If there is one thing that could render an email to be the most effective form of communication for business, it’s that email. Yet all those benefits go away without the perfect subject line. The subject line is the generator. It is what prompts an email to be opened or immediately deleted. Thus, creating the ultimate subject line necessitates a psychological awareness of meaning and persuasion tactics and statistics to champion a course of action.
This comes from a learned experience. Subject lines matter. If a subject line catches someone’s eye, they’ll open the email and read further, but if an email subject seems unappealing and/or dull, it’s just another one of a thousand emails in someone’s inbox and goes unread. Therefore, by evaluating what makes subject lines effective, companies have a better email marketing strategy and significantly improved open rates. This article will explore the psychology behind subject lines that get opened and what tends to be true across the board to at least lure people into checking it out.
The Role of Curiosity in Boosting Open Rates
Curiosity is a psychological trigger that makes people want to learn more. Many great email subject lines that draw an audience into wanting to open an email rely upon surprise, mystery, vagueness, or revelation because once the reader is hooked, their natural curiosity will keep them engaged to find out what happens next. Think of things like “You Won’t Believe What Just Happened…” or “This One Small Change Will Change Your Results” as possible subject lines. They entice an audience to open an email to get the rest of the story. Yet the ultimate importance of this type of intrigue relies upon having the discussion due in the actual body of the email. If a subject line does not fulfill its promise with the actual body and people feel cheated as a result, they are so turned off that they do something even worse they unsubscribe and even worse, never open another email from you again.
The Impact of Personalization on Engagement
Email marketing personalization is not only expected and trending, but also makes sense. When a marketer has the ability to dispatch an email with a subject line relating to a potential customer’s name, geography, or desire, it creates an intimate level of marketing that avoids the one-size-fits-all approach. “Special Offer for Boston Yoga Enthusiasts” or “Sarah, 20% OFF Just for You” works better than “20% OFF Yoga Equipment” or “Special Offers for Everyone” though the latter is more generic and appeals to a wider audience. But the former seems more purposeful, more for the individual. Thanks to AI for categorization or monitoring of individual behaviors, companies can effortlessly generate subject line possibilities from past purchases and the more specific, the better likelihood that the email will get opened.
The Power of Urgency and Scarcity in Subject Lines
Using urgency and scarcity increases open rates. If people feel as if this email is limited RIGHT NOW and they’re not getting it any time soon, they’re more likely to open it. An instant fear-of-missing-out response is generated. Therefore, “Only a Few Hours Left!” or “Last Chance to Get Your Discount” works because it taps into some sort of psychological trigger that allows them to think that they need to open and access it quickly. But for long-term success, this notion MUST be true, NOT embellished and overstated. Because for long-term success, it becomes a cliché once people figure out it’s a matter of lost trust.
Using Numbers and Data to Capture Attention
That’s why subject lines that feature numbers or statistics are eye-catching because, in a distracted, overwhelmed world, such as busy inboxes, people struggle to focus. Numbers are definitive; they are limitative and palatable to help the audience more quickly assess the value of what is inside. For example: “Top 5 Ways You Can Save Money Now!” or “Get a New Car for Under $200!” They provide the audience with bullet points, percentages, and those types of bullet countdowns and inclusions provide order and assurance which appeals more to those who appreciate literal information as opposed to more metaphorical, artistic endeavors.
The Effect of Emotional Triggers on Open Rates
Based on emotional appeal. For example, the effectiveness of a subject line relies on something that is emotionally appealing. If an email makes someone feel sad, FOMO, triggered, happy, or inspired, it gets opened because people respond to their emotions. However, even the most engaging subject lines won’t matter if deliverability issues arise, such as SMTP error 554.500, which can prevent emails from reaching recipients due to spam filters or policy violations. Therefore, artificially engendered expectations of openings feed increased chances with subject lines that appeal to such emotion.
For example, “Don’t Make This Costly Mistake” is fear but fear of not having/not purchasing something is a strong one; “This Inspiring Story Will Make Your Day” falls on the level of happiness. When marketers understand their audiences well enough to figure out their vulnerabilities, challenges, and motivators, it’s easier to formulate subject lines with an emotional appeal that will increase opportunities for open rates.
The Optimal Length for High-Performing Subject Lines
The importance of a short subject line. With mobile comes smaller devices, smaller devices mean smaller screens that people have to pay attention to. Research indicates that the most effective subject lines are 6-10 words and fall between 40-50 characters. In other words, it’s short enough to be viewed on any device, but effective enough to want to read.
Therefore, “Unlock Your Exclusive Offer Today” allows the reader to understand what’s going on in the email without having to click and it’s not so lengthy that it’s cut off in the inbox. However, also according to your audience, split-testing longer subject lines can work as well, so do that with different segments.
A/B Testing to Identify the Most Effective Subject Lines
While there’s no one ultimate subject line to create the best open rates, this is why A/B testing is such an important factor in the comprehensive email marketing campaign. Brands must experiment by sending out different subject lines to a small fraction of a larger targeted audience to assess which iterations have a more favorable response. For instance, the same email can be sent with the subject line “Increase Your Sales by 20%” or “How You Can Increase Your Sales This Month”. Whichever email gets a higher open rate shows which line was more effective; next time, results of A/B testing will guarantee the best choice for better conversion rates.
Avoiding Spam Triggers to Maintain Deliverability
Of course, the perfect subject line is pointless, though, if it ends up in the spam folder. Spam folders are populated by certain trigger words and phrases that lower not only deliverability but open rates, too. If someone capitalizes every word or uses excess exclamation points, it’s more likely the person will throw that email into a spam folder. Likewise, these words trigger spam filters: “Free,” “Cash Bonus,” “Earn Money Fast.” Therefore, to avoid these pitfalls and promote successful deliverability, subject lines should seem natural without too much of a sales push. Furthermore, authenticating email addresses and an accrued, confirmed subscriber base over time will improve sender reputation to get the message where it needs to go.
The Role of Consistency in Long-Term Open Rate Success
Ultimately, this is where consistency matters. Yes, it’ll boost open rates in the short term, but getting accustomed to subject lines translates to victory down the line. If someone opens an email this week because the clickbait or creative subject line draws them in, that doesn’t mean they’ll do it next week unless they’re used to receiving correspondence from such a brand. But making it known that there’s an established cadence and consistency invites them in for the long term.
For example, if someone knows how frequently and when they’ll be hearing from you and in what tone with what value to them, they’re more likely to want to engage long-term. If a company sends a newsletter on Tuesdays, and every subject line is always “[Brand Name]’s Insider Tips: [Topic],” they know how frequently and when and what they’re getting on a day they anticipate, desire, and appreciate. Subject lines need merely to be consistent, and they’ll feel so much better about the brand and future communications.
The Influence of Sender Name and Preheader Text on Open Rates
Beyond the literal subject line, the sender name and preheader text significantly influence open rate success. For example, people are more inclined to open an email from a familiar source. Therefore, sending from a company brand name or a real person’s name as opposed to a no-reply type or a robotic solicitation gives a personal edge. Similarly, the preheader of the text that comes either before or after a stated subject line acts as yet another reason to open something.
Therefore, a compelling preheader acts as supplemental information and proper context to many reasons to open something. For example, if the subject line reads, “You Won’t Believe What’s Inside,” the preheader that supports such a proposition would be, “A surprise for you inside, trust me!” It supports the proposition. Therefore, championing the sender name and preheader gives emails an even better opportunity to be opened during the frenzy of one’s inbox.
Conclusion
The email psychology and subject line research relate to the world of art and science. From aesthetically pleasing examples to appeal to emotion, to personalization enhancements, A/B testing, and creating consistency, much research can be undertaken to improve one’s likelihood of opening an email. For example, subject line research helps to avoid being considered spam (overly excessive capitalization or exclamation points) and ensures that the created subject line aligns with what’s in the email, according to branding considerations. When millions of emails are sent and received every day, achieving success is a challenge but it’s easier when you know the facts.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
