In 2018, attention-spans are at an all-time low. If a friend tries to show me a YouTube video and it’s longer than 90 seconds, I instantly lose interest (although that may say more about me than anything else!)

Email marketing remains as crucial as ever, however people are receiving more emails today than they were even 12 months ago. Therefore, it is vital that your email is not only delivered and opened but read and acted upon.

Sure, the design, time of send, and copy of your email matter (click here for tips on how to improve your copy), but for these to be seen your reader needs to open the email. That is why your subject line is so important.

Here are 4 top tips on how to improve your subject line:

1. Don’t be boring

Subject Lines are the first, and arguably most important, aspect of improving the success rates of your emails. They’re the first thing your reader will see when they open their inbox and the key in deciding whether or not to open.

That’s why you should do everything you can to optimize your subject line copy. There is nothing more boring than receiving an email from a company you bought from 6 months ago saying ‘Monthly Newsletter’.

If I haven’t bought from you in 6 months, I’m almost certainly not going to care about which store in the area has been renovated!

2. Use Actionable Language

If used correctly, this should dovetail nicely with your wider smarketing strategy. Tell your recipients exactly what they will be able to do with this email. Convince them to open it.

For example, if you’re including a voucher in the email make sure that it is promoted loud-and-clear in the subject line.

Most successful email campaigns have a specific aim for each of their individual emails. What is your main aim for this email? Promote that in the subject line.

3. Keep it clear

I know that it is tempting to use jokes or topical references in your subject lines, but they always pose a risk.

The potholes are numerous and varied: It can fool your recipient into thinking it is spam email, it can cause them to miss the aim of your email, it can make them believe you are not a serious brand.

But most depressingly, your joke may just not be very funny. I have unsubscribed from many a newsletter for an unfunny joke and it is simply a risk not worth taking.

Stay brief, concise, and on message.

4. Stay relevant

It has been proven time and again that personalized emails work significantly better than a generic campaign to all of your contacts. Although all of your contacts may have something in common, they are also unique and have different needs.

Today, subscribers expect far more from their favorite companies than simply providing a basic service. With the sheer quantity of emails received on a daily basis, I can guarantee that your reader will unsubscribe in an instant if they do not feel valued or interested.

You should already be using list segmentation in your email marketing campaigns (if you’re not, click here), so why not use it in your subject line. If you are committed to having personalized campaigns for your subscribers, you need to make sure that your subject matches compliments your copy.