How to write the Best Email Subject Lines to Increase Open Rate

Have you ever felt that emails and newsletters sent to your staff, parents, and students go straight to the “deleted” folder or are often left unopened? If you frequently find yourself stuck in this loop and nodding along, you are not alone. However, what if I indicate to you that one tiny move can make a huge difference? And if you are still wondering what it can be, we’re indicating towards writing the best email subject lines.—A mixture of those powerful words that determine your effectively written messages are read. So, how to write the best email subject lines that keep your audience enthusiastic, hooked, and engaged and also increase email’s open rates? Grab hold, as we are about to discover the mysteries.

But, Why Do the Email Subject Lines Matter?

Picture this: You are organising a big event for your school and it’s around the corner. You, with your team, have dedicated hours preparing for it and have composed a well-detailed email. However, if the subject line of your email is dull and monotonous, do you think readers will be excited to open and read the email? It would be like using a shoe box to store a diamond necklace.

A convincing and strong email subject line is your gateway to making an unforgettable and exciting first impression and raising interest.

Writing well-thought-out and attention-grabbing email subject lines can help you boost open rates and ensure that the emails capture attention and never remain unopened.

The Data says it

Did you know that 47% of email receivers choose to open emails based merely on the subject line? That’s almost 50% of your audience!

So, how to write the best email subject lines?

Techniques to Write Irresistible Email Subject Lines

1. Keep it Brief and to the Point

You should be considerate of your audience’s time. People are occupied—noticeably teachers, parents and students. Sticking to short subject lines that are within 40-50 characters so that they do not get trimmed on mobile phones should be one of your focuses.

Example: “Your Homework Checklist Inside!”

Brief and catchier subject lines for emails most likely perform well and improve performance. Particularly for the audience who uses mobile. Keeping it brief, not only captures attention, additionally it also boosts the likelihood of your message being viewed.

Bonus Tip: Don’t hang back in experimenting with concise and lively lines! An attractive and intriguing line such as, “Big News from ‘School Name’” can capture attention and work wonders.

2. Customization for a More Personal Touch

Adding the receiver’s details in the emails such as Name, can help you boost the success rate of an email getting opened by 26%. Think of receiving an email that says, “Inaya, Here’s What Your First Day at ‘Institution’s Name’” Will Be Like! Won’t you be interested in tapping and reading?

For parents, using subject lines like “Ms Jain, Exciting Updates About Your Child’s Class” not only intrigues interest but boosts eagerness to read the mail.

Check out this article on incorporating personalization to write the best email subject lines.

3. Create a Feeling of Curiosity and Urgency

As humans we are born curious and our brain always keeps running filling the gap we sense. Naturally, we have a FOMO~ Fear of Missing Out. In this fast-moving world, we all want to be aware and do not want to miss out on stuff.

Taking that as our queue, inculcating a sense of urgency for your school’s advantage, you can get your audience to take quick action.

For instance, email subject lines such as “Only 10 Hours Left to Secure Your Spot for the Career Fair!”, create a feeling of urgency to take prompt action and strikingly boost email open rates.

4. Asking Engaging Questions

Ever wondered about moulding the subject lines of your emails into a question? Crafting questions that trigger curiousness, prompts readers to want to learn more. Moreover, modelling lines as per their interests increases relevancy and inquisitiveness.

For example, writing subject lines such as “Are You Making the Most of Your School Journey?” or “How Can We Help You Reach Your Goals Faster?” not only generates the recipient’s interest but also engages them.

Bonus Tip: Think from your email readers’ POV- Point of Interest. What are the challenges they might be dealing with and craft questions that speak directly to them and address their needs.

This not only forms a deeper connection but also leads to meaningful conversations that appeal to them.

5. Feature an Exclusive Benefit and Offer

How can you make your audience feel exclusive? Make them feel special by presenting them with offers just for them. These can range from providing them with insider news, and scholarship details, to free resources and looking at an event.

Example: “Exclusive: Prep Guide for our College” or “Exclusive: Early Access to Our Campus Tour Dates!”

Incorporating Benefits in the subject line makes it catchy and grabs instant attention and also tells you how to write the best subject lines to increase open rates.

6. Adding a Splash of Humour

Everybody loves a good laugh. Incorporating humour is an excellent way to make a lasting imprint, ignite interest, likeability and capture attention.

What’s needed to be kept in mind? Your dashes of humour should be suitable and appropriate for your audience and in accordance with your institute’s vibe!

Example: “Need an A? Start by Opening This Email!”

For Parents: “Parent-Teacher Conferences: Free Snacks, Lots of Value, No Judgement!”

7. Use Emojis Wisely

Emojis can help you uplift your email and stand out in a busy and crowded inbox. Moreover, this also creates a personality and demonstrates a sense of fun. However, reasonability is necessary while using these.

Emojis not only stand out in your email box but also give the reader a sense of knowledge of what the mail can be about. When used moderately, emojis can help you remodel your email subject lines into appealing strings, promoting them to open your emails.

Example: “💡 Curious About Your Potential? Let’s Explore!”

After understanding useful strategies on how to write the best email subject lines, now let’s move forward to

What NOT To Do with Email Subject Lines

Avoid All Caps: Imagine reading messages like- ACT FAST! LIMITED TIME OFFER!

And reading a subject line- Act Fast- Limited spots available!

The all-caps message feels like you are being shouted at and ordered at, which turns readers away.

Therefore, Avoid All Caps! NO ONE LIKES TO BE YELLED AT.

Avoid Clear and Triggering Words: Avoid using words like “Free”, “Win”, or “Cash” in your email subject lines. Such words can promptly send your email to a spam folder. What can you do? Focus on creating messages with authentic language that not only relates to your audience but also does not misguide them!

Don’t Mislead your Audience: Using deceiving subject lines not only damages your authenticity but also harms your credibility as an Institution. This leads to your readers not believing your emails in the long run.

While playing with different subject line writing concepts can be helpful and keep your audience engaged, using spammy words and misleading information can end up your institution in the spam folder. Avoiding spammy and misleading content is important! Make your emails stand out for the correct reasons.

 Key to Perfect Subject Lines

There is no success without a hit and trial. Diving into exploring varied styles of tones, lengths and styles and noticing what goes best with your audience is the way to set foot on an email campaign.

But, how do you track open rates and make decisions?

There are several email trackers out there which can help you analyse your performance and plan your next step based on the driven data. A tool from the Chrome Web Store such as Mailsuite-Mailtrack is one of the tools you can incorporate for your campaign.

However, to truly gain success in mastering the best email subject lines to increase open rates is through testing and amending.

Conclusion: Start Writing the Best Email Subject Lines Today!

Writing effective email subject lines is an art and science. Now that we have unfolded the strategies, with the right proportion of creativity, indicating urgency and personalization, you can increase your open rates and keep your email viewers engaged. Hence, the wait is over and action time has begun. Start experimenting and watch your email campaign journey transform!

Do you also want to strengthen your digital game? Check out our blog on How to market your school digitally!