The subject line is the most important aspect of your HTML email. Your customers will decide whether they want to read the mail or not, after seeing the subject line. This is why you should make it as creative, stylish, and concise as possible. The point is it should compel your subscribers to open and read the email. Obviously, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea to come up with a great subject line. Marketers do make a number of mistakes while writing subject lines and consequently the campaign yields poor results. This article will highlight some of the mistakes that you should avoid when you write subject lines.
Making them extra long
The subject line of your email has to be concise. Extra long subject lines will not encourage readers to open the emails. For instance, ‘latest electronic goods sold at abc.com; buy them at discounted prices. For further details log on to abc.com,’ is a subject line that will never persuade users to read the mail. One glance at this subject and they will know that the email is nothing more than a sales pitch.
Making them too short
Just like an extra long subject line, something that’s too short also kills the readers’ interest. For instance, ‘visit abc.com,’ will not evoke enough curiosity in clients to open and read the email. An ideal subject line may look like ‘visit abc.com for the best deals on electronic goods.’ The subject should convey something relevant to the readers only then will they open the mail.
Subject lines having no link with the content
A subject line that has no connection with the content in the email is probably the worst thing. For instance, if you send an email with a subject line that reads ‘general health tips,’ then make sure there are health tips and not a sales pitch instead. Even if it happens by mistake, your clients will not take such a lapse too kindly. For all you know, clients may think that such an email and your company are misguiding them and lodge a spam complaint against you.
Ambiguity in subject lines
Ambiguity is another thing that puts clients off. They trust subject lines that are highly specific and convey what the email is about rather than something that may leave them confused or hanging. For example, a subject line that reads ‘15 out of 25 youngsters prefer carrying an ATM card over cash,’ will be easily understood by clients than ‘youngsters like to carry ATM cards.’ You should avoid ambiguity of this kind. Customers gauge your authenticity through your communication style. With clear subject lines, you can convince them that you are an expert in your field.
When you design an HTML email, make sure you avoid these mistakes at all costs. If you can’t write compelling subject lines, then consult a professional rather than using the trial and error method. Remember that your reputation as a businessperson is at stake. If it gets destroyed, then you may have a tough time building it again.