Make Your Email Subject Area Count
Many SMEs put a great deal of effort into crafting the perfect promotional email, carefully honing the content, only to overlook one of the most critical elements: the subject line. This one-liner is what recipients see first when your email appears in their inbox, and it’s often the deciding factor in whether they’ll open it or scroll right past. After all, the whole point of your email campaign is to get people to open your email, right?
The email subject line is arguably the single most important factor in determining whether the recipient will open your email. Even worse, if you choose the wrong subject line or forget to set one altogether, your carefully crafted email could end up in the dreaded junk folder—all your hard work lost. It’s crucial to get this right to give your campaign the best chance of success.
If you want to increase the chances of your marketing email being opened, follow these tips for creating a spam-free and attention-grabbing subject line.
Keep It Short
Long subject lines tend to get overlooked in the world of email marketing—they often appear spammy and fail to engage the reader, even if they don’t end up in the junk folder. According to research by Mailchimp, it’s best to keep your subject line under 50 characters. This keeps it short, punchy and easy to read.
The only time this rule doesn’t apply is when you’re sending a highly targeted email to a niche audience. In those cases, a longer, more specific subject line can sometimes work in your favour.
Keep It Catchy
Your subject line needs to grab attention. You want a headline that piques curiosity, raises excitement or creates urgency—something that compels the recipient to open the email and read more. Take the time to think of a subject line that stands out but make sure it’s relevant to the content of the email.
If your subject line is misleading or doesn’t match the email content, your readers will quickly lose trust in your future emails. Consistency is key to building and maintaining that trust.
Remember, the effectiveness of your subject line is tied to the quality of your content. Timely and useful information is more likely to be opened. For example, a travel agent emailing updates for clients going on holiday can expect a higher open rate. By contrast, promotional emails tend to have lower open rates, as they rely on the recipient needing that product or service at the right time.
Avoid Certain Words
Some words are more likely to trigger spam filters and reduce the chances of your email being opened. Research from Mailchimp suggests avoiding the following words in your subject lines:
- FREE! – This is almost guaranteed to trigger spam filters.
- Help – It often makes recipients wary and hesitant to open.
- Percent off – While tempting to use for discounts, it can hurt your open rates.
- Reminder – This can be interpreted as a notification about something unpleasant, like an unpaid bill.
- Keep It Local
Interestingly, Mailchimp found that while including a recipient’s first or last name in the subject line didn’t significantly impact open rates, adding location-specific information did. Including local context can make your email feel more relevant to the reader, increasing the chances of it being opened.
For example, if you’re promoting an event or special offer in a specific area, mentioning the location in the subject line can make a significant difference. People are more likely to engage with content that feels personal and locally relevant.
Be Clear About Who the Email Is From
Although this isn’t technically part of the subject line, it’s equally important to ensure the recipient knows who the email is from. This should be consistent across all your email marketing campaigns. Recipients are more likely to open an email if they recognise and trust the sender. If your “from” address is unfamiliar or unclear, your email might be overlooked or, worse, flagged as spam.
The Importance of Spending Time on Your Subject Line
It pays to spend time crafting the perfect subject line when preparing your next email campaign. A few tweaks can make all the difference to your open rates, ensuring that your message reaches more people and gets the attention it deserves. Remember, the subject line is the first impression—make it count.
Want to learn more about composing great subject lines and creating the perfect marketing email? Mailchimp’s website is full of useful resources to help you improve your email marketing strategies.
