Better email subject lines
In general, shorter subject lines are associated with better email performance, as determined by opens and clicks.
In its 2007 Email Benchmark Guide, MarketingSherpa concludes, “When it comes to subject lines, shorter is better. It’s as close to a universal rule of the Internet that simple messages that can be instantly digested are the best way to take advantage of our short digital attention span.”
Email domains often limit the number of subject line characters displayed by default in the inbox.
AOL, which is responsible for approximately 22% of the U.S. email market, limits subject lines to roughly 38 characters.
Yahoo!, with 21% of U.S. email, has a approximate limit of 47 characters per subject line.
Hotmail, which has 14% of the U.S. email market, uses word wrap to display subject lines on multiple lines, allowing approximately 45 characters per line.
Therefore, 57% of U.S. email recipients see only the fi rst 38 to 47 characters of a subject line when making the decision to open an email. Additionally, the growing reliance on mobile devices — and their smaller screens that display even fewer characters — affects this trend as well.
Because higher open and click rates depend on the optimum combination and content, marketers should keep in mind the following rules of thumb:
1. Front load subject lines with the most important information.
2. Keep the subject line as short as possible to ensure the message can be read clearly.
3. Use longer subject lines only when there is a compelling reason to do so.
4. When in doubt, test.
In a B2B scenario, using the company’s name in the subject line has been shown to double the open rate.
are u sure about that? the subject including company name instead of sender display name?
@Brian
do you mean the company name of the recipient. right?
While, length of the subject is important, the only path to better email subject lines is to conduct A/B testing to determine which results in the highest open rates. Once you have found the one or two with the highest open rates, scale it up to your entire email list.
@Rob Kaminoff
agree, if you are interest in this topic, please refer my another page of blog:
Email Blast (eDM) subject Guideline
http://xdxy.com/email-blast-edm-subject-guideline/
Excellent points here. Short and impactful works best. I can’t tell you how many emails I delete because of long subject lines and no words that cauase emotional triggers that say “open me”.
Dali Burgado
@Vidhan & @Jacob
Yes, using the recipient’s company name. (not the senders)
In a B2B setting, having a company name will show personalization, and the reader will be more interested in why it pertains to their organization.