You might not judge a book by its cover, but subscriber studies show that 33% of you will judge an email by its subject line to determine whether or not you should open it. Furthermore, 69% of email recipients will report email as “spam” for the same reason. Can we blame you? Of course not. Can we educate you on the importance of creating compelling subject lines? Of course we can! Let’s get started.
Why is a Subject Line Important?
In today’s digital age, we are all constantly overwhelmed with information. It’s our job to sift through our inboxes and search engines to decide what is worthy of our time and what gets trashed. For businesses owners that don’t want their content to fall by the wayside, compelling subject lines can make all the difference in improving readership and increasing leads.
Creating a Compelling Subject Line: Keep it Simple, Specific and Strategic
When it comes to the subject lines of your emails and titles of your blogs, minimalism is vital to hooking a potential reader. The purpose of the content you’re delivering needs to be clear, concise and strategically formed to attract your target audience without giving away too much information. We know, we know – it’s easier said than done. These tips can help:
- Limit your subject line to 49 characters or less (click-through rates are 75% higher for shorter subject lines)
- Use alliteration or numbers to grab attention (ex: 5 Ways to Win Tickets to Toronto)
- Use caps sparingly, not aggressively (do you like being YELLED AT?)
- Let readers know who you are immediately by mentioning your company name, product name or both (this is proven to generate a higher click-through rate)
- Use action-oriented verbs (ex: Dine with us; Purchase your ticket, etc)
- Instill a sense of urgency, but don’t overdo it (ex: Purchase tickets now while supplies last; Enjoy 20% off picture frames for 2 more days)
- Use a conversational tone with hints of personalization (personalized subject lines are 22% more likely to be opened)
- Create at least 5-10 potential subject lines before deciding which one works best
- Ask yourself, “How likely would I be to open this email?”
- Better yet, actually ask your friends and colleagues if they would open it based on your pending subject line
Still Unsure About How to Create a Compelling Subject Line? Let us Do it For You!
You’re busy running your business – let us take care of creating your subject lines and clicking “send.” At My Content Co., we specialize in creating digital content for businesses who want to maximize their target reach. Our expert staff can create your newsletters, write your blogs, run your social media and even build your simple website! Contact us today.