I’m willing to bet that you get a ton of emails firing into your inbox every single day. In the modern era we’re bombarded with newsletters, offers, password resets or a prince in a far off land needing our bank details for some inexplicable reason. No matter who you are, we always have a lot of emails to sift through, never mind actually open and read.
So what actually makes you take that extra step and actually open an email? More often than not, it’s the subject line – your first impression of the email and from which, you’ll do your best to judge the content within it. But how do we write a gripping subject line? Here’s some top tips for you to think about.
Curiosity
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A great subject line should pique the recipients interest. One of the most important things when it comes to email marketing is giving off the impression that the reader will benefit from opening your email. This is why withholding some information or building a sense of mystery is a great way to get people invested from the start.
Asking a question that aligns with your brands values is a perfect place to start. Be careful it isn’t too obscure though or it could be perceived as spam.
Urgency
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Whilst the word urgency may conjure up images of classic infomercials screaming ‘Act now or miss out on this incredible deal!’ – adding a sense of urgency to your subject line can help compel your recipient to click on your email. I have to stress that these sorts of subject lines should be phrased creatively and strategically. If you have an intense, urgent headline every time you send out a newsletter people will be less inclined to read.
Best to save these for special occasions.
Emojis! 😍
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Adding a pop of colour using emojis is a great way to make your email newsletter stand out from the bland, business-centric subject lines in your recipients inbox. If you’ve got a deal running on a certain product, add the relevant emoji, or if you’re feeling particularly excited about a topic you’re writing about, channel your personality through emojis!
Honestly, I could sit here all day and write about how I think emojis are great and that they are the modern day equivalent to hieroglyphics, but that’s a story for another time.
Personalisation
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No two of your readers are going to be exactly the same, so that means that the content we send them shouldn’t be either! Simple things like adding somebody’s name into your subject line is a great way to build trust with your brand. It gives off the impression that you aren’t sending out one-size-fits-all content and you are catering your email towards the individual.
Summary
Remember, you’re using email newsletters and marketing because you have something to share. If your mail-outs aren’t getting opened – the great content you create won’t be seen! You have one shot at a first impression and this should be a punchy subject line to get the recipient interested.
If you want to know more about email marketing, check out our 5 Tips For Email Marketing Success or if you have questions about email marketing, contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
This is exactly what I needed! Adding urgency to subject lines is something I always overlooked. Your point about using it creatively instead of aggressively makes total sense. Will definitely try a more strategic approach in my upcoming email marketing campaigns.
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I think the biggest issue with subject lines is that marketers can easily focus too much on getting the open and forget what happens after the click. Curiosity and urgency can work, but if the email doesnt deliver what the subject promised, readers will probably stop trusting future messages. Personalisation also isnt automatically better if it feels forced or inaccurate. I’d rather receive a simple, clear subject that tells me why the email matters than something clever that makes me guess what’s actually inside.
I think the point about not using urgency in every email is easy to overlook. If every subject line says “last chance” or “act now”, people will eventually stop taking it seriously. Personalisation can also go beyond just adding a first name, like using past interests or the type of content someone usually reads. One thing I’d be curious about is how these ideas work with shorter subject lines on mobile, where only a few words may show before the rest gets cut off.
I found the tips on email subject lines genuinely useful, especially the balance between curiosity, urgency, personalization, and emojis. The reminder to avoid overusing urgency is a great point for keeping newsletters engaging without feeling spammy.
The point about urgency being used sparingly makes sense. If every email says “last chance” or “only a few left,” people eventually stop believing it and probably ignore the next message too. I’d also be careful with personalization because just adding a first name doesnt automatically make an email feel personal. The actual offer and timing still matter. Emojis can help a subject stand out, but too many can make it look like spam pretty quick, especially on mobile inboxes.
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I’ve always found subject lines fascinating because such a small amount of text can determine whether an email gets opened. The advice on balancing curiosity, urgency, personalization, and emojis is practical, especially the reminder not to overuse attention-grabbing tactics.
This article gave me some good ideas for making email marketing better. I liked the tips on writing subject lines that catch attention, such as adding curiosity, a sense of urgency, emojis, or the reader’s name.
The ideas for making email subject lines more eye-catching were easy to follow,i specially liked the points about adding a personal touch and creating curiosity,small changes like these can make emails much more interesting to open!