Email subject lines
Open rates
One of the main factors behind the decision to open, read and act on an email is the subject line.
Popular articles
10 points to watch
A quick outline of what you need to do and/or think about when constructing your subject.
Truncation traps: three more subject line lessons
Looks at how shorter subject line displays in email clients can lead to problems with how you order your copy and how you use generic keywords.
Does your subject line shrink gracefully?
Explains the importance of the subject line outside the inbox and why you need to look at all the different ways your subject is displayed in mobile, email and webmail clients.
A special six-part subject line series on the blog:
Part I: The right subject line length?
Answers the question on how long (or short) your subject header should be.
Part II: Recognition, interest, action
Explores the three objectives your subject lines must pursue.
Part III: Branded subject lines
Describes the factors to consider when deciding whether to add a name, brand or newsletter title to your subject line.
Part IV: Personalized subject lines
Considers the key issues involved in deciding whether to add the recipient's name to the subject.
Part V: Copywriting and inspiration
Advice on finding the right words to trigger interest and action, with links to potential sources of inspiration.
Part VI: Final factors
A look at legal and spam issues, frontloading, testing, style and more.
Subject line research has many lessons
Reports on a study showing longer subject lines might be more effective than shorter ones. Then explains why the picture may be more complicated and what lessons this holds for those creating those subjects.
Scrabble has the answer
Explains how thinking of subject lines like a game of Scrabble can lead to better responses.
A special subject line series on insights drawn from Amazon emails:
Amazon and length
Amazon and personalization
Amazon and branding
Amazon and discounts
Subject lines: what's the story?
Those new to the field can learn why email marketers place so much emphasis on crafting the right subject line. Includes a list of points to bear in mind when reading up on the topic.
You might also read...
Subject line sweetspots
Reveals results of research showing that the ideal length may be more complicated than simply saying "the shorter the better."
Personalizing subject lines - does it help?
Looks at various subject line tests to determine the value of using first names in them.
Know the hot buttons
Even without A/B tests you can still find useful patterns by simply comparing past subject lines with the results associated with each.
Valentine subjects
A collection of sample heart-shaped subject lines from retailers and others.
Urgency
Examines the issues surrounding the use of urgency in subject lines, with examples (check the comments, too.)
Email subject lines that work
Detailed look at the copywriting elements that make up a good subject line.
Six basic subject line principles
10-page mini-report with a checklist to consider when preparing your next subject line. (NB Costs $8.95 to download.)
Retail email subject lines
For-fee 10-page report reviewing retailer subject line language and approaches.
The power of the colon
Explains how you can ensure your important keywords are at the start of the subject line to grab attention.
Character coding and subject lines
A look at how copying and pasting your subject line from other applications can cause them to "break."
Promotions or relationships
Discusses how your subject lines influence the relationship you build (or don't build) with email recipients.
Perception is everything
Explains what might happen if your subject line is spammy, even if your email list isn't. And has recommendations on how to avoid such a problem.
Should you brand them?
Points to arguments for and against branding in subject lines, as well as a study of retailer practices in this regard.
More approaches
Five ways to look at writing a subject line, with examples.
Holiday emails and subject lines
A collection of suggested subjects for holiday emails, covering both general cases and specific holiday-related industries.
Names in subject lines?
Reviews how selected retailers use (or don't use) personalisation in their email subject lines.
Standing out
Tackles the issue of subject lines during the holiday season, when you need to do a little bit more to get your email spotted amongst the mire of pre-holiday shopping offers.
Subject line lengths
Reviews the number of characters displayed by various common email reading devices, webmail services and email clients to give you an understanding of how short your own subjects need to be.
7 tips for writing better email subject lines
Guidance from more of an e-newsletter perspective, rather than promotional mails.
Five steps to more effective subject lines
Offers some broad advice on how to improve the subject lines in your email campaigns.
Don't call them by name
Suggests how subject line personalization can still work if done properly.
Subject lines: blunders and beyond
A number of tips on how to write one that works.
Five tips on how to write a better subject line
Also has some real-world examples from big companies, with thoughts on how you might improve them.
Best and Worst Subject Lines by Open Rate
Comparison of real subject headers with the open rates they generated.
Subject line advice
15 Rules to help you design and choose the right subject line for your email missives.
The Art of the Subject Line
Explains why many companies seem to neglect that little bit of email real estate, describes some of the basic mistakes that marketers make, offers some insight into what works, and reviews the kind of result improvements a subject line can bring.
Get Results Using Traditional Techniques
Takes the selling principles honed in decades of direct marketing and applies them to email. The outcome is some interesting suggestions for subject lines and email content.
Winning Subject Lines
Reviews some successful email subject lines used in B2B email marketing.