email Subject Line Examples From Awesome Brands
Let’s cut right to the chase. We’ve combed the internet looking for some really good email subject lines — and here’s the result. Some are cool, others are funny, and some resonate with the brand image.
Some of these email subject lines are great for sending shopping cart abandonment emails, and others make for the perfect follow-up.
1. “Google sees smartphone heroics in Oreo. It’s The Daily Crunch.” — This is an interesting subject line example from TechCrunch, a newsletter that keeps people updated about the latest news and developments in the world of technology. So, using the words’ daily crunch’ keeps you abreast with updated information about technology, so you know you gotta read it.
2. “Where to Drink Beer Right Now” — (Sent at 6:45 PM on a Wednesday): Eater Boston couldn’t have timed this better. After a busy day midweek, this can be the perfect thing to wake up to and ease out a bit.
3. “Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring.” — Using conversational words like “uh-oh” invokes the fear of missing out. Here, Warby Parker used this line to attract customers to buy glasses. It’s a truly creative follow-up email subject line.
4. “Best of Groupon: The Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)” — Sarcastic and funny subject lines can pique the interest of readers. Groupon uses this strategy to the best.
5. “*Don’t Open This Email*” — When we are told not to do something, we tend to be more curious to open the content and read. This is what Manicube used in their marketing email subject line. But be careful — only use this subject line when the reader is familiar with your brand or service. Otherwise, they might just block you!
6. “What They Eat In Prison,” “DO NOT Commit These Instagram Atrocities” — A catchy language always urges the reader to look forward to exciting content. Thrillist uses catchy sentences like this in their subject line to entice readers.
7. “Black Friday shoppers are the worst customers” — This came in a LinkedIn Pulse newsletter, promoting an article one of its users wrote on the topic of holiday marketing. Intriguing facts and figures make the reader want to open the email.
8. “10 bizarre money habits making Millennials richer” — Subject lines that are leading will always urge the recipient to know more about the subject. Refinery29 uses leading subject lines to make the email marketing subject lines more appealing to their followers.
9. “Not Cool, Guys” — BuzzFeed is known for its unique and exciting content. Sometimes, they use a combination of the subject line and preview text to make it conversational and friendly. For example, the preview text that followed this was “Okay, WHO left the passive-aggressive sticky note on my fridge? Honestly, who acts like this?”
10. “Is this the hottest career in marketing? ” — Digital marketers used this curiosity-inducing subject line to let readers know what’s interesting inside.
11. “Free (Cool!) Clothes Alert” — Clover uses visual content like emojis to lure readers into opening the email. Use this sparingly and only when it is relevant.
12. “You free this Thurs at 12 PM PST? [guest blogging class]” — Mary Fernandez used personalization to reach out to new readers and existing followers. Personalization should be a part of a great subject line as it works wonders and urges the recipient to open the email as it makes them feel special.
13. “1,750 points for you. Valentine’s flowers & more for them.” — When you read this line, you’ll immediately want to know who the flowers are for. This prompts you to read the body. Cryptic follow-up email subject lines like this are fantastic and entice readers.
14. “Rock the color of the year” — Etsy, the e-commerce website, was able to promote a product solely based on color. We’ll want to know what ‘the color of the year’ is, right?
15. Sometimes, direct newsletter subject lines also work best. For example, “[Company Name] May 2005 News Bulletin!” or “Eye on the [Company Name] Update (Oct 31 – Nov 4).”
16. “As You Wish” — UncommonGoods knows its buyer persona and sends emails based on its customers’ wish lists or interests. This subject line is based on the movie ‘The Princess Bride.’
17. “Everything you wanted to know about email copy but was too afraid to ask” — CopyHackers uses one of your fears or pain points to urge you to take a quick look at the email.
18. “The price dropped for something in your cart” — These retargeting email subject lines can prompt you to visit your cart once again or complete some unfinished purchases.
19. “Tonight Only: Get this NOW before it’s gone…” — Resisting FOMO or Fear of Missing Out is difficult. Violet Grey uses this with an added incentive to increase email open rates.
20. “New Video: (Topic)” — An effective email campaign should not only increase sales but also provide value to customers.
21. “Yes, this is a fundraising email” — (from Al Franken), and …
22. … “Hey” — (from Barack Obama) These two straightforward and seemingly “boring” newsletter subject lines performed the highest out of 40 million emails, with open rates between 60-80.
23. “Products the celebs are wearing” — Sephora used this celebrity branding and vanity subject line to hit readers’ emotional quotient and make them open the email.
24. “Learn a language with only 5 minutes per day” — Offering a solution to a problem or addressing a pain point is a good strategy when writing an email subject line. Duolingo gave a great offer while trying to solve a problem.
25. “We Need To Talk…” — A recent email marketing campaign by PPC Protect saw an impressive open rate of 63% using this simple subject line. Not only does it make the email look important, but it also triggers the reader’s curiosity.
Enhance Your Email Marketing
Want to make your emails more impactful? Check out our beautiful, easy-to-customize HTML email templates. Designed to boost engagement, these templates from EngageBay will help your emails stand out. Just customize the images, headings, and CTAs for your brand, and hit send in a few minutes!
Email Subject Line Examples From Top Brands (By Category)
We also have some more catchy email subject line examples from great brands and marketers, categorized for you:
1. Professional email subject lines
- “[Action Required] Verify your email address” — Amazon Chime
- “Your free PDF is attached: Great Talks Most People Have Never Heard” — James Clear
2. Personalized email subject lines
- “So I’ll pick you up at 7?” — Influitive
- “[Name], check out these hand-picked looks” — Guess
- “Happy Birthday [name] — Surprise Inside!” — Rent the Runway
- “Seriously, who does this?” — Ryan Levesque
3. FOMO email subject lines
- “Tonight only: A denim lover’s dream” — Guess
- “Starbucks — By Invite Only”— Groupon
- “A Sneak Peek for VIPs Only.” — Serena & Lily
- “Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring” — Warby Parker
- “You’re missing out on points.” — JetBlue
- “Don’t let this $5 bonus slip away!’ — Ibotta
- “The timer’s going ogg on your cart!” — King Arthur Flour
- “[URGENT] You’ve got ONE DAY to watch this …”— Digital Marketer
4. Question-based email subject lines
- “Ready for some festival fun?” — Sky
- “Where do all these toys go?”— IKEA
- “Who you gonna call?” — Clint Fontanella
5. Curiosity-invoking email subject lines
- “What they eat in prison”— Thrillist
- “Not Cool, Guys” — BuzzFeed
- “What can you afford?” — Zillow
- “Don’t open this email” —Manicube
- “A faster donkey” — The hustle
- “Our #1 most asked question …” — Supergoop
- “Last day to see what this mystery email is all about” — GrubHub
- “I got Botox — & THIS is what it looked like” — Refinery29
- “As You Wish” — UncommonGoods
6. Funny email subject lines
- “We Like Being Used” — The Muse
- “Need a day at the beach? Just scratch n’ sniff your way to paradise …” — Travelocity
- “Yes, I’m pregnant. You can stop staring at my belly now.” — Baby Bump
7. Email subject lines based on pain points
- “Learn a language with only 5 minutes per day” — Duolingo
- “Feed your guests without breaking the bank” — Pizza Hut
- “Repeat meal syndrome? We understand.” — GrubHub
- “How to survive your next overnight flight”— Thrillist
- “Stop wasting time on mindless work”— Evernote
- “Don’t think about saving. Save without thinking.”— Qapital
- “Since we can’t all win the lottery …” — Uber
8. Generic email subject lines
- “How to live at home 24/7” — Feather
- “3 ways to improve your Pins” — Pinterest
Read also: Introduction Email Subject Lines To Captivate Your Audience
Ideal Subject Line Lengths For Different Email Clients
How long should you keep your email subject lines?
Ideally, the average email inbox shows up to 60 characters on desktops and laptops and up to 30 characters on mobile devices.
However, you get some flexibility based on different email clients. Below is a table that shows the ideal subject line length for different clients.
Email client | Recommended subject line length |
Gmail | 70 characters |
Outlook | 50-70 characters |
Yahoo | 40-45 characters |
iPhone | 40-65 characters |
Android | 50-70 characters |
Windows | 40-60 characters |
Keep in mind the type of device and email providers your recipients commonly use to browse emails.
Read also: Let Sparks Fly With These Valentine’s Day Email Subject Lines
Tips for Writing Awesome Subject Lines for Emails
Here’s how you write a great email subject line.
Curiosity
Curiosity is something that works wonders. Add text or content that will invoke interest in the reader’s mind. Questions or intriguing one-liners will usually allow a reader to be more curious. “What’s inside that everyone’s talking about?” could make the readers want to know more.
Urgency
Using urgency is a classic approach and generally works because it compels the reader to take immediate action. Examples include, “Hurry, only a few hours left!” or “Offer expires tonight!” In such subject lines, the feelings of urgency are stirred in the readers to click before it is too late. But let me give you one word of caution: don’t overdo it.
Too much urgency can feel pushy and even come off as spammy. Try A/B testing different approaches to find the right balance for your audience.
Emoji usage
Emojis can add personality and help subject lines stand out. For example, a “party” or “light bulb” emoji can make an email pop. However, use them sparingly—a recent study shows subject lines without emojis perform slightly better (52.94% open rate vs. 47.06% with emojis). Balance is key, and A/B testing can help determine what works best for your audience.
Mobile optimization
Most people open emails on their mobile phones. As such, subject lines have to be mobile-friendly. In most mobile phones, the subject lines get cut off if they are long. Therefore, use short subject lines—less than 50 characters—to be effective, clear, and appear appropriately even on a small screen and still grab attention.
A good rule of thumb is to have subject lines A/B tested to see where adjustments need to be made.
Relevance
Subscribers want timely and trendy information, which you should be giving. This idea should be leveraged while designing better subject lines as well. Trendy topics or trendy headlines should be used in newsletter subject lines to keep readers interested.
Personalization
Adding a personal touch to your email subject line can make your recipients feel valued and more likely to engage. It’s a powerful strategy for building strong relationships and driving more leads. You can boost open rates and cultivate customer loyalty by making your emails feel more personal.
Celebrity branding
Use a familiar name so people can identify it right away. Personality traits of celebrities can invoke curiosity in the recipient to open the email.
Read also: 100+ Thank You Email Subject Lines To Master Gratitude
Bonus tips for leveraging emotional psychology to write subject lines
Use emotional psychology to write a good email subject line. They can boost your email open rate. Try these three strategies: scarcity, excitement, and humor.
Scarcity: Scarcity means a product or service has a limited supply. It urges readers to act quickly before it runs out. Subject lines such as “Ready to go, only five spots left—hurry up!” or “Stock is limited, get yours now!” capture the essence of scarcity.
Excitement: Create anticipation in your subject line by advertising something new or exciting. For example, a good subject line such as “Brace yourself; something mind-blowing is coming!” will create excitement and boost your email open rate.
Humor: Using humor in your email subject line can make it more memorable. Or such simple sentences as “Sorry, did you not see this?” add an element of cuteness that draws attention to it.
The best way to understand which emotional trigger works better for your audience is by A/B testing. Look at your different subject lines through urgency and interest levels, and evaluate the strategies you used to improve them. For example, consider the variation in performance of “Get 20% off TODAY ONLY! (urgency) and “What does it contain that is so irresistible? (curiosity).
Using such strategies and effective techniques, you can easily create attention-grabbing, action-inciting subject lines that boost your email open rate.
Read also: 37 Reminder Email Subject Lines That Get Results
Email Subject Line Best Practices
We’ve seen some of the best email subject lines, the kind that get good open rates.
Now, it’s time to go through some of the best practices that experts in the email marketing industry follow to craft the perfect subject lines for any email campaign.
1. Keep it short and simple. Be precise
Almost 77% of emails are read on the phone, so it might get cropped if the subject line is too long. The reader might overlook important information or might be disinterested.
So, keep your subject lines within 50 characters so that your followers can read the entire subject. Think about the words that matter the most and exclude unnecessary details.
For example, instead of writing ‘Order No #XXXX is being processed,’ you can write ‘Your order is being processed.’
Also, be precise with your subject lines. For example, use ‘Increase your sales by 60%’ rather than ‘How to increase your sales?’ for your sales email subject lines.
2. Avoid ‘no-reply’ sender name
A person’s name, like Roger@yourcompany.com, will be more acceptable to an individual than a company name. A familiar name ID gives a feeling that readers are dealing with an actual person rather than an abstract entity.
It is also important never to send emails with a no-reply sender name as they directly go to spam and are usually ignored.
Read also: 55 Exemplary Newsletter Subject Lines to Boost Email Open Rates
3. Avoid using ALL CAPS
Study shows that 85% of recipients prefer subject lines in lowercase. Fully capitalized subject lines look spammy and will be ignored by readers. Look at the example below:
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SPEND THIS HOLIDAY??
Don’t you get the feeling that someone’s screaming at you? Instead, use simple and engaging language to get your reader’s attention.
4. Segment your lists
It’s always better to send emails that are relevant to your recipients. That’s where personalization comes in. It helps you connect with your audience more personally, making them more likely to engage. Email list segmentation accounts for a large part of this.
It involves dividing your email list into smaller groups based on predetermined criteria such as demographics, purchase history, or level of user engagement like browsing history or action taken (purchase).
Personalization, however, tends to be more than just adding a name to your subject line, email body, and lists.
For example, before personalization: “Check out our new products!” sounds so dry. But, after personalization: “Hey {name}, we thought you’d like these new products based on your last purchase,” it sounds so inviting and engaging to the reader.
This approach can boost open rates and engagement further. You can segment your lists automatically when you use email marketing and CRM software like EngageBay.
5. Avoid making false promises
Do not make false promises in the subject line and deviate from them in the body of the email. This is called clickbait and is usually frowned upon.
Though your subscribers will initially click on these links, they’ll soon lose faith in you.
Read also: 149 Captivating Holiday Email Subject Lines That Work
6. Use numbers and values
A subject line containing numbers will get more attention than vague ones.
Try to add numbers and values wherever possible to attract readers. You can mention the discount value or use numbers to refer to the size of your listicle.
7. Make the recipient feel special
The power of personalization cannot be understated. People want to feel valued.
Choose sentences that instantly grab the recipient’s attention and make them feel special. Here are some great examples:
- “You’re invited!”
- “For our beloved customers only.”
- “An exclusive offer for you.”
8. Give an engaging pretext
A pretext is not part of the subject line but appears right next to the subject line in the inbox.
It is partly visible to the recipient and has an impact on readability. The preview text shows a bit more of what’s inside. So, to keep it precise and engaging, set the pretext to suit your recipient.
Read also: Email Copywriting 101: Tips to Craft High-Converting Email Copy
9. User personalization token
Research has shown that marketing emails that included the recipient’s first name in their subject line had higher clickthrough rates.
Including first names in the subject line can be a great start. A dog walking company, Wag!, uses this technique to its advantage by adding the owner’s dog’s name in the subject line.
10. Use questions to get attention
Asking a question in the subject line can be a great attention-grabbing strategy.
“Are you making these SEO mistakes?”
“Do you know what went wrong with your website?”
These subject lines can be hard to resist as they usually resonate with your audience.
Read also: Red, Write, and Blue: The Best 4th of July Email Subject Lines
11. Start with action-oriented verbs
Call-to-Action subject lines can prompt readers to take action. For example, while inviting people to a hockey legend dinner, the email subject line can be, “Dine with Bruins legend Bobby Orr.”
12. A/B test your subject lines
While the tips and tricks mentioned above can work wonders, it’s always better to A/B test your subject lines to see what resonates best with your audience.
Email A/B testing involves sending variations of your subject lines to different segments of your audience to determine which one performs better.
This process helps you understand what prompts people to click on your emails, allowing you to refine your approach based on the results and ultimately improve your email marketing effectiveness.
You can also test multiple subject lines to know what works best for your audience. Some practical tips for A/B testing are mentioned below.
- Test only one aspect at a time. This will ensure that you get the best feedback from the output. For example, select and focus on one thing, such as subject line length, emotional triggers, or personalization.
- Make different versions. For instance, Version A can be “Unlock exclusive offer today,” whereas Version B can be “(Name), We’ve got a surprise just for you.”
- Follow optimal times. Send your test emails at the optimal times. Ideal days include Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The best times to try are either mid-morning, around 11 AM, or in the afternoon.
- Keep checking the metrics. You should track the open, click-through, and conversion rates for the best A/B testing results.
- Use A/B testing tools. You could also use different A/B testing tools for easier understanding. However, you could utilize built-in A/B testing features in platforms like EngageBay to automate and analyze.
- Keep testing. Figure out how to improve your future campaigns with winning results. Keep testing to refine what you learn over time.
13. Avoid spammy words
You should constantly look for specific words and phrases that indicate an email is likely unsolicited or unwanted. To avoid getting caught by spam filters, avoid using words like “sale,” “free,” “discount,” and other similar terms in your subject lines.
14. Attract readers, not a spam filter
Another challenge for an email marketer is ensuring the email doesn’t land in a spam folder. Email marketing success largely depends on email deliverability, and your subject line impacts the delivery rate.
A few studies have revealed that certain use of words or phrases triggers the spam filter because they are not email-friendly. Your email deliverability rate can significantly improve when you avoid these triggers.
So, what are those phrases considered spam? Emails containing content associated with free gifts, marketing gimmicks, schemes, or promises are usually flagged as spam. You can also use MailMeteor’s free email spam checker to make sure your subject line and email copy are good to go.
Read also: How To Avoid Spam Filters For Better Email Deliverability
How EngageBay Can Help You
With EngageBay, you get a host of tools to set the strategies into action.
- Personalization: Segment your lists in seconds based on user behavior and craft super-targeted, relevant emails.
- A/B Testing: A/B test subject lines to see what resonates most with them.
- Mobile Optimization: Preview, across several devices, what your subject line will look like so you make sure it displays correctly.
- Analytics: Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and other engagement metrics to enhance your subject lines over time.
Conclusion
Crafting excellent email subject lines is an art, and I hope this guide has inspired you to create impactful, click-worthy subject lines for your emails. You could also copy and paste the ones you like from this blog.
All you need to focus on now is writing a solid subject line that grabs attention, increases open rates, and drives engagement.
You can leverage personalization, emotional triggers, and A/B testing to refine your approach to finding what resonates with your audience better. For instance, EngageBay’s tools make it easier to apply these best practices. You can check them out here.
FAQ
How do emotional triggers like FOMO or curiosity improve email open rate?
Emotional triggers target the psychological makeup of the readers to make them act and open emails. FOMO triggers the need for urgency in people to act quickly (like “Last chance! Only a few seats left!”). Similarly, curiosity triggers attention, which is used in phrases like “What do we have inside?”.
What are the best practices for A/B testing a subject line?
A/B testing involves trying out subject line variations, behavioral personalization, and timing to test which works best for the audience. For example:
- Test only one variable at a time (change in length or tone).
- Use peak time, such as Tuesday at 11 AM, to send the message.
- Evaluate open rates and click-through rates to establish the most effective one.
How can I make my email subject line mobile-friendly?
Ensure you keep your subject lines within 50 characters to stop them from appearing shorter or cut off on mobile screens. Put the most important information first for it to be the first thing to be seen. Avoid complicated vocabulary so that the readers can easily understand it.
What are some examples of personalized subject lines to improve email open rates?
Make sure your email subject lines are relevant and personalized to include specific names or previous actions. Here’s how you can do it:
- Before: “Look at our amazing new collections!”
- After: “Hello [Name], we have selected a few items for you.”
What role do emojis play in improving email open rate?
Emojis help enhance the open rates by breaking the monotony of text, though excessive use may lead to spam burying the message. It is advisable to use only a couple of emojis to prevent it from appearing animated. A/B testing methods can be used to know how your audience responds to it.
What is the impact of urgency in subject lines on email open rates and reader engagement?
Urgency in subject lines is compelling in calling for action, but there is also a risk of abuse that can lead to spam reports. For example, one can create and use engaging subject lines like: “Hurry! This offer ends tonight!” encouraging readers not to procrastinate. However, use it cautiously, as overuse can make one sound desperate.
Content updated for freshness and SEO by Swastik Sahu and Veena.