In our last blog post, we explained that your email delivery rates might be reduced if your list members report your emails as 'spam’. A feature of Simplelists is that we enable the members of your list to engage easily in private group discussion with one another. So, it’s important that your emails get opened and that your members don’t mark them as spam before doing so, whether accidentally or not.
One way to ensure that list members open your email and are sure that it is from a recognised, trustworthy source, is to make sure you have a good email subject line.
Top tips for writing a good subject line
Short is sweet. It is worth bearing in mind that the average email client can display between 38 and 47 characters in a subject line. A study carried out by Return Path in 2006 found that "click through rates for subject lines with 49 or fewer characters were 75% higher than those with 50 or more". So, brevity is probably best.
Resonate with your readers. Content-related subject lines that 'hit home’ with your readers will work better than something more general. You could consider using a teaser: 'This month: Is it worth buying organic?’ might be more tempting that 'August newsletter’.
Avoid spam 'trigger words’. Email clients generally have inbuilt mail filters to automatically file messages in the spam folder. Words like 'video, trial, sample, mortgage’ are examples of potentially problematic choices. You can study lists of spam words and you can also use websites like EmailSpamTest to test the likelihood of your email being filed as spam.
Avoid repetition and add a dash of intrigue. It’s always a good habit to avoid repeating a subject line you used before, even it worked really well previously. Give people a reason to open the email by focusing on something that 'whets their appetite’. Use something memorable or funny to catch their eye.
Personalise and localise. There is always an element of 'what’s in it for me’ when ruthlessly scanning an inbox full of messages. A study carried out by Experian in 2013 found that personalising emails by using words like 'you’ and 'your’ in subject lines may help to boost open rates. Mentioning a place can also help to focus people’s attention.
Finally, make it clear who you are in the 'From’ line. With Simplelists, you can send your email from your own email account , directly to the list address. Check that your name/company name is displayed clearly so that your members will immediately remember who you are and why they subscribed to the list in the first place.