How to Write Click-Worthy Email Subject Lines

Picture it: you’re writing an important email, and it’s going to send tons of people to your blog or website with a simple click. You’ve carefully considered each component ahead of time. It includes clean and readable text, and it features a bold graphic to draw the recipient’s attention.

The message itself is perfect—but you focus on it so much that you almost disregard the subject line entirely. What do you write? Here you have a great message, but nothing to show for the subject line.

Remember, you’re facing a multitude of scenarios that prevent the email from being opened. Most people are flooded with emails throughout the night, they overlook boring subject lines, or the emails get filtered and go directly to spam.

The majority of email recipients will only open their emails that have an enticing subject line. Although it can be overwhelming to think about the ideal wording for the subject line, it doesn’t have to be a high-pressured situation. To ease this stress, take a look at these tips to creating email subject lines that your recipients will actually click.

• Avoid the Sales Pitch

Last chance to buy flowers for your loved one! Yikes. Even if you are writing promotional emails, this type of subject line is not the way to go. While a direct call to action is great within the email’s message, readers will actually turn away from opening and viewing your email if the subject line is too pushy. Not only does this type of line show that you’re aggressive, but it also makes people feel like you just want their money. This may be the case, but you don’t want to be that person who comes across as selfish.

Show your loved one you care with flowers! This is definitely a step up from the original line. Instead of making the message all about you, this subject line indicates a service that will immediately benefit the recipient. The focus is on the reader’s needs, and here you give them a solution. Then within the email text, simply use the power of suggestion by making them an offer.

• Make the Line Short and Sweet

Longer subject lines that are the equivalent of a run-on sentence may get lost on the webpage or could be oddly formatted altogether. This is extremely counterproductive for your purposes, since recipients might consider it to be spam, or they disregard the email completely.

Of course, you can write a long subject line—there’s no one stopping you. However, in this case, it’s best to keep it brief. Using fewer words that are guaranteed to fit on a single line will allow all recipients to view your email in a visually appealing manner. As a rule of thumb, try to use between five to seven words. Also, consider using the editing tool Power Thesaurus to construct phrases with impactful words.

• Personalize It!

Think of email like postal mail—you want to make sure each message appears as though it’s being sent to an individual. People love hearing the sound of their own name, as it conveys a sense of familiarity. Crafting subject lines containing the person’s name could bear significance that will at the very least capture the recipient’s attention. If nothing else, you’ll pique their curiosity and have them clicking for more.

• Censor Your Humor

Humor is a wonderful asset in the world of marketing. The text of your email should give you plenty of space to write a witty message that will make people laugh. But can your subject line really hold an entire joke that conveys your sense of humor?

Not only does a long-winded comedic phrase take up too much space in the subject line, but it can also be perceived differently by people. What makes one recipient laugh could easily offend the next person. Always consider the demographic of your audience. If you’re unsure before you officially send your email, check out editing experts from Best Essays who can give you a second opinion.

• Never Use Clickbait

There’s nothing more frustrating than clicking on a link, only to be deceived into viewing a webpage that is completely opposite of the link’s promise. If your subject line has the same effect, where the subject line is strongly contrasting the email message, your list of recipients will disappear faster than you can blink. No one appreciates being lied to, and once this happens, you will lose your readers’ trust and loyalty for good.

• Don’t Ask Questions

Just like whole sentences and an entire joke shouldn’t be formed in the subject line, neither should a question. This type of line might seem unique in concept, but they are still visually unappealing and too general for your readership. Ideally, you want to form a closer relationship with your subscribers. Giving them a line that indicates a marketing ploy won’t form that desired connection.

• Create a Sense of Urgency

Do you want to implement an effective marketing strategy without looking like a wayward salesperson? This is the perfect solution. In the subject line, simply indicate an offer that expires in a short period of time, which inevitably prompts a quick response from readers. When you don’t allow people the time to make thorough decisions, there’s no room for them to doubt. Instead, they recognize a sweet deal is available now and they have to act fast!

• DITCH THE CAPS LOCK!

Why are you shouting? Oh wait, it only looks like that. This type of subject line is viewed as aggressive, not exciting. Avoid using your caps lock feature at all costs. Doing so will allow you to be seen as normal, not rude. A capitalized word or two in a phrase might be effective, but the entire line won’t be. Utilize editing help from Grammarly so that you can keep your subject lines free from punctuation and spelling errors, too.

• Use Simple Language

Who wants to read emails they don’t understand? No one. Clear, simple language is key when developing your subject line. If you see a line that requires a dictionary in order to comprehend, you’ll pass right over it. The same thing will happen with your email recipients to your subject line.

Try formulating phrases with words that you might type into a search engine or use to converse with friends. A click-worthy subject line will always convey a hearty message that is all stuff and no fluff.

Some Final Thoughts

People often hold a crowded inbox—so what’s going to make you stand out above the rest? A catchy subject line is just what you need. While you may face some stiff competition, especially with marketing messages, keep in mind that your email subscribers want what you have to offer. Now, using these tips, it’s up to you to write a click-worthy subject line that will prompt everyone to view your message.

About the author:

Karen Dikson is a marketing expert and entrepreneur from New Jersey. She is an intuitive and creative thinker who is able to connect various thoughts into a single theme. Karen loves to stay up to date on the latest digital trends. Her works have been published on HuffPost and other business resources. Connect with Karen on Twitter.