Best Email Subject Lines to Boost Your Email Open Rates

While I was preparing the post according to the Internetlivestats stat this year the number of emails was sent: 69,546,814,775,890. Among all of these emails, how can you make yourself stand out? In my personal experience, it’s the subject line of your email which will make a buzz in the readers’ minds to open your email. On the web, you will find so many blogs on that particular topic. But I like to share a list of best email subject lines to boost your email open rates.

What Is A Good Subject Line?

You and your audience have something in common: You want to write less, and they want to read less.
Right?

And email subject lines — like blog post titles, tweet, and meta descriptions — donโ€™t take up a whole lot of space.

For this reason, youโ€™d think they must be easy to whip up. Everyone is capable of stringing together a few words, right?

Wrong.

As it turns out, writing short copy takes more than just good writing skills — it requires a deep understanding of your target customer and a talent for translating a larger message into a few words designed to strike the right chord.

To help you train your brain to write more concisely, we recommend pulling up a long-form piece of content and running through the following steps:

โ€ข Remove adverbs, adjectives, pronouns & prepositions.
โ€ข Replace phrases with one word.
โ€ข Use numerals instead of writing out numbers.

Why You Need Good Email Subject Lines?

You will be surprised that 47% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line whereas 69% of email recipients report email as spam based solely on the subject line. Emails with no subject all together have an open rate of 8% more than those with a subject line, whereas e-mails with personalized subject lines are 22% more likely to be opened. Here is an infographic that will help you to get a clear understanding of all the matters.

email-subject-lines - gtarafdar
Email OpenRate Stat Based on Subject Line- ย Invesp Conversion Optimization

Open rate by the number of words in E-mail subject line

Number of wordsOpen rate
0-516%
6-1021%
11-1514%
16-2012%
21-259%

Open rates with recipients name in E-mail subject line

NameOpen rate
With name 18.30%
Without name15.70%

How to Write Good Subject Lines

By following simple six steps you can write a better subject line for your own. But you need to practice more and more to become a pro in writing subject line copies.

write-better-subject-lines-six-steps gtarafdar
Writing a Better subject Line by CoSchedule

Types of Email Subject Lines with Examples

We can categorize email subject lines into 7 categories. It will help us to get an idea about all types of subject lines. Here are those-

  • FOMO: Fear of Missing Out subjects
  • Curious Subject Lines
  • Funny Subject Lines
  • Pain Points
  • Reengagement
  • Emoji Subject Lines
  • Social Proof Subjects

FOMO — the fear of missing out

Fomo Email Subject Lines - Gtarafdar

It is a powerful motivator. Thanks to our psychological bent toward loss aversion, people react much more strongly when they feel they’re about to lose something they already have then when they expect to gain something.

It’s the best for sending offers or discount emails to the recipients.

Here are some examples of FOMO subject lines
  • JustFab: โ€œBy Invitation Only: Exclusive Rewards Inside!โ€
  • ย Ibotta: โ€œDonโ€™t let this $5 bonus slip away!โ€
  • ย J.Crew Factory: โ€œClick it or miss it, people: Over 500 styles under $25 is ending!โ€
  • ย Book of the Month: โ€œMayโ€™s best books are just too good to miss.โ€
  • ย InstantBoss Club: โ€œNEVER AGAIN SALEโ€
  • ย Uber: โ€œGrab a ride pass before theyโ€™re goneโ€
  • ย Shoes of Prey: โ€œIn case you missed theseโ€ฆโ€
  • ย Crate and Barrel: โ€œ2x the rewards, 2 brands, 5 days only.โ€
  • ย Airbnb: โ€œBarnstable is in high demand for Augustโ€
  • ย AMC Theatres: โ€œHurry, Get Your Tickets to SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Fan Event!โ€
  • ย Charles Tyrwhitt: โ€œShirts for $39 ENDS MIDNIGHTโ€

Curious Subject Lines

Curious Email Subject Iines Gtarafdar

Curiosity prompts action โ€” and in the world of email, action often equates to better engagement rates.

Curiosity is powerful. Itโ€™s the force that leads you to stay up late watching the next episode of that exciting show. Itโ€™s the push that keeps you turning pages in a good book. Itโ€™s the seed that prompts you to Facebook stalk your former classmates to see what they are up to.

See it in action
  • UX Collective: โ€œYour fingerprints are all over the placeโ€
  •  Select All: โ€œThe Two Possible Futures of Virtual Realityโ€
  •  Refinery29 Everywhere: โ€œThe $1,000 hair trend with a dirty little secretโ€
  •  Book of the Month: โ€œOur most riveting book this month.โ€
  •  Sephora Insider: โ€œYou NEED to see this new eye treatment.โ€
  •  Madewell: โ€œEveryoneโ€™s gonna ask you about theseโ€
  •  Hiten from Product Habits: โ€œ2 hours before launch and we are still scramblingโ€
  •  Instant Boss Club: โ€œ80 likes to 458 likes SAY WHAT?โ€
  •  Intercom: โ€œAre you making this landing page mistake?โ€
  •  Zillow: โ€œThe truth about moving expensesโ€

Funny Subject Lines

Funny- Email Subject-Lines Gtarafdar

Your recipientsโ€™ email inboxes are inundated with ordinary subject lines all day, every day.
So how do you pique their interest in a sea of sameness?
Humor.
But remember: When using funny email subject lines, itโ€™s important to know your audience.

Get Some Idea of Some Funny Subject Lines

  • Free People: โ€œโ€˜Can I PLEASE borrow?!โ€™ โ€“ everyone you knowโ€
  •  Funny or DIe: โ€œRevised policy regarding jean shorts at workโ€
  •  Dollar Shave Club: โ€œOpen up and say wowie zowie!โ€
  •  NextDraft: โ€œIn Flawed We Trustโ€
  •  Brooks Brothers: โ€œUp to 40% off trousers & sport coats. Itโ€™s a tailor-made sale.โ€
  •  Grubhub: โ€œBreaking chews! We found new restaurants near you!โ€
  •  NextDraft: โ€œOMGodfatherโ€
  •  Red Sox Ticketing: โ€œCome to Fenway May 2 โ€“ we wonโ€™t tell your boss!โ€
  •  Dollar Shave Club: โ€œWhat to Do When Youโ€™re the Sweaty, Smelly Guy at the Gymโ€
  •  Nordstrom Rack: โ€œRay-Ban up to 50% off. Get in a new frame of mind.โ€

Pain Point Subject Line

Pain-Point-Subject-Lines gtarafdar

These days, businesses and individuals alike are constantly looking for ways to do more, see more, and earn more.

And as a marketer, itโ€™s up to you to identify the obstacles that prevent them from doing so and use those insights to position your product or service as part of the solution.

At the end of the day, people want to feel like their problems are recognized and being taken care of and what better place to serve up that type of assurance than right in their inbox.

Some Good Examples on This Point
  • J.Crew: โ€œYour summer outfit dilemmas SOLVEDโ€
  • ย Groupon Experiences: โ€œFun to Help You Survive the Holidaysโ€
  • ย Terrain: โ€œYour all-weather dining solution.โ€
  • ย Qapital: โ€œDonโ€™t think about saving. Save without thinking.โ€
  • ย By Regina: โ€œStruggling with a business decision? I made you a 1-page framework to help.โ€
  • ย Le Tote: โ€œMonday-Friday Style Simplifiedโ€
  • ย Dominoโ€™s: โ€œNo address? No problem. Now Dominoโ€™s can deliver to over 150,000 Dominoโ€™s Hotspots.โ€
  • ย Adobe Stock: โ€œBeautiful brochures made fasterโ€
  • ย Verizon Wireless: โ€œEnjoy NBA games right at your fingertips.โ€
  • ย Vidyard: โ€œEngaging your prospects can be hard. Video makes it easy.โ€
  • ย Grubhub: โ€œSit back and let someone else do the cookingโ€

Reengagement Subject Lines

Reengagement-Subject-Lines gtarafdar

Subscriber inactivity happens to the best of us.

Sometimes we see loyal subscribers gradually slip away as the demands of their job increase or change. Other times we see people drop off because the content fails to meet their needs. For that reason, re-engagement emails are critical to list health and maintenance.

See It in Actions
  • Dollar Shave Club: โ€œHey, did you forget to open this?โ€
  •  The Bouqs Company: โ€œCan You Believe Itโ€™s Been a Month?โ€
  •  Chubbies Shorts: โ€œLemme Teleport You Back to Your Cart. Free Of Charge.โ€
  •  LinkedIn: โ€œ[Name], people are looking at your LinkedIn profileโ€
  •  Groupon: โ€œStill Interested in That Deal?โ€
  •  ClassPass: โ€œNew things are happening!โ€
  •  Airbnb: โ€œPick up where you left offโ€
  •  DraftKings: โ€œ[Name], you have an undrafted contest entry!โ€
  •  Vail Resorts: โ€œCome Back This Winter With an Exclusive Deal, [Name]โ€
  •  Glassdoor: โ€œItโ€™s Been A Whileโ€ฆโ€
  •  Marriott Rewards: โ€œWeโ€™ve missed you, [Name]! Please come back!โ€

Emoji Subject Lines

Emoji-Subject-Lines Gtarafdar

Emojis have quickly become powerful communication tools, making it easier for businesses to convey emotion in situations where they are strapped for space.

Aside from the fact that emojis create contrast in your recipientsโ€™ inbox, research has found that emoji usage can actually help make your message more memorable.

emoji stat for subject lines - gtarafdar

Here are theย top 15 emojisย by subject line appearances. These arenโ€™t necessarily the โ€œbestโ€ ones to useโ€”theyโ€™re just the most popular.

Some Best Examples
  • Crate and Barrel: โ€œUp to 40% off ๐Ÿ– + 30% off ๐Ÿน + 15% Off ๐ŸŽ + Free ๐Ÿšš โ€œ
  • StubHub: โ€œ๐Ÿšจ Great deal alert! Zac Brown Band at Fenway Park for a steal.โ€
  • ClassPass: โ€œGo from ๐ŸŒฑ to ๐ŸŒณ for just $4โ€
  • Dunkin Donuts: โ€œ๐Ÿฆ Weโ€™re screamingโ€ฆโ€
  • Instacart: โ€œ๐Ÿ๐Ÿž๐ŸŒฝ Market Basket: Save $10 of your next orderโ€
  • JustFly.com: โ€œโœˆ SEAT SALE: Boston to Las Vegas!โ€
  • Yummly: โ€œ๐Ÿ“ Berry impressive summer recipesโ€
  • BuzzFeed News: โ€œInstagram will let you mute your friendsโ€™ baby pics ๐Ÿ™Œ โ€
  • IMPACT Branding & Design: โ€œIMPACT Live: Last week to save ๐Ÿ’ฐ โ€
  • Hotjar: โ€œCustomise your visitor feedback experience ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ โ€

Social Proof Subjects

Social-Proof-Subject-Lines Gtarafdar

Social proof is the idea that people will adapt their behavior according to what other people are doing.

When we see a line of customers waiting to eat at a restaurant or a photo of a celebrity drinking a certain brand of coffee, it lends an air of gravitas and quality to the product, doesnโ€™t it? But thereโ€™s more to it than that. In fact, according to Buffer, there are actually five different types of social proof: Expert Social Proof, Celebrity Social Proof, User Social Proof, โ€œWisdom of the Crowdsโ€ Social Proof, and โ€œWisdom of your Friendsโ€ Social Proof.

See It In Action
  • Patagonia: โ€œTop reviewed styles from customers like youโ€
  •  HelloFresh: โ€œPssstโ€ฆ your friends are cooking up a storm!โ€
  •  GolfNow: โ€œYou deserve some golf this week (top picks inside)โ€
  •  Yummly: โ€œMost Popular Recipes this Weekโ€
  •  Airbnb: โ€œMake it a good night with John Legend and Airbnbโ€
  •  Yummly: โ€œSimple recipes from popular chefsโ€
  •  Zillow: โ€œ5 homes that are trending right nowโ€
  •  Lenny: โ€œRachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz on the Female Gazeโ€
  •  Inc: โ€œ18 Habits Highly Successful People Have (And the Rest of Us Probably Donโ€™t)โ€
  •  Adobe: Adobe named a Leader in customer analyticsโ€

These are all about the 7 categories of the email subject lines. You can use them as per your requirements. If you are looking for more examples then keep scrolling. Iโ€™m sharing more real-life examples and techniques for email headlines.

The Game-Changing Subject Lines to Boost Holiday Sales

You will get the best email subject lines along with the 100+ words which will help you to boost your holiday sales.

Best Holiday Sales Email Subject Lines

Best-Sales-Email Subject Lines - Gtarafdar
Email Subject Lines Covered Byย Constant Contact

100+ Gamechanger Subject Line Words to Boost Your Sale

100- best words for subject lines gtarafdar
100+ Game Changer Words For Subject Lines Covered byย CoSchedule

24 Best Email Subject Lines

Hubspotย just listed up the best 24 email subject lines which will definitely help you in real life.

  • โ€œUh-oh, your prescription is expiringโ€
  • โ€œBest of Groupon: The Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)โ€
  • โ€œ๐Ÿ‘— Free (Cool!) Clothes Alert ๐Ÿ‘–โ€
  • โ€œThe timerโ€™s going off on your cart!โ€
  • โ€œWhat Did You Think? Write a Review.โ€
  • โ€œImportant Weather Advisoryโ€
  • โ€œ1,750 points for you. Valentineโ€™s flowers & more for them.โ€
  • โ€œRock the color of the yearโ€
  • โ€œBlack Friday shoppers are the worst customersโ€
  • โ€œDonโ€™t Open This Emailโ€
  • โ€œI got Botoxโ€”& THIS is what it looked likeโ€
  • Zillow: โ€œWhat Can You Afford?โ€
  • โ€œAs You Wishโ€
  • โ€œGoogle sees smartphone heroics in Oreo. Itโ€™s The Daily Crunch.โ€
  • โ€œWhere to Drink Beer Right Nowโ€
  • โ€œNot Cool, Guysโ€
  • โ€œDO NOT Commit These Instagram Atrocitiesโ€
  • Buffer has been hacked โ€“ here is whatโ€™s going onโ€
  • โ€œEverything you wanted to know about email copy but were too afraid to askโ€
  • โ€œ๐Ÿถ Want a Custom Emoji of Tullamore & 6 Months FREE Walks? Book a Walk Today for Your Chance to Win!โ€
  • โ€œAbra-cord-abra! Yeah, we said it.โ€
  • โ€œChina Falls, Sleepy Unicorns, And The Deals Arenโ€™t Bigger In Texasโ€
  • โ€œ๐Ÿ”ฅ Hot freebie alert! 15 free gifts, you pick 5.โ€
  • โ€œWatch Out for This Amazon Phishing Scam.โ€

Summing Up

Itโ€™s really tough to finish the whole study on the Best Subject Line for Emails in one article. I just tried to cover every single area on creating the best subject lines for emails which will help to open the emails. But to ensure your email promotion efforts make an impact, you need to invest time to get the subject line just right. After all, if your emails are left unopened, your content will never earn the recognition it deserves.

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