When it comes to email marketing, one of the hardest parts is actually getting prospects to open your email. Even if you have the most valuable, revolutionary information in that email, no one will see it if they don’t open it.
We have curated a list of the 15 best email subject lines just waiting to be opened!
1. The Intriguer
Look what you did…. – Hustle
This type of email subject peaks the curiosity of the reader because they want to remember exactly what they did. The way Hustle used this email subject was to get the reader to open an email from the new list they subscribed to, so it’s fresh in their mind, and they obviously want to hear from their company!
2. The Urgent Statement
$10 OFF—Last Day! – Groupon
Having a sense of urgency, such as “last day!” in this email, always entices a reader to open. If they are a fan of the product or service already and have subscribed to receive alerts, chances are they have been waiting for this email. Also, instead of a percentage off, there’s a straight forward dollar amount, which would get any shopper excited because they won’t have to calculate anything to figure out how much they would be saving!
3. The “How to”
How to Save $1,000 Fast! – EveryDollar
Everyone loves a good “How to”, especially when it comes to saving money quickly. This email subject is straight to the point, and the content inside actually contains information regarding how to do exactly what it states.
4. The Exclusive
You’ve Been Chosen. (this expires tonight) – Grove Co.
Making a customer feel like they have been chosen among many others for a great deal will encourage them to see why. In this case, the company used the fact that the buyer hasn’t purchased in a while to add them to a list that will receive this exclusive invitation in hopes of bringing them back to buy more.
5. The “Free stuff”
Our Holiday Gift to you — A complimentary eBook – Fiverr
Whenever there is something free, people will show up for the cause! “Free” can be a spam trigger word, so you must be careful when using it throughout your email; perhaps use “complimentary” instead. Either way, offering something for free to your customers is a surefire way to grab their attention. This subject line also highlights the holiday season, which is a great time to promote a “gift” you’re giving to them.
6. The Relatable
What People Think Of Your Desk – MindBodyGreen
Focusing on something that everyone is sure to have — from students to CEOs — will invite people to see what you have to say about it. In this email subject line, the company used the relatable object of a desk to introduce their readers to a post about how it can affect the perceptions people make about them. This subject succeeds because it hits a main point of discussion that people can think about and relate to.
7. The Direct
Germany in the $300s-$400s roundtrip! – Dollar Flight Club
This email subject is straight to the point. Stating the cheap price for an international trip sounds too good to be true, so you can bet it will get a lot of opens from people looking to see how it’s possible. You must deliver with these type of statements, though. You don’t want to be caught with “click-bait,” as that will inevitably leave you with an opt-out from your subscriber.
8. The Comparison
11 Differences Between Busy People and Productive People – Levo League
Having an email subject that compares two seemingly similar types of people will entice readers to see which category they fall into. This company, for example, provides tips for those in the workforce looking to read more about how they can be successful at their jobs; this is a great avenue for the company when creating this email, as it caters to the audience in a way that can have them wanting to learn more about where they fall on the spectrum.
9. The Comical
Is mayonnaise an instrument? – Daily Skimm
Introducing your email with a pun, joke, or in this case a ridiculous line from the popular Spongebob Squarepants show, will have your readers laughing and wanting to see where your email is going. This subject line doesn’t have to relate directly to your email content, but it should be representative of the type of humor present throughout your email.
10. The Helper
We’ve figured out dinner for you! – Sprouts Farmers Market
This email subject line is a good one because it tackles one of the most popular questions everyone has after a long day: What will I eat for dinner? Introducing the email with a solution in the subject line is a great way to encourage people to open it!
11. The Desirable
Thailand Wants to Pay You to Travel the Country Like a Local – AFAR
If you want to grab your subscriber’s attention, you should use a subject line that speaks to their desires. This company is known for their travel guides, and if a subscriber is sent an email regarding how they can get paid to travel, you can bet they will try and find out how! Whether it’s being paid to travel, or getting a free trial of an expensive product, learning how to speak to the desires of your customer is a great way to get them to read more.
12. The Emoji-filled
🌙5 Night Routine Habits You Need to Try! 😴 – Cambria Joy
By starting and ending an email with emojis that relate to your subject, you inevitably cause people to take a look at your email first because the colors and shapes are hard to miss! This example is great because it starts with a moon and ends with a sleepy person, so you already know the theme of the email without even having to read the whole subject line. Utilizing emojis is a great way to stay relatable and fun in your emails, but don’t get too crazy with using them instead of words because translating the emojis may deter some people from actually clicking!
13. The Reminder
Uh-oh! Your student membership is expiring… – UNiDAYS
This type of email is great for those that have a membership or service expiring soon. The “Uh-Oh!” inherently makes people feel anxious about what they may be losing out on, and the following text regarding what is expiring brings up the product/service they may have forgotten to renew (think contact lenses or a shaving subscription). This email subject is a provoking but friendly reminder!
14. The Concern Addressing
Hark. Are these 10 items in your December budget? – EveryDollar
In this email subject, the consumer is being targeted during the right time of the year. Budgets are something that most likely concern the subscriber of this EveryDollar email newsletter, so they used that to their advantage. Not to mention, December is the most expensive season for just about everyone! This is a great tactic to use for special holidays such as Valentine’s or Thanksgiving as well, where you can address a widespread concern.
15. The Personal Attacker
1 Mealtime Mistake That’s Making You Gain Weight – MyFitnessPal
This email subject line is impactful because of its phrasing. You know it’s not meant directly for you, but it feels like it is. Having a subject line that makes the reader feel like they’ve been personally targeted is an easy way to lead to an open. This type of subject line also invites them to find out what that 1 mistake is, because it is probably something small they haven’t thought of before. Highlighting something as simple as the 1 thing that’s influencing their goals, is a great way to not only get an open on your email, but also encourage the reader to read everything you have to say.
Here are some final tips to make sure your emails are opened and read:
- Keep subject lines between 30-60 characters so they look good on every device
- Avoid using all caps, it may come off as aggressive and trigger spam
- Don’t say “free” more than once in your email — Free is one of the top spam trigger words, but when used within the proper context, spam can be avoided
- Be careful with using big numbers or dollar amounts as they can seem improbable and attract the spam folder
- Make sure emails are responsive for everyone — format for both text and HTML
- Don’t overdo the emojis as a lot of foreign characters can send your email straight to spam
- Be honest with your subject line, lying to grab a reader’s attention will only result in an opt-out
For more information regarding Email Marketing, please contact us.
