As an email marketer, there is sometimes no greater satisfaction than coming up with the perfect subject line. Because it’s the first communication with your audience, subject lines can make or break your correspondence. A strong subject line drives open rates, while a weak subject line is often ignored or drives your correspondence straight to the garbage.
But be wary when you’re letting your imagination run wild, as those incredibly catchy subject lines could leave a sour taste in reader’s mouths. What is often the root of this problem?
Misleading subject lines.
Rarely are misleading subject lines purposely factitious, but the “click bait” method for enticing readers to click open often ventures into murky waters. Rather than earning subscribers trust with subject lines that satisfy their needs, businesses often turn to catchy sentences that trick their audience into opening something they don’t want or need.
A few common examples:
- Using “urgent” to warrant immediate response that isn’t actually needed
- Implying your reader is a “winner” if that’s not actually the case
- “Confirming” a transaction or reservation that doesn’t exist
Employing misleading subject lines is not only potentially damaging to your brand, but it often violates anti-spam laws and severely jeopardizes in-boxing. To avoid running into these problems, get creative and HONEST with your readers. The subject line is meant to tease what is in your email, so play up your best content rather than grabbing their attention with something flashy but false. Trust us, your subscribers will thank you in the long run.
Let ResponseGenius help take your email marketing to the next level – hello@responsegenius.com
