Your email subject lines are the first impression that can make or ruin your email marketing strategy. Writing compelling subject lines is essential for drawing attention and encouraging interaction in today’s busy inbox, typically 50-70 characters long. Your email subject lines determine whether your email will be read or ignored.
Almost 47% of people open an email because of the subject line, while a poorly written one can make 69% mark it as spam.
A well-written email subject line can grab subscribers’ attention and encourage interaction, impacting your email campaign’s overall performance and open rates.
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Importance of a great email subject line
Here are some benefits of a compelling email subject line:
- Increases open rates: A catchy subject line can increase the number of recipients who open your emails.
- Specifies expectations: A compelling subject line gives readers a concise overview of the content of your email, assisting them in determining whether or not to open it.
- Promotes engagement: It can persuade readers to open your email and take action, such as buying your product or service, subscribing to your newsletter, or responding to your message.
- Helps track campaign performance: Your email subject lines can help you monitor how compelling your emails look to your subscribers or recipients.
Mistakes to watch out for when writing email subject lines
Here are some mistakes you should avoid when writing those compelling subject lines:
- Using deceptive or exaggerated language can make you lose your audience’s trust.
- Using too many punctuation or all caps can make your recipients think your email is spam.
- Making false promises can lead to disappointment.
- Using generalized language might confuse your subscribers. Ensure your email subject lines are understandable, and strongly encourage opening them.
Different examples of subject lines are classified depending on types, industries, or seasons.
1. Subject lines by type
Whether you’re looking for curiosity subject lines to drive a higher open rate or promotional subject lines to launch new products, you can use subject lines by type. Examples include:
- Personal Subject Lines – e.g., Emily, you don’t want to miss the next SDST 2025.
- Promotional Subject Lines – e.g., This is the biggest slash you’ll ever experience.
- Funny Subject Lines – e.g., Emilia’s Hair: Great, another email!
- Last Chance Subject Lines – e.g., Bogi Pharmacy: Don’t miss out on 30% off!
- Creative Subject Lines – e.g., Jingle bells, the holiday bells ring
- Curiosity Subject Lines – e.g., Lia’s Beauty: Your skincare routine is missing something…
- Social Proof Subject Lines – e.g., You should have heard the rumors by now…
- Follow-Up Subject Lines – e.g., Lia’s Hair: should you save up for an expensive haircare
- Cart Abandonment Subject Lines – e.g., T’s Phone Case Stores: Fill Your Cart Now Before It Expires!
2. Subject lines by industry
Audiences vary by industry, and to get their attention, you have to speak their language and use attention-grabbing subject lines.
- Travel Agency Subject Lines – e.g., Best At Travel: All Road leads to Nigeria
- Fashion Subject Lines – e.g., Emily’s: It’s official. You made the cut. (Here’s 10% off)
- Automotive Subject Lines – e.g., Toyota: Are you ready? The new Toyota wheels are here
- Nonprofit Subject Lines – e.g., Dokubo’s Foundation: Gratitude is the best feeling
3. Subject lines by season
Seasonality can inform the type of emails you write and the subject lines you use to drive opens.
- Spring Subject Lines – e.g., Spring into the season…
- Summer Subject Lines – e.g., Oh, hey it is summer, and boy are we excited
- Fall Subject Lines – e.g., EmilyCo: Spooky season is upon us all
- Winter Subject Lines – e.g., Winter sale begins now
- Black Friday Subject Lines – e.g., SDST: Make it a Friday to remember and allow your future self to thank you
Proven ways of writing compelling email subject lines
1. Make it precise and brief
In today’s mobile-first world, keeping your email subject lines short and straight to the point is crucial. Due to the constrained screen space, a subject line of 5-9 words is more likely to be seen entirely on mobile devices, improving your chances of drawing attention.
To get the most impact:
- aim for a subject line that is between six and ten words long.
- start your subject line with the most crucial information.
- remove long and unnecessary words and phrases to maintain the emphasis of your message.
- use powerful action verbs to motivate action, like “discover,” “unlock,” or “learn.”
2. Write personalized subject lines
Email personalization can increase open rates and boost campaign performances for targeted automation, such as birthday offers or follow-ups after a purchase.
You can increase interaction and save time by automating this process using tools like MailDrip.
Include your recipient’s name in the subject line to get their attention. You can use merge tags to add the name or location of each recipient to your subject lines.
3. Be direct and descriptive
A simple subject line can effectively convey your message and encourage action. Your subject line should communicate the idea of your promotion descriptively. Being direct and descriptive with your subject line leaves your recipient with the impression that you have something to share with them.
4. Avoid too much punctuation and the use of all caps
Avoid cluttering your email subject line with too many punctuation marks and special characters. A clean and simple approach is more effective and prevents your email from looking like spam.
Subject lines with all caps may seem like you’re shouting, which can turn off recipients. Standard capitalization is ideal for a more polished and approachable tone.
Sentence case subject lines can improve the effectiveness of your emails by establishing a more casual and welcoming tone. To keep your writing looking professional, refrain from utilizing all caps.
5. Ensure your subject line drives action
A clear call to action in the subject line might motivate readers to complete the required activity. For instance, a subject line like “Shop Now: 50% Off Sitewide” makes it obvious what you want consumers to do—shop for discounted items.
Preheader text is a helpful technique for enhancing your subject line and persuading people to open your email. It appears beneath the subject line, providing further context and an overview of the email’s content.
To make your preheader text as effective as possible:
- strengthen the value by specifying the advantages or value proposition of your email.
- use time-sensitive language.
- provide a brief overview of the email’s content.
- utilize Google Annotations to show photos or offer codes in the preheader (if you use Gmail).
6. Create a sense of urgency
Email subject lines that convey a sense of urgency can be an effective strategy for encouraging prompt response. By appealing to readers’ fear of missing out (FOMO), you can encourage them to open your emails and complete the required action, like buying something or attending an event.
How to make things urgent:
- Use time-sensitive language: To convey a sense of urgency, use terms like “Last Chance,” “Offer Ends Today,” or “Limited Time Only.”
- Establish definite deadlines: Indicate the exact times or days the offer will expire. For example, “Sale Ends at Midnight” and “Don’t Miss Out: 24 Hours Only.”
- Employ scarcity strategies: Emphasize the limited supply of goods or services, such as “Only 10 Spots Left!”
7. Test your subject lines
A/B testing means trying out different subject lines in this context and is a great way to figure out what grabs your audience’s attention and gets them to open your emails.
Here is the operation of A/B testing:
- create two different email campaign subject lines.
- make two groups out of your audience.
- send every version to a different segment and monitor how well it performs.
- examine the outcomes to determine the most effective subject line, and then use the knowledge gained for upcoming efforts.
- examine the components, such as length (brief and lengthy), tone (formal and informal), personalization (generic and custom), and urgency (language should be time-sensitive).
By testing variations—the choice of words, the length, or the tone—you can discover what works best and boost engagement.
8. Use responsive mobile display
Optimizing your email subject lines for smaller screens is essential because over half your customers access emails on mobile devices.
What to consider for mobile display:
- Keep your subject lines under 40 characters to guarantee they display entirely on all devices. For instance, iPhones shorten subject lines after 35 characters.
- Use the preheader text to give more context and promote opens. It should not exceed 140 characters.
- Use responsive design to make sure your emails are mobile-friendly.
Adhering to these recommendations can help you provide your subscribers with a flawless mobile experience and optimize the efficacy of your email campaigns.
9. Leverage numbers and data
Email subject lines using numbers can increase engagement and motivate action. Using precise statistics, you can write more attention-grabbing and valuable subject lines that provide value.
Here are the benefits or significance of numbers in email subject lines:
- Numbers help consumers comprehend the value proposition by giving a brief and straightforward summary of the email’s content.
- You may position yourself as an authority in your profession and increase your credibility using a-driven subject line.
- Numbers encourage recipients to interact with your email by providing precise advice and actionable information.
- An effective number-based subject line can stimulate readers’ interest and motivate them to click through your email.
Including numbers in the subject line can lead to successful email campaigns.
10. Use action-oriented words
Action-oriented email subject lines can increase reader engagement. Action verbs that provide a sense of urgency and direction, such as “Discover,” “Claim,” “Unlock,” and “Act Now,” motivate receivers to carry out a certain activity.
People are more inclined to behave when given a clear call to action. For instance, a subject line like “Unlock Your Exclusive 20% Discount Today” draws readers in and issues a clear directive to take action.
On the other hand, a passive subject line, such as “Discount Available Inside,” lacks the thrill and immediacy that come with utilizing bold, actionable language.
Conclusion
Creating the ideal email subject line requires carefully balancing art and science. Every strategy—from using urgency and data-driven insights to crafting a brief and customized subject line—is intended to draw attention and inspire action.
Remember that a well-written subject line is the first step to successful email marketing. It leads to open rates and encourages greater engagement, resulting in more conversions.
Adhering to the best practices in this article can enhance your email marketing campaigns. They can also grab your audience’s interest and motivate them to act.
Use these strategies to create compelling email subject lines and watch your open rates increase.
Have you ever tried the MailDrip automation to generate personalized subject lines?
READ MORE: 20+ FUNNY EMAIL SUBJECT LINES TO BOOST CONVERSION IN 2025
