Writing Subject Lines

Subject lines are the first thing a user will see when receiving your email. It should be clear on the topic of the email without giving it away. Almost like a hint of what a user will get by opening the email. Here are some tips you can use to help write an incredible subject line!

Length

The number of view-able characters depends on the email client being used by the end user. In general, most people view email on their phones, limiting our character count even further.

As a general rule, try to keep subject lines between 41 and 70 characters. However, if stats show the users for your client tend to use other platforms, adjust to the optimal length for that client. And the quicker you get your message across, the more likely a user is to click and open your email.

Here's a reference guide:

Email Subject Line

Character Count

Work Can Wait – These Sales are THAT Good41
Make a Meatless Loaf Even Meat Lovers Will Love47
Cyber Monday For Those Procrastinators38
7 Habits That’ll Make You the Leader Your Colleagues Aspire to Be65
5 SEO Trends for 2019 | Mobile vs. Desktop Search | Win/Loss Analysis | SMB Expectations88

Capitalization

There are 4 styles of subject line

  • How to write an email subject line (sentence case)
  • How to Write an Email Subject Line (title case)
  • how to write an email subject line (all lowercase)
  • HOW TO WRITE AN EMAIL SUBJECT LINE (all uppercase)

Using all uppercase letters is a great way to trigger a spam filter. So avoid that one.

Generally, Sentence case and Title case are the best ways to go. All lowercase has it's place, but tends to be associated with a much more casual tone.

Personalization

Using the personalization tokens to include an end user's name can help increase open rates. Be careful to not do this too much as it will lose it's allure. This can be a great approach for more direct emails or emails with dynamic content.

Spam Awareness

The last thing we want to do is end up in a spam folder. You don't have to avoid these words at all costs, but use them sparingly and only when absolutely relevant to the content of the email itself.