It may seem like such a small thing to address, but if your business involves a lot of email marketing, which is being integrated more and more into company marketing strategies, then focusing on a subject line is not only a reoccurrence in your work routine, but an important one at that. And if you’re anything like me, you find a simple subject line or title to be one of the hardest parts of the email, blog post, or article. So I did some research to pull together various tips and guidelines to writing an effective subject line. Here’s what I’ve found:
Be Specific
It is important to be direct about the goal of the email or article. Although this may seem counter productive to reveal specific information in your title, it is much more effective to be upfront about what your recipients are going to be reading when they open it or read further. Vague messages are less likely to get opens or reads because the reader has less draw as to why they personally benefit by reading more.
Test it Out
Some say short is better, but there isn’t really enough evidence to tell us how long is too long. It all depends on your specific audience. But the best way for you to know what is most effective is to test it out for yourself. Try sending the same email with two different subject lines and note which has more opens. It may take a couple tests to help prove that the subject line may actually be the difference, but feel out your audience and figure out what is getting you the best responses.
Tell the Truth
If you’re misleading in your email to try and convince your reader to open your email, you’re going to end up losing a customer before you even had them. If your wrong information really annoys someone, you taking a risk at being reported as spam, which will throw a wrench in your future marketing plans. Same thing for an article or blog. If your reader trusts you to tell them 1o ways to cut a sandwich, make sure by the end of the article, they know 10 different ways to cut a sandwich. You can be compelling in your title, but don’t misinform.
Avoid Negative Buzz Words
For emails, specific words and punctuation will get you an automatic trip to the trash bin. Often people have their email or even just their own minds programmed to send certain words like “free,” “buy,” “Win,” etc. straight to the trash. Other things to avoid are all capital letters and exclamation points because they are typically associated with spam. Make your subject is original with words that stand out from typical junk mail.
Get Inspiration
So all this information is helpful to guide you on how to write your subject, but still stuck on actual wording? Look for inspiration in your own inbox or magazines and newspaper article titles. What catches your eye? What doesn’t? Pay attention to how titles change depending on the time of the year that the issue comes out or the specific type of article that follows. What is the benefit to the reader and what makes it such a compelling title? Apply these to your specific product or industry and see if they work for you.
Now that you have some help, hopefully you’ll spend a lot less time on titles and subjects, and a lot more time writing! Good luck!