Best practices for email subject lines

There are strategies that you can use to improve your subject lines and avoid your messages being marked as spam.

The following are best practices for creating email subject lines:

  • Use well-constructed subject lines, which can have a huge impact on open rates.
  • Keep them specific to the email theme and messaging, don't use gimmicks.
  • Use personalization in subject lines.
  • Keep subject lines short but meaningful.

Some subject lines cause ISPs and email clients to filter emails out or send them to spam. You should avoid these phrases and symbols to ensure that your customers receive your emails. The following examples are commonly used phrases that ISPs and email clients filter out.

Free!

50% off!

Click here

Call now!

Subscribe

Earn $

Discount!

Eliminate debt

Double your income

You're a winner!

Reverses aging

'Hidden'

Information you requested

'Stop' or 'Stops'

Lose weight

Subscribe

Earn $

Discount!

Million dollars

Opportunity

Compare

Removes

Collect

Amazing

Multi level marketing

Cash donus

Promise you

Credit

Loans

Satisfaction guaranteed

Serious cash

Search engine listings

The following examples are other problematic phrases that can trigger spam filters or add spam points.

Act now!

All new

All natural

Avoid bankruptcy

As seen on...

Buy direct

Casino

Cash

Consolidate your debt

Special promotion

Easy terms

Get paid

Guarantee, Guaranteed

Great offer

Give it away, Giving it away

Join millions

Meet singles

MLM

No cost, No fees

Offer

One time

Online pharmacy

Online marketing

Order now

Please read

Don't delete

Save up to

Time limited

Unsecured debt or credit

Vacation

Viagra

Visit our web site

While supplies last

Why pay more?

Winner

Work at home

You've been selected

To avoid triggering spam filers, avoid the following items in your email subject lines.

  • Quotation marks, dollar signs, and exclamation points
  • All capital letters (shouting)
  • A toll-free number
  • A font size larger than 2+