Creating Subject Lines That Drive Open Rates
Welcome to a Fishbowl Best Practices Webinar
Hosted by:
Thomas Greene Senior Online Marketing Specialist
Agenda
The Pivotal Role of Subject Lines
Optimizing Your Subject Lines to Deliver Results
Beyond the Basics
Subject Line Testing
Q & A
The Pivotal Role of the Subject Line
To Delete, or not to Delete…
Subject lines are the KEYS that open the door to your content
• Provide the first hint as to what your message is about
• Act as a Value Barometer for the viewer
– Will this message be relevant to me?
– Will I receive a tangible benefit for opening?
– Does this message deserve space in my inbox?
Optimizing Your Subject Line to Deliver Results
Subject Line Optimization ‐ Length
Make each word count
• Get to the point quickly (40 characters or less)
• Give the viewer a clear WHAT and WHY
a) Great Savings on Great Pizza
b) Come in to TG’s Grill for great pizza! We aim to please
Subject Line Optimization ‐ Structure
Communicate the most important info FIRST
• Most email platforms only display the first 50 characters in a snapshot view
• Many smart phones display about 25 characters
b) Free Appetizer this Friday
a) This Friday we are offering a Free Appetizer
Subject Line Optimization ‐ Information
Make it clear what the message is about
• Briefly summarize the contents of your email
• Be cautious when using the “teaser” approach (test, test, test)
• Always ask yourself, “If this landed in my inbox, would I open it”
b) Spring into TG’s Grill
a) New Spring Flavors at TG’s Grill
Subject Line Optimization – Don’t Hide the Prize
Use the power of the offer to motivate opens
• An offer provides a clear reason to further invest time in your message
• Your promise doesn’t have to be explicit, but it should be true
b) Here’s a Gift for your Birthday
a) Happy Birthday from your friends at TG’s Grill
Don’t try to trick your members into opening
• Misleading subject lines can lead to annoyed members, unsubscribesand SPAM complaints.
Subject Line Optimization – Keep It Real
Example subject line: Like Free Food?
Great lunch specials from $6.99• Salads• Sandwiches• Entrees
Use a new subject line when sending follow-up messages
Subject Line Optimization – Freshen the Follow‐up
Mother’s Day specials next Friday
Remember – Mother’s Day specials tomorrow only
Be aware of Spam Filtering
• AVOID keywords such as “Guarantee”, “Trial”, “Sex”, “Medicine” , etc.
• AVOID including multiple words in all caps
• AVOID excessive punctuation
Subject Line Optimization – Keep It Clean
a) We GUARANTEE you will love our TIRAMISU!!!
b) Tiramisu back by popular demand
Beyond the Basics: Personalization and Symbols
Beyond the Basics – Subject Line Personalization
It’s like sending a personal note• Seeing our own name naturally grabs our attention
• It has a higher perceived value than a “generic” blast to the entire universe
• Personalization can be simple to achieve using a basic merge code
Thomas, Come Join our Subject Line webinar this Thursday
Stick to First Name only
• Makes a simple and friendly gesture
• Including last name can cause privacy concerns
• Send an alternate subject line to members for whom you do not have first name data
Beyond the Basics – Subject Line Personalization
Thomas Horatio Greene, Open this for a BIG SURPRISE!!!!
Beyond the Basics – Subject Line Symbols
Symbols can draw attention and make a content connection.
• The same symbol may appear and load differently by email browser
Beyond the Basics – Subject Line Symbols
The symbol you choose should ALWAYS make sense
• Strive for a logical fit with the subject line
• Ensure relevancy to the email content
b) ♥ Sweet Offer on Valentine’s Day ♥
a) ♬ Lobster special today ♬
Beyond the Basics – Subject Line Symbols
Don’t Overdo It
• Symbols are not appropriate for every message
• The more often you use them, the less special they become
Test, test, test!
• Conduct ongoing tests to understand how various symbols affect your performance metrics.
• Analyze the impact on open, click-through and delivery rates
Subject Line Testing
The A/B Split Testing
A/B split testing is a simple method for comparing the performance of two different versions of a subject line
How Does an A/B Test Split Work?
• A small subset of the total member list is selected as a test group (ex. 10%) and divided into two equal parts.
• Each half of the test group receives a different subject line and a winner is identified
The higher-performing subject line is blasted to the remainder of the list.
Subject Line Testing: Good Examples
• Offer “teaser” vs. specific offer
Enjoy this Special Birthday Gift!
Get your Free Entrée Birthday Gift!
• Personalization
Thomas, enjoy a free dessert on us!
Enjoy a free dessert on us!
• Subject line length
Good food, music and giveaways
We’ve got it all for you…Good food, music, giveaways and more!
Subject Line Testing: Good Examples
• Symbols
Rainy day special!
Rainy day special!
• Placement of offer copy
Free Appetizer for you and a Friend!
Bring a friend and enjoy a Free Appetizer!
Adjust testing types, based on your branding, assumptions and historical data
Subject Line Testing: “I’ve sent my test, now what?”
1. Review key performance metrics for each subject line tested (opens and unsubscribes)
2. Send the top performing subject line to your remaining members
3. Analyze the results and use them to improve your next campaign
The results of each test should add one more piece to the puzzle
Key Subject Line Takeaways
1. Your subject line deserves as much thought as the rest of your email
2. Keep the message short and informative (make each word count)
• On mobile, viewers may only see the first 25 characters
• Front load the most important/enticing content
3. Proper use of personalization and symbols may improve performance
• Always follow best practices
4. Test, test, test!
• One size does not fit all
• What your members respond to today, may change tomorrow
Question & Answer Time
Thank You!
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