20 Best Email Subject Lines For More Clicks [Categorized]
Published By Sophie Krokida
August 12, 2024
12/08/24
The good thing with getting tons of emails is that among them you can find some of the best email subject lines to refresh your own.
So instead of complaining about my chaotic inbox every morning, I decided to spread some inspiration and share with you some of the best ways a single line can increase your open rates before you can say “send.”
So here we go again. Another crazy ride in Sophie’s inbox. I’m sure you’ve missed that.
Try Moosend Today
The easiest and most affordable email marketing and newsletter software!
Tips For Crafting The Perfect Subject Line
I’m sure many of you spend a lot of time creating amazing content for your email. But what about your subject lines?
You might think it’s just a line, but it’s a powerful one that can help you boost email open rates, and get your message in front of the right people.
So before taking notes from these top-notch subject lines, there are a few things to know.
- Your readers want to scan through their inbox quickly. And they do. Make sure your subject lines don’t get cut short.
- Matchy-matchy is the absolute trend this year. Make sure your subject line’s tone is in line with your brand voice. Having a recognizable style will go a long way.
- Keep your audience and campaign goals in mind. They will determine what info your subject line should include.
- It’s always a good idea to personalize your subject lines. It’s a strategy shown to increase open rates and works well with a wide variety of email marketing campaigns.
Oh, and one last tip. Before hitting that send button see predictions on how your subject line will perform with the help of our amazing subject line tester, Refine!
And now for the main course!
Welcome Email Subject Lines
You don’t need me to tell you how important welcome emails are for any email marketing campaign. But just in case you need me to, let me tell you that the average open rate for a welcome email is 82%.
It’s a valuable marketing strategy and one that can bring you tons of leads. So a welcome email subject line is one you should pay extra attention to.
1. Tattly
Subject Line: Welcome! Here’s your discount code!
Why it works:
Let’s be honest. A lot of people subscribe hoping to get a good deal. And it’s totally fine. It’s an effective email marketing strategy to foster customer loyalty and raise your profits so taking advantage of it in your email subject line is a great practice.
Tattly makes use of this powerful weapon by “promoting” their discount code in their welcome email subject line.
This way the brand invokes its subscribers’ love for shopping even before they open the email and at the same time it makes them feel important and like they are invited to a warm place they belong.
The Email:
2. Blu Dot
Subject Line: Darn glad to meet you.
Why it works:
Of course, you don’t need to offer a discount in order to boost your open rates.
A friendly email subject line can go a long way towards making your newsletter more “open-worthy.”
Blu Dot welcomes new email subscribers with a warm subject line, relying on a conversationalist tone to attract them and make them open their email.
The more human your subject line looks, the more relatable it becomes to users. Oh, and I would also suggest using personalization to take your new subscribers by surprise and put a smile on their faces!
The Email:
Abandoned Cart
The second most important category of email campaigns, the abandoned cart email is something eCommerce can’t do without.
It’s a super-effective way to help you win back those so-called “lost” sales since abandoned cart emails have an open rate of 41.18%.
3. Cratejoy
Subject Line: Don’t miss out – complete your order today!
Why it works:
FOMO (Fear of missing out) is a common technique for both some of the best email subject lines and email content.
In fact, it’s such a great technique that, according to Trustpulse, 60% of people make purchases because of it, mostly within 24 hours.
Cratejoy uses it here to motivate its customers to open their email and see what they’re missing with a short subject line straight to the point.
Introducing a little FOMO without being too pushy is a great practice and just enough to make the customer interested again.
The Email:
4. The Kooples
Subject Line: Still thinking about it?
Why it works:
One of the best email subject lines, this one works without looking too desperate or salesy.
The Kooples create a good email subject line by choosing an abandoned cart subject line that asks a question.
And why is this so great? Because questions push customers to think about the answers.
If they are unsure about the answer, they will open the email to think about it some more. Simple as that!
The Email:
Discount reminder
A discount reminder is a type of follow-up email that drives your subscribers to make their first or next purchase. Just like the call to action in the body of the email, the subject line must be loud and clear if you want to score the highest open rates.
5. Forever 21
Subject Line: 👋Say goodbye to code: MOREPLZ!
Why it works:
It’s a fact, customers love discounts. And if they’re not using them, it’s probably because they somehow forgot about them.
So be a darling and encourage your subscribers to open the email and make use of the discount code you offered them a few days ago by leveraging FOMO. Yes. Again. It’s that effective.
Plus, the clever wording in this Forever 21 subject line in combination with an emoji is attention-grabbing and stands out in a sea of unopened emails. I find Emojipedia very handy and inspiring for picking the right emoji every time.
If not sure whether emojis are right for your campaigns, the best way to know is to a/b test your subject lines, with and without emojis. 😉
The Email:
Last chance
Last-minute conversions are real! With a spark of urgency, these email marketing campaigns can encourage your subscribers to act ASAP. And it all begins with the right subject line.
are using to get those last-minute conversions
6. Sigma
Subject Line: ONLY 1 DAY LEFT to save 30%
Why it works: There are certain words that do what “open sesame” did in the story of Ali Baba. They open closed doors! Sigma uses a combination of powerful words to browbeat its subscribers into opening emails and taking action right away.
Follow their example to show a sense of urgency with a deadline that reminds people of the limited time left and encourage them to take advantage of your last-minute deal ASAP!
According to Phrasee, a company that uses artificial intelligence in language generation for marketing copy, highlighting a sense of urgency can drive people to act.
Some of the most effective words for injecting urgency in a subject line are: Still time, Limited time, Expiring, Last Day, and Last Chance.
The Email:
Engagement
Achieving engagement with email marketing is one of the biggest challenges a marketer faces. But it’s a vital step towards building a strong, lasting relationship with prospects and customers and building a strong company name.
While content marketing here offers a wide range of different things you can include in your marketing strategy, subject lines have the first say.
7. Designmodo
Subject Line: How can we help you?
Why it works:
Designmodo is a platform that helps users create websites and newsletters.
And we all know how it is with SaaS companies. You can sign up and then leave it there because you simply don’t know what to do next.
One reason I included this among the best email subject lines is that it is short and sweet. Don’t overdo it by trying to squeeze in your subject line all the information your newsletter includes. And remember that they don’t work well with all mobile devices.
Backlinko founder Brian Dean says subject lines which on average do not exceed 16 characters have significantly higher email open rates.
With this subject line, the brand delivers value and convinces the reader that this email has something they want. By offering their help and reminding subscribers that they are there for them they give them the chance to enter and explore without being pushy.
The Email:
8. Grammarly
Subject Line: Productivity level: legendary.
Why it works:
Honestly, I didn’t know which subject line to choose for this post. I have a huge crush for Grammarly’s email marketing because their approach is so unique, fresh, and motivating that it’s always a pleasure to receive their emails.
This particular subject line is part of their “insight emails”, sent to all users every week showing their usage statistics and progress with Grammarly.
It engages users in an upbeat and positive way, using friendly, casual language and creating a sense of curiosity while also showing they care for their subscribers.
A stellar example among the best email subject lines for sure.
The Email:
Re-engagement
Looking to woo your inactive subscribers with an email marketing campaign? Clever you! Turning an inactive subscriber into a customer is 5 times cheaper than acquiring a brand new customer, so why miss the chance? All you need is to give them a subject line that rocks.
9. Appcues
Subject Line: Appcues just got a whole lot more measurable
Why it works:
Including a benefit in your subject line is a great way to urge your recipients to open your email, but I bet you already know that as a digital marketer!
Appcues, with this great email subject line, plays the “new product” card, smartly connecting a new feature of theirs with their re-engagement campaign in order to reach those audiences that probably wanted something more from the brand.
It’s a great subject line strategy especially effective with professionals looking to solve problems and are willing to explore new options that will benefit their business.
Don’t know what the most effective words for displaying benefits are?
Check out the results of a study conducted by Return Path, a global data, and marketing firm.
The Email:
10. Hers
Subject Line: finish your online visit. these women did.
Why it works:
Actionable words are always a great way to win back lost subscribers and increase your open rates. This subject line by the shop hers uses strong words that entice action and urge the reader to give the brand another chance.
At the same time, it addresses distracted subscribers that simply could have forgotten why they visited the website in the first place, giving them a gentle push to move on.
The second sentence makes this subject line even more powerful by creating a sense of curiosity and a feeling that the reader can relate to the brand’s audience.
The Email:
New Product
Don’t rethink your whole value proposition just because you have inactive subscribers. The reality is that all subscribers get distracted. Their inboxes are flooded with dozens or perhaps hundreds of other emails and promotions.
With so many companies reaching out to them, they simply could have forgotten why they signed up for your email list in the first place.
11. Deciem
Subject Line: Say Hello to Hylamide.
Why it works:
Another company I love receiving emails from, Deciem is a straight-A student when it comes to branding. As simple and cool as its products, this subject line is a great example of how minimalism sometimes is the best way to go.
No bells and whistles here, just a straightforward line that says exactly what it has to say, just the way it suits the brand. Oh, and yes, that full stop at the end is the extra touch that makes a whole world of difference.
The Email:
12. Cocunut
Subject Line: ✨NEW PRODUCT ✨ Magic for your hair!
Why it works: Everyone loves new products from their favorite brands. And if it’s something that makes their life easier, well that’s just the perfect combo!
Cocunut introduces its product by using the most simple and eye-catching words you can use in an email subject line. And they take it one step further by notifying their customers on how this new product will help them solve a pain point.
Explaining how your new product or service can help your subscribers is a surefire way to improve open rates and boost engagement.
The Email:
Special Offer
While it’s not always easy to crack how to get your recipients excited about promotional emails, a clever subject line is always a good start. What is really important here is to stand out from the crowd and catch your subscribers’ attention first.
Here’s some inspiration for you.
13. Bon Appétit
Subject Line: You’re invited! Subscribe to Bon Appétit for just $15
Why it works: In a page full of words (this is your inbox speaking), numbers definitely stand out. This Bon Appétit email subject line demonstrates a clear message about the offer and sets the right expectations.
Numbers can increase clickthrough rates by 206%, so next time you send a campaign to promote a special offering try stating the savings.
Subscribers are more likely to click on subject lines with numbers!
The Email:
14. Beauty Bay
Subject Line: SAVE SAVE SAVE 💸
Why it works:
There are just some words that do the trick. But not just any words. Power words!
If you’re finding it difficult to write great subject lines, you can rely on them. This Beauty Bay example makes for one of the best email subject lines because of its simplicity and straight to the point message.
It’s a word that everyone loves to see in their inbox, plus the emoji makes the subject line hard to miss.
The Email:
Webinar
Invitation emails are highly important when planning a webinar. And the way you present and deliver them to your subscribers determines the response they will generate.
This includes a short and clear subject line that will nudge recipients to click them.
15. Attest
Subject Line: Free at 3 pm today? Join our webinar!
Why it works:
If you want answers, then you’ve got to make questions! In this subject line Attest uses a simple but effective trick, by asking subscribers if they are free at the time of the webinar. Some may call it a risky strategy, but the truth is that if they are indeed free at 3, chances are they will open your email to see what this is all about!
On top of that, the tone is friendly and conversational, making the reader feel that this is a casual webinar where one can attend freely even if it wasn’t in their plans earlier.
The Email:
Survey
Survey invitation emails are a smart way of getting valuable information that will improve the way you run your business. And they are pretty easy to create.
But they are very different from all other emails because subscribers don’t always benefit from them. So why open them, right?
Maybe a subject line will do the trick!
16. Frieze
Subject Line: We’d love to hear your thoughts
Why it works:
I’m a big fan of straightforward, non–clickbaity subject lines. Whenever marketers praise weird, mysterious subject lines I always wonder if they’re doing it for the sake of marketing.
So when an email like this by Frieze lands in my inbox it’s impossible not to be included among the best email subject lines of this post.
We’re talking about a survey here. It’s not a pair of jeans or a scrunchy that you may realize you’d love to buy once you open the email. It’s an email different from the rest. Because it actually begs for a response.
When it comes to survey subject lines, it’s always best to keep them brief, catchy, and clear.
The Email:
Sales
Ecommerce email marketing is all about sales. People expect them, click them, love them and you make money out of them. But how do you get them to open your sales email in the first place?
With an amazing subject line!
17. Anthropologie
Subject Line: Today Only: Up to 40% OFF!
Why it works: Urgency is one of the most popular triggers for encouraging readers to take action in promotional emails. In fact, it can generate a 22% higher open rate.
And that’s what Anthropologie aims for. I mean, you can almost hear the clock ticking! The brand goes for a subject line that gets readers to act, giving them a deadline along with a good offer. This way they create a powerful combo that boosts open rates.
The Email:
18. Diesel
Subject Line: ☀️ Don’t Miss the Summer Sale! ☀
Why it works:
FOMO (fear of missing out) is real. And it makes customers feel the need to not miss out on things that everyone else is enjoying.
Diesel taps on this innate human need by creating a short and strong email subject line that urges customers to take action before it’s too late. It’s a great way to remind your subscribers about sales and the use of emojis makes this email hard to miss.
The Email:
Seasonal
Seasonal emails based on a theme that most subscribers can relate to are a conversion gold mine. To be more precise, they generate about 10% more revenue than traditional emails, capitalizing on a bunch of holidays and other special occasions.
And they are also a great opportunity to have fun with your email subject lines.
19. Monki
Subject Line: Fall in love with fall ♥
Why it works: We all love a good pun. And we also know how to pick catchy email subject lines out from a flooded inbox.
This subject line by Monki hits home because on the one hand makes the reader know what to expect, but on the other hand, it also creates a sense of mystery because you want to see what’s there to fall in love with.
An intriguing, fun sentence with an emoji to catch your attention are a great strategy to go by when it comes to best email subject lines.
The Email:
20. Warby Parker
Subject Line: August reminder 😎
Why it works:
Less is more! This sweet subject line by Warby Parker makes its subscribers think, piquing their curiosity without being too vague, adding an emoji to make the subject line stand out.
Evoking curiosity is another timeless method you can apply to your summer subject lines to get your emails opened, by making people wonder about what you’re referring to, nudging them to open your emails immediately.
The Email:
It’s a Wrap
Let me get this straight once more. Subject lines are important. Extremely important. So you need to focus on them.
And while email subject lines are no rocket science, they can be good or they can be great. If you want to be a member of the second club, then consider sparking some fun curiosity, urgency, or FOMO. Make questions that beg for answers, use the power of personalization, and try keeping them short.
Hope this post inspired you and now you’re off to creating the next best subject line I will include in a future post of mine. Can’t wait to read it! And if you need a second opinion before sending it out, shoot me an email!
Similar Posts
Create, send and optimize your email marketing campaigns!