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6 Ways to Increase Your Email Open Rate with the Subject Line
Have you even been told not to judge a book by its cover? The thing is, with email, that’s exactly what you do. The first thing you notice about an email is the subject line. Think about it—this is the first (and only!) thing the user sees before they decide whether or not to open the email in their inbox.
According to a study by Convince & Convert, 35 percent of email recipients open email based on the subject line alone. Additionally, 69 percent of email subscribers mark emails as spam based on the subject line.
Instead of letting creating the perfect subject line stress you how, let’s figure out how can you use this to your advantage and get more people to open your emails. Here are six ways to use subject lines to get more clicks:
1) Create a sense of urgency.
Have you ever heard of the term “FOMO”? It stands for the “fear of missing out.” People don’t want to miss out on something—whether it’s an event or a promotion—if other people might be partaking. Use this to your advantage and create the sense of “missing out” if they don’t open your email. The shorter the amount of time that recipients have to act, the more compelled your audience will feel to do so. Using phrases like “Act Now,” “Last Chance,” or “48 Hours Only” help prompt the user to take immediate action in response to your email.
2) Ask questions.
Questions make a great email subject line because the user will automatically resonate with your message and think about how it applies to their own life. It should evoke a sense of curiosity where they want to see if their experiences are similar to others based on what is being said in the email. Use this method to find a way to provide the answers to your customers’ biggest questions and tease the answer with your subject line.
3) Use personalization.
The easiest form on personalization is to add the recipient’s name to the email subject line. However, this is common practice nowadays that it doesn’t hold as much value as it once did since many people relate this to spammy emails. Find ways to segment your lists and personalize the subject lines and content based on different factors such a location, gender, occupation, etc. With personalization, the options are endless. You just need to track, test, tweak, and repeat to find out which type works best for your audience.
4) Incorporate numbers and lists.
Numbered lists are a great way to get more opens. Why? People are able to make an educated guess as to how long the email will be. Is it a short list that they can easily skim and it won’t take up much of their day? Or, is it a list with 50 different bullet points they will need to read through—taking up more of their time. Numbers and list email subject lines also stand out in an inbox because they look different than most other emails your subscribers are receiving—helping you to stand out.
5) Play on controversy.
You need to be careful with this one. Controversy sells—sometimes. Using messaging that provides a shock value or some type of controversial message is likely to get opens, but is it going to get the correct message across? This can be a very successful tactic to get noticed, just be sure you have a confident understanding of what your audience likes and would approve of.
6) Stay under 50 characters.
When it comes to subject lines, you want them to be short and sweet. It’s recommended to keep your email subject lines at or under 50 characters. Depending on how the user is viewing your email will determine how much of the subject line they will see. Use data to see if your list is viewing emails via desktop or mobile, or through their iPhone’s email app or through Gmail. By determining how most people are viewing your emails, you can better optimize your subject lines for length.
Create Successful Subject Lines with Blue Corona
Although we service all industries, we have extensive experience helping small to medium sized home services companies get more leads and sales from the web, including email marketing. Contact one of Blue Corona’s email marketing specialists today at: 800.696.4690
About The Author: Blue Corona's Editorial Staff is determined to help you increase your leads and sales, optimize your marketing costs, and differentiate your brand by passing on our tribal knowledge. The team vigilantly stays on top of the latest in digital marketing, bringing you the top insights with expert commentary. Want to see something on our blog you haven't seen yet? Shoot us an email and our marketing team will get to work.
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The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details.
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