Writing emails that sell is an integral part of any email marketing campaign. Perhaps the most important element of any email is the subject line, so it is very important that they are done as well as possible. Here are five simple ways to improve email subject lines.

#1 Make it Short

The golden rule of the subject line is, “The shorter – the better.” This is why making your subject lines as simple as possible is essential for making them effective. If you can fit all the important information only in a few words, it will have a much greater impact.

Another reason to cut down your subject lines is that your recipients won’t be able to see the entire subject line until they open the email. To make them interested and click on the email, they first have to be hooked by the subject line, and that can’t happen if it is too long.

Try to keep your subject lines under 40 characters or about five to seven words in length. You want them to get to the point right away rather than approaching the matter from afar. Nobody likes reading tons of text (and nobody has any time for it either).

You also need to take out any kind of spammy words or phrases. There are filters that can place your email into spam just because there are such things as “Free” or “Buy Now” in them. Do some research and see if any of the words you use could get your emails to spam.

#2 Be Active

One of the biggest mistakes made when writing emails is not using an active voice. This means that your emails automatically become dull or boring and don’t invite your readers to act and do whatever you want them to do. There are some things you could do to avoid this problem and be active:

• Create Urgency: By including a deadline in your subject lines, you will create a sense of urgency and prompt your readers to act immediately. Nobody wants to miss out on a great opportunity. However, you should still have a good offer to make this deadline work.
• Ask Questions: This can be anything from asking for feedback or opinion on a certain matter to asking rhetoric questions just to reinforce your idea. Questions help you focus attention on the most important matter and keep your recipients reading. If you have an interesting question in your subject line about an important problem, they will be more likely to click and read your email in search of an answer.
• Command: Sometimes being stricter than people expect you to can work out quite well. However, you still need to be careful with this tactic as it can just as easily backfire at you. If you give them direct instructions, they might be more decisive to act on it.
• Teasers: You can also use various teasers on what you are about to present to them or what you are going to release in the near future. Of course, such teasers mostly work if you have something truly interesting and unique.

#3 Customize It

It is an extremely effective technique to customize your subject lines as much as possible. There is nosubject line that will work for every single person in your target audience, so you will need to divide your recipients into groups and create different versions for each group.

For example, many people like list articles or content that is organized into lists. They are much easier to read and take less time to digest thanks to the information being organized in a certain way. So, if one of your target groups does not have time for emails, they might change their mind and click on your email if the subject line mentions that you are sending a list.

Likewise, sharing announcements will work for the target group that always opens your emails or keeps an eye on the activity coming from you. They will be a lot more interested in an update than someone who is simply looking for discounts.

If you know that there are people in your email list who do not speak English or whose first language isn’t English, you might want to translate your emails and subject lines for them. Use a translation service like The Word Point to do this quickly and efficiently.

#4 Get Creative

You could get very creative with your emails. Besides, being authentic is essential for your emails to stand out of the crowd of tons of other promotional emails just like yours. Here are some practices you could try that can help you get creative:

• Uniqueness: Being unique is not as difficult as it seems, yet it still quite a complicated job. To be unique, you need to understand who your audience is and what you can offer them. Once you really know that, it will be much easier to get things going from that point on.
• Humor: Telling a joke can dramatically increase the chances of your email being opened and read. Great one-liners don’t only engage the audience but also make them associate your business with positive feelings and emotions. This leads to your brand image improving quite a lot.
• Surprise: The element of surprise always works extremely well in any kind of situation. If you say something your audience didn’t expect you to, they will be instantly intrigued and wanting to know more. Of course, try not to say anything controversial, because that can lead to drastic consequences.

#5 Use Multimedia

Last but not least, it can be an amazing idea to use multimedia in your emails. This makes them way more engaging and interactive. If you use some kind of multimedia in your email, make sure that you mention it in the subject line.

For example, you could add a video or presentation on a certain subject or include a PDF checklist or guide to something. If you do, always mention it in the subject line and focus on it, so that the attention of your recipients goes to this particular piece of information.

After all, you are putting in extra effort and perhaps even investing in equipment or additional services to get this video, infographic, or elsewise done. You might as well make sure that going the extra mile pays off and your audience appreciates this effort.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, email subject lines need special attention, so try to create several versions of the same subject line until you settle down for the one that works best. Follow the tips in this article to help you optimize your subject lines as much as possible.

Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English.

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