How to write a good email subject line easily

How to Write Email Subject Lines That Get Opened

In today’s digital landscape, a compelling email subject line is the gatekeeper to your message. A well-crafted subject line can be the difference between your email being eagerly opened and acted upon, or instantly relegated to the digital abyss. This article will provide actionable strategies and real-world examples to help you craft subject lines that capture attention, drive engagement, and ultimately achieve your email marketing goals. We’ll focus on a specific, often overlooked aspect: leveraging the power of personalization without crossing the line into creepiness.

Here’s what we will cover:

• Understanding Personalized Subject Lines
• Data Privacy and Ethical Considerations
• Implementing Personalization Techniques
• Testing and Optimizing Personalized Subject Lines

Understanding Personalized Subject Lines

Personalized subject lines go beyond simply addressing the recipient by their first name. They leverage data about the individual’s interests, past behavior, or demographic information to create a sense of relevance and immediacy. The goal is to make the email feel as though it was specifically tailored to that person, increasing the likelihood of them opening and engaging with the content.

A generic subject line might read: “Check out our latest product!” A personalized subject line, on the other hand, could be: “John, you might like this new running shoe based on your marathon time.” The latter is far more likely to pique John’s interest because it directly addresses him, acknowledges his running experience, and suggests a product relevant to his needs.

The Benefits of Personalization

The benefits of personalized subject lines are numerous and well-documented:

• Increased Open Rates: Studies consistently show that personalized subject lines lead to higher open rates compared to generic ones. People are more likely to open emails that feel relevant to their lives.
• Improved Click-Through Rates: Once an email is opened, personalization can also boost click-through rates. If the subject line accurately reflects the content and speaks to the recipient’s needs, they are more likely to click on links within the email.
• Enhanced Customer Engagement: Personalization demonstrates that you understand and value your customers. This can foster a stronger sense of connection and loyalty.
• Higher Conversion Rates: Ultimately, the goal of most email marketing campaigns is to drive conversions. Personalized subject lines can contribute to higher conversion rates by attracting the right audience and delivering relevant messaging.

Examples of Effective Personalized Subject Lines

Here are some concrete examples of personalized subject lines, categorized by the type of personalization used:

• Name Personalization: “Sarah, your exclusive discount code is waiting.”
• Location-Based Personalization: “Deals near you in Chicago, David!”
• Interest-Based Personalization: “Because you love cooking, [Product Name] is on sale!”
• Behavior-Based Personalization: “Did you forget something, [Name]? Complete your order now.” (Abandoned cart email)
• Event-Based Personalization: “Happy Birthday, Emily! Enjoy a special treat from us.”

Example 1 (PHP): Let’s say you have a database of users with their names and preferred product categories. You can generate personalized subject lines using PHP:

<?php
$userName = "Alice"; // Example user name retrieved from database
$preferredCategory = "Photography"; // Example preferred category
$subjectLine = "$userName, new deals in our $preferredCategory section!";
echo $subjectLine;
?>

Expected Output:

Alice, new deals in our Photography section!

Example 2 (Python): Using Python and a string formatting method:

user_name = "Bob"
city = "New York"
subject_line = f"Hey {user_name}, exciting events happening in {city} this week!"
print(subject_line)

Expected Output:

Hey Bob, exciting events happening in New York this week!

These examples demonstrate how easily you can incorporate personalization into your email subject lines using common programming languages.

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”Simon Sinek

While this quote doesn’t directly address email subject lines, it underscores the importance of connecting with your audience on a deeper level, which is precisely what personalization aims to achieve.

Data Privacy and Ethical Considerations

While personalization can be incredibly effective, it’s crucial to approach it responsibly and ethically. Collecting and using customer data requires a strong commitment to privacy and transparency. Failing to do so can damage your reputation, erode customer trust, and even lead to legal repercussions.

Understanding Data Privacy Regulations

Several data privacy regulations govern how businesses can collect, store, and use personal data. Some of the most important include:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): This regulation applies to businesses operating within the European Union (EU) and those that collect or process data from EU residents, regardless of where the business is located. It mandates strict requirements for consent, data security, and the right to be forgotten. More information on GDPR
• CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act): This law gives California residents significant rights regarding their personal data, including the right to know what data is collected, the right to delete data, and the right to opt out of the sale of their data.
• PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act): This Canadian law governs how private sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities.

It’s essential to familiarize yourself with these regulations and ensure that your email marketing practices are compliant. Consult with legal counsel to understand your obligations and implement appropriate data protection measures.

Obtaining Consent and Maintaining Transparency

The foundation of ethical personalization is obtaining explicit consent from your subscribers. This means clearly explaining how you intend to use their data and giving them the option to opt in or out.

• Use a double opt-in process: Require subscribers to confirm their email address after signing up. This ensures that they genuinely want to receive your emails.
• Provide a clear privacy policy: Your privacy policy should explain what data you collect, how you use it, and with whom you share it. Make it easily accessible on your website and in your email communications.
• Offer easy unsubscribe options: Subscribers should be able to unsubscribe from your email list at any time, without having to jump through hoops. Include a prominent unsubscribe link in every email.

Avoiding Creepiness: The Fine Line

Personalization becomes “creepy” when it feels intrusive, overly specific, or based on information that the subscriber did not knowingly provide. For example, mentioning a recent medical appointment or referencing a private conversation would be considered highly inappropriate.

• Stick to data that subscribers have willingly shared: Focus on information that they provided during signup, purchase history, or interactions with your website.
• Avoid making assumptions: Don’t try to infer sensitive information about your subscribers based on limited data.
• Err on the side of caution: If you’re unsure whether a particular personalization tactic might be perceived as creepy, it’s best to avoid it.

Example: Let’s say you track website browsing behavior. A good subject line might be: “We noticed you were checking out [Product Category]!” A bad, creepy subject line would be: “We saw you spent 10 minutes looking at [Specific Product] – ready to buy?” The second example is too specific and implies you’re watching their every move.

Example Code (Hypothetical Cookie Tracking): While you shouldn’t directly expose detailed cookie data in an email, this illustrates the *type* of information you might *aggregate* for personalization. Never send the actual cookie data itself.

// Hypothetical example - DO NOT directly use cookie values in subject lines
// Instead, use aggregated data derived from cookie behavior.

$cookieData = $_COOKIE['user_browsing_history']; // Hypothetical cookie
$parsedData = json_decode($cookieData, true);

//  BAD EXAMPLE:  "We know you looked at product ID " . $parsedData['last_viewed_product_id'];

//  BETTER EXAMPLE:  (Assuming you've categorized products)
$category = get_product_category($parsedData['last_viewed_product_id']);
$subject = "New items in " . $category . " you might like!";

echo $subject;  // Output:  New items in Electronics you might like!

The “better example” aggregates the granular cookie data into a broader category, avoiding a specific and potentially creepy reference to a single product.

Implementing Personalization Techniques

Implementing personalized subject lines requires a systematic approach, starting with data collection and ending with subject line creation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Data Collection and Segmentation

The first step is to collect relevant data about your subscribers. This can be done through various channels, including:

• Signup Forms: Ask subscribers to provide information such as their name, email address, location, interests, and demographic data.
• Website Behavior: Track how subscribers interact with your website, including the pages they visit, the products they view, and the purchases they make.
• Email Engagement: Monitor how subscribers interact with your emails, including open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates.
• CRM Data: Integrate your email marketing platform with your CRM system to access customer data such as purchase history, support tickets, and demographic information.

Once you’ve collected data, you need to segment your subscribers into different groups based on shared characteristics. This allows you to tailor your subject lines to the specific interests and needs of each segment.

Example segmentation criteria:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, income.
• Interests: Hobbies, passions, product preferences.
• Purchase History: Past purchases, average order value, frequency of purchases.
• Website Behavior: Pages visited, products viewed, time spent on site.
• Email Engagement: Open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates.

2. Choosing the Right Personalization Variables

Once you’ve segmented your audience, you need to select the right personalization variables to use in your subject lines. The best variables will depend on your specific goals and the data you have available. Here are some examples:

• First Name: A simple but effective way to personalize your subject lines.
• Location: Use location-based personalization to promote local events, special offers, or relevant content.
• Product Interests: Promote products or services that are relevant to the subscriber’s interests.
• Past Purchases: Offer discounts on related products or suggest new products based on past purchases.
• Abandoned Cart Items: Remind subscribers about items they left in their cart and encourage them to complete their purchase.

3. Crafting Personalized Subject Lines

Now it’s time to craft your personalized subject lines. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep it short and sweet: Most email clients only display the first few words of the subject line, so make sure your message is concise and to the point. Aim for under 50 characters.
• Use action verbs: Encourage subscribers to take action by using strong action verbs such as “Shop,” “Download,” or “Learn.”
• Create a sense of urgency: Use words like “Limited Time Offer” or “Don’t Miss Out” to create a sense of urgency and encourage subscribers to open your email immediately.
• Personalize naturally: Don’t force personalization. Make sure it flows naturally within the subject line.

Example: Let’s say you’re running an email campaign to promote a new line of hiking boots. You’ve segmented your audience based on their location and past purchase history. Here are some examples of personalized subject lines you could use:

• “[Name], new hiking boots perfect for [Location] trails!” (Location-based personalization)
• “Since you bought hiking socks, [Name], check out our new boots!” (Purchase history personalization)
• “Get ready for your next adventure, [Name]! New hiking boots are here.” (Generic with name personalization)

Example Code (Using a templating engine): Many email marketing platforms use a templating language like Handlebars or Jinja2. Here’s a conceptual example:

// Assuming you have access to variables like {{user.first_name}} and {{user.city}}

Subject: "Hey {{user.first_name}}, see what's new in {{user.city}}!"

The email platform would automatically replace `{{user.first_name}}` and `{{user.city}}` with the corresponding values for each subscriber.

Testing and Optimizing Personalized Subject Lines

Personalization isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. To maximize its effectiveness, you need to continuously test and optimize your personalized subject lines. This involves experimenting with different variables, messaging, and creative approaches to see what resonates best with your audience.

A/B Testing

A/B testing is a powerful technique for comparing two versions of a subject line to see which one performs better. You randomly split your audience into two groups and send each group a different version of the subject line. You then track the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates for each version to determine which one is the winner.

Here’s how to conduct an A/B test:

• Choose a variable to test: Select a specific element of your subject line that you want to test, such as the use of a first name, a location-based reference, or a particular call to action.
• Create two versions of the subject line: Create two versions of the subject line that are identical except for the variable you are testing. For example:
  • Version A: “Check out our new hiking boots!”
  • Version B: “[Name], check out our new hiking boots!”
• Split your audience into two groups: Randomly split your audience into two groups, ensuring that each group is representative of your overall subscriber base.
• Send each group a different version of the subject line: Send Version A to one group and Version B to the other group.
• Track the results: Monitor the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates for each version of the subject line.
• Analyze the data and draw conclusions: Analyze the data to determine which version of the subject line performed better. Use this information to inform your future email marketing campaigns.

Example: Let’s say you want to test whether using emojis in your subject lines increases open rates. You could create two versions of a subject line:

• Version A: “Limited Time Offer – Shop Now!”
• Version B: “Limited Time Offer 🛍️ – Shop Now!”

After running the A/B test, you find that Version B (with the emoji) has a 15% higher open rate. This suggests that using emojis in your subject lines may be an effective way to increase engagement.

Key Metrics to Track

When testing and optimizing your personalized subject lines, it’s important to track the following key metrics:

• Open Rate: The percentage of subscribers who open your email. A higher open rate indicates that your subject line is effective at capturing attention.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of subscribers who click on a link in your email. A higher CTR indicates that your subject line is relevant and engaging.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of subscribers who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. A higher conversion rate indicates that your subject line is driving results.
• Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of subscribers who unsubscribe from your email list. A significantly *higher* unsubscribe rate after deploying a personalized subject line might indicate that you’ve crossed the line into being too intrusive.

Analyzing Results and Iterating

Once you’ve collected data from your A/B tests, it’s time to analyze the results and identify areas for improvement. Look for patterns and trends in the data to understand what’s working and what’s not.

Based on this hypothetical table, the most effective subject line is “[City] Deals for [Name]!”, because it combines both location and name personalization.

Use your findings to iterate on your subject lines and continue testing new approaches. The key is to continuously refine your strategy based on data and feedback.

Expert Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different tones and styles. Sometimes a humorous subject line can be just as effective as a serious one, depending on your audience and brand.