First impressions are everything and subject lines adhere strictly to this rule. A strong, eye-catching subject line can exponentially increase your click rate. Less engaging – or just plain bad – subject lines put you at risk to be skipped or deleted completely.
Don’t like it when your hard work hits the trash can? Avoid these common subject line mistakes to ensure your campaign makes the best entrance.
- ALWAYS test your emails to proof the truncation of your subject line. Depending on how many characters are cut off, you could have a potentially confusing or even embarrassing message on your hands. This often means putting the most important words first, or cutting down your subject line to something short and sweet.
- Channel your inner middle school English teacher and triple-check your spelling and grammar. There is nothing more off-putting than a massive typo spearheading your message.
- Emojis are cute, but proceed with caution. Just because you’re hip with the latest technology doesn’t mean your audience follows suit. Emojis aren’t supported in every email client, which often results in random code in your subject line. If you are adamant on incorporating Emojis into your lexicon, do so occasionally as to not ostracize your readers using older platforms.
- It often works for trashy magazines, but click bait headlines don’t translate as well in email. You could potentially be misleading your recipient, which puts you in the express lane to be trashed, sorted to junk or worst yet, reported as SPAM.
- Using spam-trigger words can get you in trouble, so be wary of using words like “buy”, “FREE” and “click here”. Internet service providers use sophisticated filters that scan for flagged words and delegate otherwise legitimate emails to the spam box.
- THIS DOESN’T WORK!!!!!! All caps and exclamation points are too loud for an inbox. Use creativity to capture readers’ attention, not your caps lock.
ResponseGenius software uses built-in reputation and junk mail feedback routines to check your subject lines. The software always allows you to know if you’ll have deliverability issues with your subject lines or not. It’s never been easier to make a better first impression.
Let ResponseGenius help take your email marketing to the next level – hello@responsegenius.com
