23 Tips for the Best Email Subject Lines that Get Opened

How's your email open rate these days? Feeling like your emails are getting ignored?

If you're not happy with the results of your email marketing, your problem could be in the very first thing people see – the subject line.

Your email subject line is the #1 most critical part of any email, since it determines whether or not the email is actually opened.

Your subject line needs to grab your reader’s attention and get them interested in going further. It also gives them an introduction to the information you’re providing them inside your email.

And of course, it’s essential to follow-up on the promise you’ve made with your subject line by making sure the actual email content conforms to what you hinted at in your subject. But, you can increase your chances of getting the reader to that point in a number of different ways.

Here are some of our favorite tips for writing the best email subject lines, along with examples to spark your own ideas and get more of your emails opened and read…

1. Get Snarky
BuzzFeed: "Not Cool, Guys!
2. Encourage Competition
Zillow: “What Can You Afford?”
3. Appeal to Vanity
ServiceNation: “Giving Back Has Never Looked So Good”
4. Use Anticipation
Fanatics: “Welcome to the Best Monday Ever!”
5. Tease
The Tropical Travelers: “Destination Weddings… Want Rock Star Treatment?”
6. Think About Your Sender Name
Barack Obama: "Hey"
7. Get Scary
E-Marketing and Commerce: “Virus, Worms, Trojan Horses, Oh My!”
8. Baffle
EntreLeadership: “Why You Need to Be Awkward at Work”
9. Crack a Joke
Groupon: "Best of Groupon: The Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)"
10. Get Them Thinking
The Agitator: “Who is Your Best Competitor?”
11. Think About Timing
Eater Boston: “Where to Drink Beer Right Now”
12. Use Social Proof
DocuSign: “What Are Our Customers Saying?”
13. Use Fear Of Missing Out
JetBlue: "You're missing out on points."
14. Use Well-Placed Adjectives
About.com Today: “How to Make a Perfect Salad”
15. Use Cultural References
Uncommon Goods: “As You Wish”
16. Appeal to Compassion
GrassRoots.org: “Take Two Minutes to Change the World!”
17. Use Puns
AddThis: "10 Engagement Tips to Gobble Over Thanksgiving"
18. Keep it Short
Bisque Imports: “TGIF!”
19. Self-Identify
Refinery 29: “The Broke Girl’s Guide to a Luxury Vacation”
20. Use Friendly Reminders
Warby Parker: "Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring”
21. Add a List
Constant Contact: “3 Tools to Simplify Your Marketing”
22. Excite
Slate Magazine: “Coming Soon, Jobs!”
23. Ask a Question
Strong Women, Strong Girls: “Who Was Wonder Woman’s Role Model?”

Getting any good ideas yet?

For your next email, pick out a couple of the above tips and try some different versions of the subject line.

Better yet, split test 2 versions and see what the differences are.

Want a downloadable pdf of all the tips and examples listed in this post?
Just click below and we'll send it to you right away!

Want to learn and teach others how to write compelling emails that engage and convert?

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Enjoy!