The success of an email marketing campaign can often depend on the subject line. It is the first thing your recipients will see, so it needs to be eye-catching, engaging and attention-grabbing if you want it to be opened. Crafting killer email subject lines, however, can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve compiled this step-by-step guide to help you write effective email subject lines that will get opened. From understanding your audience to using the right words, we’ll walk you through the process of creating email subject lines that will have your recipients clicking!

Understand Your Audience #

Even with the best intentions, it can be easy to write email subject lines that miss the mark completely. Before you start crafting your subject lines, it’s important to understand your audience. Take some time to consider who your ideal reader is, how they prefer to be communicated with and what they want from your emails. This will help you to craft email subject lines that resonate with your readers and encourage them to open and click through. Ask yourself questions like: Who are my readers? What do they care about? Why do they subscribe to my emails? What do they expect from me? You can also do some research on your readers. Look at your site traffic reports and see what keywords people are using to find you. Check out what your readers are responding to on social media. There are lots of ways to get insight into what your readers care about and how they communicate.

Choose Your Words Carefully #

Once you know who your readers are, it’s time to start thinking about the words you’ll use in your email subject lines. Your readers will only read a few words in your subject line, so it’s important that they convey the right message. Consider your readers’ emotional state when they open their inbox, and think about what they might be feeling at that time. Do they feel happy, sad, excited, angry, curious? Once you have a sense of what your readers’ emotions are, you can use the power of words to nudge them in the right direction. For example, if you know that your readers are feeling stressed, you can use words like “relief” or “calming” to inspire calmness in your readers.

Keep It Short and Sweet #

A long, drawn-out subject line might be interesting, but not if it isn’t getting clicked! With this in mind, you should keep your email subject lines short and sweet. Remember, your readers are busy. They likely have a lot on their plates, which means they might not have the time or the patience to read a drawn-out email subject line. A good rule of thumb is to keep your subject line under 12 words. Anything over that isn’t likely to get read. It’s also important to remember that some email clients truncate longer subject lines, so you might actually only have 8 words to work with. Keep in mind that shorter subject lines are also easier to fit in a clickable space on social media.

Use Actionable Words #

Remember, your readers are probably feeling something when they open their inbox. They could be angry, happy, excited or stressed. Whatever it is, you can use this emotion to your advantage by using actionable words in your email subject lines. Actionable words inspire people to take an action. Instead of inspiring a feeling, they inspire a reaction. In your email subject lines, you can use actionable words to prompt your readers to take the next step. If you know that your readers are feeling curious, you can use actionable words to prompt them to click to find out more. You can use tools like the Emotional Automation and Reason Engagement Audit to brainstorm possible words that can inspire a reaction.

Leverage the Power of Numbers #

Numbers are powerful in all aspects of marketing, including email subject lines. Numbers can help you to stand out in your readers’ inboxes by adding intrigue and piquing curiosity. When choosing numbers to include in your email subject lines, try to use unusual numbers. For example, 27 is a much more interesting number than 10. Choose numbers that are relevant to your readers and the content of your email. Using numbers that have no relevance can be confusing and even annoying. For example, if you’re sending a blog post about how to make the perfect cup of coffee, you could use something like this for your subject line: Why You Should Be Drinking Coffee at Home Instead of at Starbucks This title contains relevant keywords, is attention-grabbing, and is reflective of the content of your post.

Ask Questions #

Asking a question in your email subject line can help you to grab your readers’ attention and prompt them to open and click through. Questions are a great way to get your readers thinking and interacting with your emails. They also help you to create an emotional connection with your readers by inviting them to take an active role in the content of your email. It’s important to choose the right question for your email subject line. Your question should be something that will spark curiosity, but not something so general that it could be applied to any post. For example, if your post is about the best way to create a healthy home, you could use a question like, “What’s the healthiest room in your home?”

Make It Personal #

Adding a personal touch to your emails can help you to connect with your readers on a deeper level. Taking the time to personalize your emails is one of the best ways to stand out in your readers’ inboxes. You can personalize your emails in a number of ways, from the subject line to the closing line. You can even add a bit of personality by including your own signature. Here are some ideas for how you can add a personal touch to your email subject lines: Include the name of your blog or the name of your readers in the post title Add a couple of emojis to your subject line

Make It Relevant #

The best way to get your readers to open your email is to make it relevant to them. This can often involve including keywords in your email subject lines. However, you don’t want your email subject lines to be overly promotional. Instead, focus on finding a balance between relevance and marketing. Make sure that your email subject lines are relevant to your readers by asking yourself these questions: What are your readers likely to be interested in? What keywords can you include in your subject line? What message do you want to send to your readers?

Utilize Emojis #

Emojis are a great way to add some personality to your email subject lines. They are an excellent way to convey emotion without being overly promotional. Emojis can be especially useful if your email service provider (ESP) doesn’t allow you to include keywords in your subject lines. They are a fun way to appeal to your readers while still making your emails relevant. They can also help you to stand out in your readers’ inboxes. The more attention you can draw to your emails, the more likely they are to be opened. Keep in mind that the emoji you choose should reflect the message you are trying to send. For example, if you are sending a post about how to create the best cup of coffee at home, you could use these subject lines: Sweet beans! You can make coffee at home. Coffee to go! You can make coffee at home.

Test and Refine #

The best way to make sure your emails are as effective as possible is to test and refine. This applies to your email subject lines, too. Start by sending your emails to a small sample of your subscribers. Look at the open rates and click rates to see if there are any areas for improvement. Then, make the necessary changes to your email subject lines and send the emails to your entire subscriber list. Keeping these tips in mind will help you to craft killer email subject lines that will get opened. It just takes a bit of creativity, a bit of grit, and a bit of patience.