"You never get a second chance to make a first impression". And you already give that first impression via the subject line of your email. It would be a shame if a poorly written subject is the reason the recipient doesn't open your message. That's why we're happy to give you some tips to come up with the perfect subject line!
1. Personalize your subject line
In MailerLite you can use fields from your database in your subject line. This way you can process the name of your recipient and address him or her personally. You can also refer to the location to create a local connection. In MailerLite, you can add fields to your address file yourself. You can also use these in your subject line to. For example, mention areas of interest.
Be sure to personalize the shipping address by using your own name. "Jonas from MailerLite" will provide up to 28% more opens than using just the company name.
2. Make your subject line relevant
Try to respond to the needs and wishes of your target group . Try to be as clear and specific as possible. Be sure to avoid catchy phrases or clickbait. This makes the reader feel bad and indicates that the content of your email is irrelevant. An example:
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The first example is not very concrete and comes across as baseless, while the second subject line lets the reader know exactly what to expect.
3. Consider Mobile View
More than half of the recipients will see your email on a smartphone. Usually only the first 35 characters of the subject line are shown here. You can use the pre-header text, which in most cases can contain up to 140 characters.
You can fill in the pre-header in MailerLite while editing the content of your mail:
4. Ask a question
By asking a question, you increase the reader's involvement. Arousing curiosity with your question will increase the open rate.
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5. Use numbers and lists
Research shows that people click faster when there are numbers or lists in your email. It creates a concrete expectation and it is easier for the brain to process. It's a proven method!
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6. Experiment with emojis
A picture is worth 1,000 words, emojis come close. Depending on your target audience, you can choose to use emoticons in your subject line to draw attention. This can work well especially for a younger target group. For mailings to a professional target group, the use of emoticons are not always advisable.
7. Use A/B testing
Want to measure the effect of a custom subject line? Then you can make multiple variations of your mail via A/B testing . Basically, you create two versions of an email, each with a different subject line. In the first phase, the email is sent to a number of recipients on your address list, e.g. 20%. Some of them will get one version, the rest the other. MailerLite automatically detects which version generates the most opens and clicks, and will send the best scoring version to the other 80% based on that.
A/B testing is a feature that is also available in the free version of MailerLite. It's a simple and automated feature that requires little extra effort, but can give you a significantly better open rate. It is important to have enough addresses in your list to be able to speak of a valid result.
Let your creativity run wild to come up with the perfect subject line! Do you need help with this? Then you can always contact our experts!
