Do you ever feel like you’re creating content that goes straight into the void? For anyone who regularly writes blogs, social media posts, and email threads, it can be difficult to stay optimistic if you’re not garnering engagement from your marketing efforts. If that scenario sounds familiar, know that a change in approach can lead to an improvement in engagement levels –– particularly in regard to email open rates. Today then, we’ll take a look at a few email subject line tester tools and show how you can work to bolster your email marketing strategy in general:
Email Subject Lines: What’s the Big Deal?
Chances are, you probably already know that it’s imperative to craft email subject lines with care. After all, writing a compelling subject line is critical to the entire process of email marketing. Indeed, many pages across the internet have been devoted to creating the perfect subject line. In most instances though, striving to attain that “perfect” line is more detrimental than simply pursuing a strategy that works. Don’t get caught up on word count or feel compelled to stuff your subject line full of “emotion” words. There’s no perfect formula for writing compelling subject lines, so be willing to stray from conventional wisdom if you feel you have a solid new idea.
4 Tips to Improve Email Engagement
Having said that, we’re happy to share a few email marketing plays that boast a history of success. Don’t think of them as rules per se, but rather as guidelines you can use to boost your current attempts:
- Trim Your Subscriber List. It may sound crazy to remove current subscribers from your regular mailing list, but if someone hasn’t engaged with one of your emails after months of trying, it may be time to move on.
- A/B Test. Though this should be a given, plenty of marketers don’t bother comparing and contrasting strategies. If you haven’t started A/B testing yet, now might be a perfect time.
- Prioritize Timing. Yes, it’s a wise decision to schedule your emails at strategic points during the workweek. But having good timing is more than simply auto-scheduling all of your emails for Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. Instead, seek out intervals during the year that are most opportune for specific email marketing tactics.
- Names. Really want a sales-ready lead to open one of your emails? Then put their name in the subject line and personalize a message just for them. Plus, don’t be afraid to place your brand name in a subject line, either. It’s better to be transparent and let your readers know who’s emailing them, rather than playing it coy with a cryptic (and spammy) message about “big savings” or a “limited-time offer.
Email Subject Line Tester Tools
To close, we’ll list a few email subject line tester tools that can help you increase engagement. These are great gadgets to have in your back pocket should you ever need a little perspective on a big email:
- Hemingway App –– ensures your sentences are concise and easy to read.
- Spam Check –– does exactly what it says and makes sure your email doesn’t end up in the nether-regions of a spam folder.
- PutsMail –– allows you to view how an email will look once it’s been sent off.
- Headline Analyzer or SubjectLine –– both will give you an overall effectiveness score and advice on how to improve your writing.
Final Thoughts
Writing intriguing email subject lines is as much an art as it is a science. It may be a difficult balance to strike at first, but the more you practice, the better results you’re likely to see. Naturally, you can always contact Agile & Co. to assist your digital marketing team. We love creating, packaging, and promoting content, and we’ll help your business grow its online profile. Plus, to get an in-depth look at some of the best practices we employ to do so, check out our free eBook here
