Crafting Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines: A Quick Guide
In this series, we’re sharing practical tips to help you write copy that resonates with your audience – from engaging emails to e-books and beyond.
When it comes to email marketing, the subject line is the first thing your readers see. If it doesn’t grab their attention, they won’t open your email, let alone click through to your offers or read your copy. Simply put: a weak subject line means your message might never get seen.
Are you feeling the pressure to create subject lines that pop? Don’t worry! We’ve broken down the most important tips for crafting subject lines that not only stand out, but also get your message in front of your audience. As someone who writes dozens of subject lines each week, I use these strategies every day to drive results.
Put Yourself in the Reader’s Shoes
Imagine this: Brenda, a busy professional, checks her email during her morning commute. She’s got 19 new messages to sift through. The first subject line reads: “Six remarkable reasons why…”
Now, let’s break down what happens here.
Subject Line Real Estate
With just 26 characters, “Six remarkable reasons why…” might fit within the preview window on her mobile screen. But to see more, Brenda would need to open the email—and there’s no clear incentive for her to do so. She deletes it without a second thought.
What if the subject line looked like this instead?
“6 Ways Dancing Boosts Health”
At 28 characters, this subject line is clear and to the point, showing immediate value. It fits neatly into the mobile preview and gives Brenda exactly what she needs to decide whether to open it. Short and impactful subject lines like this are often more successful than long-winded ones.
Tips for Crafting Subject Lines That Get Opened
When creating subject lines, it’s all about balance: keeping them short enough to catch attention, while also packing in enough information to spark curiosity.
Here are some key strategies to keep in mind:
1. Use Action Verbs and Numbers
- Before: Improve your health with dance
- After: Dance & enhance your health in these 10 ways
Using numbers and action verbs makes your subject line more compelling and specific.
2. Highlight Your Expertise with “How-To”
- Before: Viennese waltz lesson
- After: How to Dance the Viennese Waltz Like a Pro
“How-to” subject lines convey expertise and promise helpful advice, making them irresistible to readers.
3. Ask a Question
- Before: Dancing the Viennese waltz
- After: Why Dance the Viennese Waltz?
Questions spark curiosity and encourage readers to open the email to find out more.
4. Use Standout Stats
- Before: Dance Studios industry is expected to grow this year
- After: Why the Dance Studios Industry Expects 7.6% Growth This Year
Numbers and statistics make a subject line more eye-catching and credible, piquing the reader’s interest.
5. Play on Fear, Uncertainty, or Doubt (FUD)
- Before: Why dancing is good exercise
- After: Is Dancing Actually Good Exercise?
FUD-based subject lines can tap into a reader’s curiosity and desire to know the answer.
6. Use Comparisons to Ignite Interest
- Before: Health benefits of dancing & swimming
- After: Dancing vs. Swimming: Health Benefits
Comparing two things can create a sense of intrigue and urgency to find out more.
7. Save Space with Acronyms
- Before: Earning a master’s degree in dance
- After: Earning an MFA in Dance: A Step-by-Step Guide
Acronyms can help you make a longer subject line feel more concise, while still delivering important information.
Putting It All Together
Now that you have some solid strategies, it’s time to apply them. Writing the perfect subject line can feel daunting, but a great way to get started is by giving yourself multiple options. Write out three to five variations of your subject line and choose the one that feels most compelling. Track your open rates to see which ones resonate the most with your audience, and keep refining from there.
Remember, the key is to keep experimenting and using these strategies to optimize your email marketing.
This revised version should be quicker to read while still delivering all the important tips in a more digestible format. Let me know if you need further tweaks!
