Top Tips for Getting Subscribers to Open Your Emails
Are subscribers no longer opening your emails? Lost your subject line mojo? Check out our tips & ideas on how to grab your audience’s attention.
Create an irresistible subject line
It is important to understand that your subject line matters. You need to compel your audience to click and start reading or else your email will be headed straight to the trash unopened, or you might even end up losing a couple of subscribers. Subject lines need to convey a message that is both informative and intriguing. Try applying some of these tips to your next mail-out:
Use words that imply time sensitivity, curiosity, or even just be straightforward.
Emphasize the most powerful word — YOU. Using variations of the word “you” is a great way to engage readers from the get-go.
Digitize your words. Digitizing lets your readers know what to expect and also helps keep your subject line clean and short i.e. Only 3 Days Left – EARLY-BIRD Registration!
Capitalize only the most important word in your subject line. Use ALL CAPS sparingly as they are powerful but when overused you might lose your impact.
Make use of the Five W’s. Rotate your who, what, where, when and why’s and watch your open rates grow!
You only have one chance at making a first impression on the content you’re sending. Keep on reading to be on your way to success.
Keep it short
Every day more and more emails are being opened on mobile devices which typically show fewer characters. By keeping it short, you’re ensuring that your one-size-fits-all subject line will appeal to the masses. According to Marketo, a seven-word subject line or 41 characters hits just the right spot! It’s easy to get overwhelmed with creating short subject lines and worrying about missing crucial information, but not to worry — this is where the pre-header text comes in handy. The pre-header text is a line of text that appears after the subject line in an email inbox — and is just as important to focus on when crafting your emails.
In an article published by ADOTAS, “pre-headers are a great way to stand out in the inbox. They allow you to follow up a compelling subject line and entice your readers to open the message. And they deliver a seven percent higher open rate, on average. With nearly half of all emails being opened on a mobile device, and the average inbox swelling to more than 100+ emails per day, clever pre-headers are a great way to capture your audience’s attention.”
Personalize your message
Another way to compel your readers to open your emails is by personalizing your subject line. Adding in a macro with your subscriber’s first name will not only catch their eye but will also make them feel valued. An Experian Marketing Services study found that personalized emails generate six times higher transaction rates! According to the study “personalized promotional emails have 29% higher unique open rates and 41% more unique click-through rates.”
Avoid that dreaded spam box
Avoid using common phrases that trigger spam filters – ending up in the junk folder is every email marketer’s worst nightmare. Using words like “free”, “opportunity” or excessive punctuation (!!!) is guaranteed to be filtered out. All in all, avoid words that create unnecessary pressure and exaggerated claims or jargon. For a complete list of spam trigger words, check out HubSpot’s post on “The Ultimate List of Email SPAM Trigger Words”.
Know your audience and time around it
By now you should have your perfect personalized, spam-free subject line and a captivating pre-header…but you might want to hold off on clicking that send button just yet. Did you know that timing and knowing your audience is a huge part of getting your subscribers to open your emails? According to this Omnisend study, the best day to send a promotional email is Thursday and the second is Tuesday; avoid the Monday blues and Friday’s itchy feet. This Mailchimp article can further help provide you with the latest data on finding the best time to send emails and increase your open rates. However, the best time to send emails ultimately depends on your audience.
It might seem contradictory, but you should use the recommended dates/times as a starting point and then curate your marketing plans around what is actually working for your audience. Test out different dates/times, play with your subject lines and make adjustments to your plans after you’ve analyzed how your efforts are working or what isn’t working. Study your target demographics’ time zone, occupation, and industry; after all, you are the primary driver of your marketing efforts, nobody will know your audience better than you! Plan your work and work your plan.
Now what?
You’ve just been given a bunch of tips and tricks that can help you get more traffic on your marketing efforts. Now it’s time to put them to the test!
Create irresistible subject lines and compelling pre-headers that stand out.
Personalize your campaigns to make your readers feel valued – you need to assure your subscribers that they are important to you!
Develop your marketing plan to include the dates and times in which you will reach out to your readers.
Track and analyze. Test dates and times when your audience is most active to grow your traffic.
Now is a good time to start!
