Email Subject Lines That Increase Your Open Rates
Itās one metric we consistently watch and try to improve: email open rates. Thereās good reason for it, too. If your subscribers arenāt opening your email, then they canāt read about:
- Your newest coaching program
- Your latest must-have tool discovery
- That epic blog post you just wrote
The trouble is, you only have about two seconds to entice a reader to open your email. Even worse, you have to do it in ten words or less.
Yikes! Thatās a pretty tall order, even for seasoned copywriters. But there are some tricks you can use.
Be Ambiguous
If youāve been on Facebook lately youāve no doubt seen those āclick baitā headlines that say things like, āShe adds this to a box of Wheat Thins and Iām drooling!ā The reason headlines like that work is because we canāt help but want to know what āthisā is that sheās adding to her Wheat Thins. Is it sugar? Salt? Peanut butter? We imagine the possibilities, but in the end we have to find out, so we click.
You can employ the same technique in your email subject lines. Just substitute the word āthisā for the actual thing youāre writing about, and youāve got instant enticement.
Use Numbers
Hereās another strategy for creating must-read content: numbers.
ā7 Hidden Benefits of Waking Up at 5amā
ā3 Unlikely Ways to Close the Saleā
ā5 Social Media Platforms You Shouldnāt Be Ignoringā
The reason numbers work so well in subject lines is because we are ego-centric and curious. We simply must know if we already use those three ways to close the sale. We will either walk away feeling good for being a marketing maven, or we will have learned something. Both are compelling reasons to open an email.
Use Power Words
Just as with all writing, choosing power words is far more effective than settling for their weaker counterparts. Imagine these two subject lines appear in your inbox. Which are you more likely to open:
āWordPress Makes Better Looking Websites for Non-Designersā
or
āCreate a Gorgeous WebsiteāEven if Youāre Not a Designerā
While both subjects offer the same information, the first is weak, while the second is far more compelling.
When it comes to email subjects, there are a few more tips to keep in mind if you want to up your open rates:
- Keep it short ā no more than 10 words at the very most, and fewer if you can.
- Test everything. Use your autoresponderās split-testing functionality to see which subject line styles perform best in your market.
- Use personalization, but sparingly. Occasional use of your readerās first name can be a powerful technique.
Hereās the bottom line: If your subscribers arenāt opening your email, theyāre not buying. Paying closer attention to your subject lines is the single most important thing you can do for your email marketing campaigns.