Why Email Subject Lines Are Important
Chances are that email is one of your most frequently used communication tools. You probably use it to send your press releases to reporters and to market to your customers and prospects.
One of the most important parts of any email is the subject line.
Avoiding certain words in email subject lines, especially in your emails you are sending to members of the media (like a press release, story pitch, or a followup,) is important for several reasons:
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Deliverability:
Some words can trigger spam filters, causing your email to be marked as junk or not delivered at all.
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Open rates:
Certain words or phrases may come across as spammy or salesy, reducing the likelihood that recipients will open your email.
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Professionalism:
Some words or phrases can make your email seem unprofessional or untrustworthy.
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Clarity:
Using vague or misleading words in the subject line can confuse recipients about the email’s content.
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Legal compliance:
In some jurisdictions, certain words in subject lines may violate regulations around email marketing.
With so much riding on your subject line, it’s important to make sure you get it right, and to do that you need to avoid these big mistakes.
With so much riding on your subject line, it’s important to make sure you get it right, and to do that you need to avoid these big mistakes.
Mistake #1: Using Spammy Words
Including certain words in your subject line can trigger SPAM filters and prevent your emails from being delivered. Some of the words you should avoid include:
Spam Trigger Words
Here’s a list of words that could trigger spam filters if included in the subject line (and the body) of your emails. While it’s not complete, (spam filters change daily,) it does give an indication of words you probably should avoid.
It’s important to note that while these words can trigger spam filters, context matters. Some legitimate emails may need to use these words. The key is to use them judiciously and in appropriate contexts.
- Money
- Cash
- Dollars
- Price
- Income
- Profit
- Earnings
- Credit
- Loan
- Urgent
- Limited time
- Act now
- Don’t wait
- Expires
- Only
- Hurry
- Guarantee
- Promise
- Certified
- No risk
- 100% free
- Lifetime
- No obligation
- Buy
- Order
- Subscribe
- Click
- Sale
- Discount
- Offer
- Deal
- Fast cash
- Easy money
- Make money
- Work from home
- Be your own boss
- Financial freedom
- Weight loss
- Miracle cure
- Natural remedy
- Viagra
- Pills
- Medicine
- XXX
- Adult
- Sex
- Dating
- Congratulations
- Winner
- You’ve been selected
- Free gift
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive punctuation (!!!, ???)
- Symbols ($$$, €€€)
- Legal
- Official
- Confidential
- Urgent notice
- Virus
- Hack
- Password
- Account verification
Financial Terms
Urgency/Pressure
Promises/Guarantees
Marketing/Sales
Get Rich Quick
Health and Wellness
Sensitive/Adult Content
Attention-Grabbing
Suspicious Formatting
Legal/Official-Sounding
Tech-Related
For a complete list of email SPAM trigger words, check out HubSpot’s full list.
Mistake #2: Using all Capital Letters
Some people mistakenly believe that using all capital letters in their subject line is a great way to get the attention of the recipient. What they fail to realize is that using all caps is a great way to trigger SPAM filters, and even if your message gets through, it’s annoying, makes you look shady, and just isn’t professional.
Mistake #3: Being Unclear
The purpose of the subject line is to let the recipient know what your email is about and to get them to open it. You want to be clear and compelling so the recipient will open your email to read more.
Too many times, senders sacrifice clarity in an effort to be clever or to make their email seem more important than it really is. Here’s a pretty easy way to determine if your subject line is clear enough. Show just the subject line to a friend or colleague who hasn’t read the email, and ask them to tell you what they think the email is about. If they’re unable to answer correctly, it’s probably a pretty good indication that your subject line isn’t clear enough.
Mistake #4: Being Misleading
Want to lose the trust of your recipients immediately and permanently? Lie to them. Your subject line should always match the content of the email. If you’re misleading in your subject line, your recipients will feel duped, killing any chances of them responding to your offer and earning their mistrust forever. Be clear and honest.
Mistake #5: Not Getting the Length Right
When it comes to subject lines, size matters. If your subject line is too long, it won’t display fully, and the recipient might not understand what the email is about. If it’s too short, you might not do a good job of conveying the message of your email. From my experience, you can typically come up with a good subject line that’s about 5 to 10 words in length.
Mistake #6: Incorrectly Using Capitalization
While there’s no universal rule, it’s generally not recommended to capitalize all words in an email subject line. Here’s why:
- Readability: Sentence case (capitalizing only the first word and proper nouns) is easier to read.
- Professionalism: All-caps can appear unprofessional or like you’re shouting.
- Spam filters: Excessive capitalization may trigger spam filters.
- Best practice: Most style guides recommend sentence case for email subjects.
- Exceptions: Some organizations have specific style guidelines that may differ.
Recommended approach: Use sentence case, capitalizing the first word and any proper nouns.
Example:
Good: “Meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 2 PM”
Avoid: “MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY AT 2 PM”
Writing Great Email Subject Lines
Crafting effective email subject lines is a crucial skill in today’s digital communication landscape. Throughout this article, we’ve explored several key takeaways:
- Choose your words carefully to avoid spam filters and increase engagement
- Use spam trigger words judiciously and only when necessary
- Opt for sentence case capitalization in most situations
- Focus on honestly communicating the topic of your email, while making it compelling to open
Remember, the goal of a subject line is to accurately represent your email’s content while encouraging the recipient to open and read it. By following these guidelines, you can create more effective, professional, and engaging email subject lines that respect your recipients’ time and attention.
Ultimately, the best subject lines are clear, concise, and relevant. They give the reader a reason to open the email without resorting to tricks or manipulation. As with many aspects of communication, practice and testing will help you refine your approach over time.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab your free 160-page copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/