The ultimate

subject line guide

501 Examples
of the best- and worst-performing email subject
lines sent by our customers

Learn how to:

• Craft subject lines for every occasion
• Boost your open and click-through rates
• A/B test subject lines the right way
• Increase email inbox performance

1
Table of contents
Why subject lines matter    3

What to expect    4

Welcome messages    6

Specifics vs. teasers    11

Workflow messages    13

Broadcast messages    21

Subject line writting tips     26

Holiday promotions    31

Words that work    41

Opt-in messages    43

Subject line by industry    47

Top-performing subject lines    55

A/B test vs. segment    64

Autoresponder messages    67

@2021–2022 J2 Martech Corp, a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. iContact is a registered trademark of J2 Martech Corp
Why subject lines matter
If you’re like a lot of email marketers, figuring out the perfect subject line
can feel like a daily guessing game.

After drafting an email, pairing it with the perfect preheader, and choosing images, it’s
no wonder people often settle for using drab subject lines just to hit the “send” button.

Avoid drab
subject lines
of email recipients open email based
47% on the subject line. Whereas,

of email recipients report email as

69% spam based solely on the subject line.

Source: Email Subject Lines – Statistics and Trends

So, while subject lines may seem inconsequential, they embody your
message’s first impression on a subscriber (and on the ISP, or Inbox
Service Provider, that’s actively scanning for engagement cues to
determine if you’re spamming or not).

If that’s not a good enough reason to nail your subject line,

consider this.

Your click-through rate is entirely dependent on people opening your

email — therefore, to increase sales and donations, you need more
people to open your messages.

3
 What to expect
There are tons of email message types to consider. In this guide, we’ll share
tips for crafting subject lines for:

• broadcast messages • industry-specific messages

(e.g., newsletters, invitations,
• announcements) • holiday-themed messages
• welcome messages • opt-in messages
• workflow messages • and autoresponders.

Page by page, our email deliverability analysts will demystify which words, characters,
phrases, and punctuation are assured to drive better open rates and click-throughs when
used smartly by your organization, regardless of email list size.

iContact has over 20 years of experience sending billions of emails for hundreds of
thousands of customers, large and small.

In The Ultimate Subject Line Guide, we’ve analyzed our immense pool of data to identify
some of the best and worst subject lines, primarily from emails sent to more than 10,000
recipients over the past three years.

You may even see a few of our own

subject lines, too, since we’re also
an iContact customer!

4
Contained within each table is the actual number of
recipients the email marketer originally sent to, as
well as the real open rate achieved by that particular
mass email send.

To protect customers’ privacy, some company and product

names were changed or removed.

Let the examples enclosed within this guide inspire your next
email marketing campaign, whether you currently use iContact
or some other email marketing platform. But remember, if you
need expert email advice and strategy tips, our awardwinning
tech support and marketing services teams are always here to
help you be more successful.

Let’s dive in!

5
Welcome messages

iContact.com
Hello, it’s me. I was wondering…

Even the worst welcome email in terms of subject line performance is better
(at 2.9%) than the worst workflow subject line, at a low 0.2% open rate. This is
likely due to the immediacy of welcome messages.

Most email marketing service providers (ESPs) trigger these in response to a

new sign-up in less than an hour.

For example:

A new subscriber offers up their contact information to score a discount on a

future purchase, and BAM! — they get your welcome message in their inbox.

A workflow message or an autoresponder might take up to 1 – 2 days to trigger

depending on how your automation logic is set.

Email 1 Wait Email 2

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 6

 iContact.com
Best practice:
Is to time message triggers to coincide with actions; subscribers will get
annoyed if your sign-up form states you’re going to email them something
of value (e.g., coupon, recipe, whitepaper, video) and nothing pops up in
their inbox a few minutes after they submit.

Consumers are already skeptical about offering brands their primary email
address; it’s best not to appear to be breaking your very first promise to
them with a delayed or irrelevant message.

Best welcome subject lines

Open
Rank Subject line Recipients
rates

1 Your requested information from Sarah. 10,923 79.90%

Reminding subscribers they’re receiving info they themselves asked for is a good tactic for a
sales email. Plus, including just a first name makes the email sound more familiar.

2 [FNAME], important step! 15,390 75.14%

As you’ll see from our Words that Work graph, labeling an email as “Important:” in the subject
line is a solid move. Research shows they receive average open rates of 87.75%.

3 Welcome to Laura’s Golfing Gals Magazine! 10,052 70.40%

4 [FNAME], your payment has been approved 10,939 67.55%

Mapping [FNAME] merge fields to your email content is a great way to personalize the subject
line, but beware: whatever someone used as their first name upon sign-up will populate in the
field.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 7

Best welcome subject lines

iContact.com
5 Welcome to the Home Furniture Email Family! 11,941 62.97%

6 Welcome to the Greek Pita Lovers E-Club 16,569 75.03%

7 For Companies Looking for Ideas Database 11,156 64.78%

8 Your Ebook is enclosed 16,355 62.95%

Have your subject line reflect that your subscriber is getting exactly what they expected.

9 Welcome to the Coupon Club | Save 10% 61,657 59.76%

10 Poppa Welcome welcomes you to our health team 18,608 59.34%

Welcome to AffordableDentalCare! Here’s where to

11 11,724 56.61%
start…

Welcome messages signal to the reader that their submission went through, and it gives them
something to look forward to. This subject line also has a clear next step, which encourages
subscriber engagement.

12 Here’s Your First Dog Training Video 75,412 56.23%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 8

Worst welcome subject lines

iContact.com
Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Drinking Water Leads to Weight Gain 128,760 2.90%

Here’s a classic example of a sender trying to cause a “whaaa!?” reaction, hoping that’ll lead to
an open — but don’t make your claim too ridiculous or you’ll be dismissed

2 Here’s Your Bundle Deal 21,038 6.53%

3 Welcome 24,088 7.77%

4 Action Needed for Aid 1,190,880 8.40%

Inbox Service Providers (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Bing) look for giant email blasts with the same
vague subject line. Look at the size of this send list — over a million contacts.

iContact loves working with large senders, and we advise our clients to segment large batches
into smaller chunks to amp their message deliverability.

5 New Card Options for You! 50,683 8.80%

6 Housing Assistance Application Guide 105,116 10.30%

Get Ready To Get Your Report And Start Expunging

7 10,769 15.12%
Your Record. Here Are the Tools

This is a welcome message? Seems a bit out of context. If this was a workflow message, your
list could be segmented based on which record the subscriber was concerned about. Even
criminals deserve a proper welcome message!

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 9

Worst welcome subject lines

iContact.com
8 Your Welcome Gift Arrived! 34,067 13.90%

9 Welcome to Secret Street 21,225 19.43%

10 Please Print: 55 Bible Lessons for Youth 41,411 20.07%

11 Personal Welcome from Professor Thomas! 21,699 20.52%

12 Welcome! (pic of me inside) 12,889 21.00%

We’re not sure what this business was intending, but it seems like a good candidate for a
spam blocker. #nudity

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 10

Specifics vs. teasers

iContact.com
Do we need to spell it out? Yes.

When faced with the choice between being clever or being direct with your subject line,
always state your purpose clearly to increase your results, as these email marketers
discovered last year with these top openers:

Subject line Open rates

Hospital’s Marathon Final Instructions 77.45%

Make the most of your vision plan 71.80%

How to make your center visit fantastic! 69.01%

Subject line Open rates

Last chance!!! Specials End Soon 0.19%

Is This Still Your Email? 0.22%

Overpaying? 0.25%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 11

Congratulations! your specifically-crafted subject line piqued their interest

iContact.com
and got them to open, but were they impressed? Only your click rate tells
you for sure.

Your Sneak Peek Is Ready!

Recipients Open rate Click rate

18,195 97.69% 1.23%

If the subscriber feels you’ve burned them before, the chances of them
falling for another attempt to get their attention with an enticing subject
line again is slim and you may find yourself in the Promotions or Junk
folder next time!

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 12

Workflow messages

iContact.com
Nurture leads the way YOU’D want to be nurtured.

Workflow messages anticipate the behavior of your leads and customers with pre-set
email messages. If they do action A, this behavior will trigger messages B, C, and so forth,
to move them through a sales funnel. Quite simply, you create emails now to work for the
benefit of your business in the future.

The most successful workflow messages are often those already

anticipated by the recipient, such as “thank you for downloading,”
part two in a two-part video series, or some other confirmation email.

Analysts also found workflow messages that drove subscribers to complete one overall
event action. As long as the messages were related — had high open rates.

Example: “Have you signed up for the jobs fair yet?”

and “How to get the most from the jobs fair.”

When email marketers use demographic data and other informational tidbits they
know about a subscriber.

Such as that they’re a: mother or about to retire or perhaps he/she is an animal lover
to assign them to a specific segmented path via a nurture workflow, great open rates
are practically assured.

Infact, emails with personalized subject lines are

22% more likely to be opened.

Source: Email Subject Lines – Statistics and Trends

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 13

 In general, all unsuccessful subject lines have one thing in common —

iContact.com
they all lack relevancy and specificity. At one time or another, every email
marketer has been guilty for using at least one of these no-nos in their
workflow messages.

Don’t simply rely on the sender name in the “from” field to inform your subscriber
to what the message is about; the reason why subject lines can make or break your
marketing ROI is that people scroll through them to decide which emails they want to
open and in what order.

Most people do not scan their inbox from left to right — their eyes stay focused in the
center on the bolded, unread subject lines — so include your company’s name and any
other details to ensure yours stands out.

After the initial opening of your message, a subscriber may hang on to your email
in their inbox or archive to search for it later, and a clear subject line makes your
message easier to index and find when they’re ready to use the coupon you sent.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 14

Best workflow subject lines

iContact.com
Subject line Recipients Open rate

◊ General

Your Research Report 31,898 70.30%

Workflow messages should have timely responses to their triggers. When you meet your
subscribers’ expectations, everyone wins.

Welcome to the [Company Name] newsletter! 28,134 70.30%

Your Ebook is enclosed 25,576 61.11%

Adding possessive terms like “my” & “your” to your subject lines helps to add personalization.

You made a great choice! 23,210 33.55%

◊ Healthcare

We Have Received Your Completed Test Kit 17,019 68.13%

Put contacts at ease by keeping them informed. Patients should never have to wonder if their
cheek swab is still in the mail.

Thank you for Joining the Lab Program 30,962 55.96%

Researchers Discover Immunity Breakthrough 12,488 52.71%

Anyone concerned about immunology is going to be interested in emails about breakthroughs.

Thank you joining the Disease Prevention Registry! 24,000 51.28%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 15

 iContact.com
◊ Advocacy

We helped Cancel the Animal Hunting Festival! 17,617 47.54%

Know what gets your audience riled up; if you’re calling volunteers to arms, use language you
know will cause them to react.

Man Caught Punching Pet Must be Punished 18,203 55.11%

You made a difference 14,998 36.61%

Thank you for donating to NeighborhoodHelp 10,242 54.62%

Sign the Petition! 16,953 40.26%

Be specific! If you want contacts to sign something, say that. If you want them to give
something, say that; people will take direction if you give it to them.

◊ Tourism

[fname], Welcome to the Cultural Arts Center! 19,614 68.06%

For Your upcoming visit to the Cultural Arts Center 68,197 52.35%

Bought tickets to an event? Chances are you might need to know where the parking lot is or
the location of the gift shop — send helpful informationto build excitement.

Your VIP Club membership has just expired 11,814 28.31%

Give the gift of adventure 25,687 24.02%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 16

 iContact.com
◊ Education

Here’s Your School Event Download 34,171 46.63%

Using keywords in your subject lines helps contacts search their inboxes for your information
(i.e., “now where’s that school download again?!”).

Welcome to the Spring Reading Program 15,775 47.47%

It’s time to put on red and black again! 15,130 44.55%

Preparing your teen for college 12,437 23.60%

◊ Financial

Now We Want to Learn about YOU 11,627 42.93%

The Latest Retirement Trends 15,471 40.60%

Why you need life insurance now 12,226 39.48%

There’s been an update on your Credit Score 64,760 36.04%

Something changed that could impact your ability to purchase large assets — you better
believe someone will open that.

But remember: Send too many “updates” and subscribers will catch on that you’re preying on
their fears in order to amp your open rates. Not good.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 17

Worst workflow subject lines

iContact.com
Subject line Recipients Open rate

◊ General

ENDS SOON: $5 Off Your Next Order! 16,879 0.99%

There are ways to create a sense of urgency without being aggressive. Try “$5 Off Your Next
Order this Week!” instead. Always think about how you can pair excitement with urgency.

More Options = More Smiles 11, 501 1.24%

*Don't Open This E-Mail* 10,474 1.32%

Check Out This Cool NEW Feature! 55,585 1.48%

You may be a fan of reverse psychology, but in this instance, it just didn’t work. This is a
gimmicky tactic. Instead, offer real value to your subscribers — don’t try to trick them.

◊ Professional services

Don’t forget the webinar! 45,481 0.20%

Everyone wants to think people forgot about their webinar, but maybe they’re just not that into
you... or your topic. Send too many reminder emails with open rates bottoming out at 0.2% —
then you'll know it’s your topic, not your subject line.

Hung up on new plans? 14,395 1.06%

Residents Are Talking! 16,661 0.42%

Time is Running Out! 138,772 1.98%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 18

 iContact.com
◊ Retail
Last Day: Save when you buy now 11,753 0.64%

If you often run flash discount promos like this, your email list knows it’s never really “the last
day.” And once again, save how much and on what? What’s all the mystery about? It doesn’t
work, folks.

Your Coupon is Waiting 19,095 0.99%

Wanna Save 15%? 17,576 1.09%

Including an item name would enhance your open rates, especially if you’ve segmented your
lists based on purchase history. For example, “Wanna Save 15% on Camping Gear?” or “Wanna
Save 15% on Your Next Haircut?”

Oh no: You’re Going to Miss $20 OFF 16,827 1.13%

Why are we giving you 27% off? Open to learn more 49,945 1.30%

Look at how many people got this vague message. That’s all about the marketer wanting to
explain something vs. enticing the reader with any tangible offer information.

◊ Education
FREE 8-hr webinar to learn ideas – see detail inside 17,397 1.02%

Did you miss out on tuition discounts? 41,709 1.23%

How to Prevent Weight Gain 29,217 0.87%

Take our quiz… if you dare! 109,062 1.32%

In light of recent security scares when it comes to clicking on nefarious links, using threating
language guarantees that NO ONE will touch your quiz.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 19

 EXPERT ADVICE

iContact.com
Getting through to a desicion-maker

Being in a high-demand position, sales reps at vendor

companies are vying for my attention. If they know their
audience, they’ll understand I’m constantly in meetings,
scrolling through a continuous stream of email to quickly
cull low- or no-priority items from my inbox.

So make it quick, cut to the chase, and entice me with

something relevant, timely, and personal.

Here are some B2B subject lines that have

worked on me:

• Jason, does June 14th work for you?

• Syncing up re: a customer in common
• Your case study on LinkedIn
• Today's 30 min webinar - on your calendar?

Jason Rumanek
Head of Marketing | iContact

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 20

Broadcast messages

iContact.com
Say it don’t spray it.

Subject lines having to do with new jobs, schools, money, payments, awards, prizes,
purchases, shipped packages — you don’t even have to try.

For example: Our analysts saw a sent message literally titled “eblast”
or with terrible typos, but everyone opens them anyway if they’re about
monetary-impacting topics. But perhaps don’t take human nature for
granted and still provide information when possible.

If you’re accustomed to sending broadcast messages with no hyperlinks enclosed within

the body text, you may want to rethink that.

Much of what makes email marketing the

most effective marketing channel is its ability
to elicit two-way customer engagement,

Source: which marketing channels are worth focusing on?

So go ahead and include call-to-action links that allow you to track your customer’s
journey.

Many lead generation professionals would warn email marketers not to include too
many link choices; it’s best to stick with just one. Otherwise, your customer will not know
what you want them to do!

For our worst examples, clearly the senders knew nothing specific about
their intended recipients, as these vague email subject lines show: Random,
impersonal questions or requests written for a broadcast message, such as a
newsletter or promotion. Do not yield high open rates.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 21

 iContact.com
Best broadcast subject lines

Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Your Deposit Not Completed 22,316 83.59%

Enticing a great “Oh fudge!” reaction will lead to higher open rates and grateful subscribers.

2 Benefits Enrollment is Coming! 12,892 83.11%

3 Registrant Information: Written Consent 13,932 82.93%

4 Last Day to Enter 11,379 81.90%

5 Final Scores Published 23,277 81.79%

6 Important Appointment Information 21,531 80.57%

7 Your Gift Is On Its Way! 13,796 80.24%

8 You’ve Got ONE DAY to Enter and Win 11,170 80.20%

Notice the claim is for you to enter AND win. It’s much smoother than “enter for a CHANCE to
win.”

9 Review Your Fall Class Schedule 36,625 79.05%

10 Parking Permit Renewal Application 11,441 78.67%

11 Funding Deadline is Next Week 18,812 77.75%

12 Official Ticket Voucher – Do Not Delete 13,426 77.74%

The phrases “Official” and “Do Not Delete” just scream high importance.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 22

 iContact.com
Best broadcast subject lines

13 Thank you, YOU EARNED IT! 11,876 76.41%

14 Last Renewal Reminder 11,058 75.62%

There’s something about announcing an end that just seems more official. It is the “last call”
mentality and a subtle way to create a sense of urgency.

15 Information about the Web Update 16,202 74.95%

16 Campus Safety Notification 33,519 74.60%

17 We invite you to join us 17,126 73.11%

18 Chickenpox Cases on Campus 35,994 70.86%

19 URGENT CLUB NEWS 35,156 69.67%

20 Login and tell us your choices 11,693 68.49%

This clear and direct subject line not only has great open rates, but it encourages click-through
rates as well as engagement on the portal and subscriber activity.

Worst broadcast subject lines

Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Remember those offers [fname]? 29,739 0.01%

What offers? Be specific with what you’re offering subscribers, and if you don’t think the offer
is worth remembering… create a better offer.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 23

Worst broadcast subject lines

iContact.com
2 The Institute Will Bring Together Leaders 49,269 0.01%

3 Newsletter: Water and Solar Tech 40,935 0.01%

Next time, give your readers a sneak peek into what they’ll be learning via your content.

4 Success Happens...Tell Us Your Best! 35,110 0.03%

5 Loan Growth Strategies Webinar 10,318 0.04%

6 Did You Miss the Deadline? 22,225 0.04%

This indicates poor workflow and list segmentation. Subscribers expect you to stay on top
things, not the other way around.

7 Environmentally preferable solutions for you 22,818 0.05%

8 COVER YOUR NAKED BARRICADES WITH BANNERS 41,961 0.06%

9 Hometown Bank to Acquire Corporation 15,588 0.05%

10 Maybe Meet "The One" At These NY Singles Events 33,255 0.11%

“Maybe”? Sound a little bit more confident! Readers can spot uncertainty a mile away.

11 Last call: Don’t go AWOL 56,397 0.17%

12 Hey, Are You Ok? 40,356 0.18%

Subscribers know you don’t actually care about their well-being. Cut to the chase.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 24

 iContact.com
Worst broadcast subject lines

13 Last chance!!! Specials End Soon 19,940 0.19%

14 Is This Still Your Email? 40,034 0.22%

This email was sent to a list of over 40k contacts. If you're really unsure that an email address
is no longer active, do NOT send a large batch as this will hurt your email sender score.

15 Overpaying? 427,590 0.25%

16 What Are You Looking For? 427,606 0.27%

17 Get What You Need 426,575 0.27%

ENDS TOMORROW! Enjoy FREE shipping

18 47,655 0.27%
on ALL orders.

19 The perfect prom accessory is a tan! 116,068 0.29%

20 We're Sorry, Here's 35% OFF Everything 74,124 0.31%

“Over apologizing can lead others to doubt you or lose confidence in your
abilities.”

Instead, try: “THANK YOU for your patience, here’s 35% OFF everything.” See how using “thank
you” instead of “sorry” can have a much more positive effect?

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 25

Subject line writting tips

iContact.com
Personalize Delivery Confirmations
Everyone has seen dull “your order has shipped” messages. Use email to go beyond
logistics and include your product name and some personality! Use what you know
about the customer for your next confirmation message to catch their eye and reinforce
your relationship.

Subject line Recipients Open rates

Your Comic Collector Corps Founder Gift is on its way! 13,796 80.24%

Enjoy this week’s Variety Box! 13,536 51.94%

Your Disney Treasures chest is being filled with magic 13,472 70.50%

Capital letters
What’s the first thing you think when you see a subject line with all caps?
SPAM! AND SHOUTING! But our research says that savvy use of capitals can
improve open rate if you use them to emphasize the customer.

For example: Notice the difference between

“SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WORKSHOP — YOU’RE INVITED!” and

“Social Media Marketing Workshop — YOU’RE Invited!”

One sounds like spam, the other emphasizes the invitation’s exclusivity.

So evoke EXCITEMENT! “Shouting” in caps is okay when you’re CELEBRATING!

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 26

 iContact.com
Subject line Recipients Open rates

Gun Club News - PLEASE READ PROMPTLY! 13,156 68.37%

Thank you, YOU EARNED IT! 11,876 76.14%

Thank YOU for registering - there’s so much to explore! 12,197 54.80%

Work that ego

It’s not just Millennials who like to feel special!
Everyone wants to be unique, not just be a number in a spreadsheet. Use this to your
advantage when writing subject lines, such as offering them a treat on their birthday!

Subject line Recipients Open rates

[fname], you’ve been honored by Who’s Who Among Students! 38,607 58.30%

You’re Invited! Softball Honor Roll Showcase Camps 11,851 47.69%

Happy Birthday from Frank’s Bavarian Inn Club! 33,194 60.03%

Exclamtion point
Similar to capital letters, using exclamation points can either make a terrific
impact or land you in the junk folder.

W E F O U N D T H AT

46% of our most opened and clicked subject lines

used one exclamation point.

Warning: Using several exclamation points is likely to

make you appear as spam by Inbox Service Providers.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 27

Subject line Recipients Open rates

iContact.com
The Results Are In! 13,579 48.58%

Welcome to Trucks & Campers Magazine! 11,631 70.13%

Fabric Advice, Hand-Dyed Velvet, and a Chance to Win Kit! 12,734 46.18%

Ellipses
Ellipses are a great way to make your customers anticipate
what’s in your email.
Something such as “You Won’t Believe What We Found…” captures people’s curiosity
and makes them feel like they’re missing out if they don’t take a peek. If using all caps
is considered “SHOUTING,” then the ellipse is a whisper and a wink. Those little dots
convey an air of mystery… perhaps a secret deal only meant for your special group…

Subject line Recipients Open rates

Something cool is waiting for you… 12,050 52.10%

Your SneakPeek Is In… 18,195 97.69%

To Our Elite Customers Only... 14,824 63.06%

Use number and dollar signs

We all love money! Making it, saving it, giving it, investing it — putting a dollar
sign in your subject line captures attention.

Notice the difference between: “Check Out Our Latest Discounts on Furniture” and
“Furniture Discounts - $200 Off Select Styles.” Choose a number that sounds bigger.

For example: “$2 off” is pretty insignificant on its own, but if it’s out of $10, then
why not use “20% off” instead?

Subject line Recipients Open rates

shop our style steals with $100 off 12,805 61.04%

Trade of the Week: I Just Bought 100 Shares of This Stock $$ 19,605 55.59%

Last chance to save on over 60 books | Current season 10,777 75.30%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 28

Spark anticipation

iContact.com
Listen up event/vacation companies! We’ve seen subject lines
such as “Trip Itinerary” or “Upcoming Event Details.”

Why not spice it up some? If you’re delivering information about a customer’s cool
event, make sure your subject line is as enthusiastic as they are and specifically
states their destination!

For example: “Your Upcoming Aruba Dream Vacation.” Also consider a

solid call-to-action (CTA) to encourage website traffic, such as the one
below that reminds the recipient to check out their Vegas line-up.

Subject line Recipients Open rates

Children’s Hospital Marathon Final Instructions! 14,801 77.45%

Thank you for your visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center! 30,332 52.11%

Check Out Our Entertainment Line-up for Your Weekend in LV! 11,887 58.11%

Fomo
Everyone hates the fear of missing out on the latest trend or
news. If you are an author or thought leader, you probably have
insights that no one else has.
Use that credibility to deliver advice to your audience that they couldn’t get
anywhere else. Moreover, if you carry exclusive products or have a big
brand name you’re allowed to drop, make sure customers know that.

Subject line Recipients Open rates

BBTS New Preorder Listing Announcement: Star Wars Gentle Giant 10,227 66.67%

“Knowing the Truth Now” book reading with Judy Olson 19,544 52.61%

Last Day To Enter: Play Against Industry Experts 11,379 81.90%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 29

Second look

iContact.com
If your shopping cart data is telling you that a customer has browsed your
current sale selection but did not yet make a purchase — retarget them with
a cart recovery message when you add new items.

Mention the update in your subject line; this gives them a reason to take a second
look. This tactic also gives you better insight on your buyer’s preferences and helps
with segmentation strategy.

Subject line Recipients Open rates

More Items Added to 40% off Sale. Secure inventory now 12,074 79.87%

Update: Upgrade of popular pistol 26,711 68.87%

Sprint Vision Plan Changes — Make the most of your plan! 20,954 71.87%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 30

Holiday promotions

iContact.com
New Years
The most successful New Year’s subject lines play off of last-chance holiday offers,
yearly roundups, and New Year’s resolutions.

Take this opportunity to reminisce about the previous year or to generate excitement about upcoming
events and promotions in the New Year. For example, promote big trips that people can look forward
to, offer big discounts on remaining holiday inventory, and definitely use the NYE countdown as a
time-sensitive call-to-action.

Example Subject line

Update: Upgrade of popular pistol

Happy New Year | One Day Left To Save 20% Storewide

Video: Happy New Year Cayman 2022

What Will You Do Before Midnight?

Happy New Year! One Day Left To Get 15% Off Storewide!

Happy New Year: Up to 83% off over 60 Great Deals + FREE Shipping!

SALE! Select Holiday Products and Calendars

IT Winter Maintenance tips

Deal of the Day | Pick up one of the year's best books

Jumpstart January with Your Fitness Game Plan!

Open for toast-worthy savings

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 31

Valentine's Day

iContact.com
If people love to feel wanted, Valentine’s Day is the time to shower your
readers with some love!

A sweet way to thank them for subscribing (and generate a few sales in the process) is
by offering a Valentine’s Day gift or gift with purchase. An alternative approach caters to
the procrastinating partner with a last-minute purchase offer; it’s no surprise that some
of the best subject lines on Valentine’s Day are last-minute flash sales!

Example Subject line

Be Our Valentine with 20% Off! And win an amazing BOM pattern book from
Pine Valley Quilts!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Our gift to you...

Valentine’s Day Flash Sale!

Looking for your perfect match?

Be our Valentine – Enjoy This Free Gift.

Beat the Cold this February with a Berry Blizzard

The Sweetest Valentine's Specials

Add more love to your gifts this Valentine's season

A weekend of good reads and love-filled activities just for you!

The best gifts are from your heart and hands

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 32

St.Patricks day

iContact.com
The most successful St. Patty’s day subject lines use the words
“Lucky” and “Four Leaf Clover” in a creative and witty way.
St. Patrick’s Day is a really fun, energetic day, so make sure your
subject lines reflect that! Don’t hesitate to throw in a little Irish edge.

Example Subject line

Irish or not...it’s your day to SAVE BIG!

Cheers to these March deals!

It’s your Lucky Weekend! Free Shipping on $50 or more

Saint Patrick’s Day P4 Lucky Sale!

A four-leaf clover: 40% off Stravinsky tickets

Looking for St. Patrick's Day deals? You're in luck

Easter
You heard it from us first... apparently, people REALLY love bunnies! We
observed that the best Easter subject lines specifically mention bunnies.
So find a creative way to integrate those cute baby rabbits into your subject line,
along with an Easter promotion, and you’ll be hopping down the bunny trail towards
higher click-through-rates.

Example Subject line

Bunny Wars Lock and Load....

HEY! That bunny is hopping away with YOUR Easter gift!

Last chance to get your free Easter Gift...

Last Chance for Easter Deals up to 89% Off!

Happy Easter! Win a Set of 5 Vintage Patterns

Welcome to Savannah's Candy Kitchen

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 33

Mother's Day

iContact.com
Our moms definitely deserve better, but some of the most successful
subject lines are last-minute, same-day-delivery deals for Mother’s Day gifts.

Take advantage of the procrastinators by calling out expedited shipping options

and any instant offers you may have (like online gift cards). Mother’s Day is also a
great time to practice marketing segmentation by targeting the moms on your list
to send them exclusive coupons or a gift with purchase.

Example Subject line

A special gift for Mother's Day!

Perfect Mother's Day Gift For Women Shooters

Did you forget? Mother's Day gifts delivered today!

Mother's Day Weekend Deals!!!

Happy Mother's Day! Your 20% Off Coupon Expires Tomorrow!

Memorial Day
For retail, Memorial Day is often thought of as a shopper’s holiday, with lots
of big discounts surrounding the weekend.

Subscribers will be expecting big offers, so make sure to create a sense of urgency
around your discount by emphasizing countdowns or expiration dates for your sale. Add
a nod of goodwill by honoring those who’ve served in the military or armed forces in the
body copy of your email.

Example Subject line

Memorial Day Weekend Sale!

Last Day to Save! Memorial Day Sale

ONLY 36 Hours Left to Save up to 70% Off - Memorial Day Weekend Sale

We’re Celebrating Summer

First Look: Summer's Key Pieces

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 34

Father's Day

iContact.com
Just like Mother’s Day, those last-minute gift deals
work very well for Father’s Day.
Interestingly, we saw that subject lines containing “Dad” or “Daddy” performed better
than those with “Father” or “Father’s Day.” The term “Dad” gives an impression of fun and
excitement, whereas “Father” maybe feels a bit too formal for a subject line.

Example Subject line

Happy Father's Day | Great New Hi-Res And Father's Day Sales Inside!

Who’s your Daddy!?

Need a Last-Minute Gift for Dad? Instant Gift Cards Now Available!

Cheers to Dad

Give Daddy what he wants, this weekend.

FREE Shipping with purchase of "My Father" box

Independence Day
Unless the word “Independence” really resonates with your audience, we found
that “Happy 4th”receives more opens and clicks than “Independence Day.”
Phrasing it this way is great because it allows the numeral 4 to catch the eye and uses
fewer text characters. July 4th is a good time for one-day-only sales or deals on patriotic
items, summer gear, and barbecue essentials!

Example Subject line

Skip the news today--read this Independence Day message

Happy 4th: Celebrate with Top Tech Savings

Happy 4th of July | Save 15% Storewide, Ends Tonight!

Choose to Make a Difference this Independence Day

Deals on all your grilling favorites!

BOOM! Independence Day Deals for You

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 35

Labor Day

iContact.com
Labor Day is another holiday that many shoppers and sellers associate with
big retail sales and promotions.
Meet their expectations with a timely subject line that stands out against others with the
same idea. Emphasizing the immediacy of a “flash” sale did well in our customers’ Labor
Day marketing results.

Example Subject line

[fname], Labor Day Flash Sale

Last Day! Labor Day Sale

Happy Labor Day! 25% OFF + FREE SHIPPING SITEWIDE

Labor Day K-Cup Flash Sale!

Fall Favorites NOW with Express Pick Up

Happy Labor Day, $2 Coupon Inside

Halloween
Halloween-themed emails are perfect for content-related emails like pumpkin recipes,
creepy crafts, and fright night puns. Based on our research, great words to inject into
your subject line are “spooky” and “scary.”

Note: The Halloween emojis are

Example Subject line tempting… but remember, their
appearance differs greatly across
BOO! Spooky 10% OFF All Sites for 24 hrs
platforms. Use with caution!
Scary Great Sales Idea!

Your Weekly HorrorScopes - Happy Halloween!

Repurpose a Halloween pumpkin + five delicious recipes

No Tricks - Just Spooktacular Savings

Preorder your Halloween cookies – limited quantities

Hooo hooo hoooo hwaaah! We're scaring up some fun.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 36

Veterans Day

iContact.com
Veterans Day is your opportunity to say "thank you" to service members while also
extending special savings and exclusive discounts. While this holiday is a great time to
highlight a customer/subscriber who’s a service member or to share a heartfelt story
about military families, subject lines that specified savings amounts in promotions
performed best in our results.

Example Subject line

Veteran's Day Sale: Save up to 65% off 20 deals + FREEBIE + FREE Shipping!

Thank YOU! 30% savings for all veterans & active members of the military!

Veterans, we honor you today & every day

Gear Up For Veterans Days Weekend!

Order New Gear and Help Us Help Our Veterans!

Your Veterans Day 50% Off Will Be Ending Today - hurry

Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving email campaigns generally fall into one of two buckets… for e-commerce,
a Thanksgiving message can be a kickoff or preview for Black Friday or Cyber Monday
sales. But in non-retail communications, Thanksgiving allows an opportunity for
companies and nonprofits to send a message of gratitude to their subscribers.

Example Subject line

Thanksgiving Day Blowout - Biggest Sale of The Year - New Colors, New Styles

Results – 2022 Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon & 50m Turkey Dash

Urgent Office Info: Holiday Schedule Update

10 Tempting Treats for Stitchers this Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday

Unhealthy Holiday Drinks to Avoid

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 37

 iContact.com
Weekly Specials – Holiday Seafood Sale!

Save on wreaths, ornaments, entertain and MORE!

Just 2 Days to Save End-of-Season SALE

Thanksgiving: How to not clog your Disposal, and More!

A Thanksgiving Message of Hope

Holiday accents for every space

PRO TIP:

Christmas in July
The opportunity to win big over the Black Friday weekend is huge — but you need
to be prepared well in advance. When Q4 profits are at stake, you want to make
sure you’re ahead of the game with your email campaigns and offers.

Black Friday
Black Friday subject lines should highlight urgency, any large discount amounts, and
any specific product offerings that might entice a buyer. Know that every other retail
company will be vying for the Black Friday click, so being more specific can better your
chances to stand out from the crowd.

Hint: Customers tend to like the word “closeout” in Black Friday promotions.

Example Subject line

NEW CLOSEOUT SPECIALS ARE HERE! INCREDIBLE SAVINGS. Take advantage

of these LOW prices!

REMINDER: Up to 50% Off Black Friday Wines Ends Today!

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 38

 iContact.com
CYBER WEEK: coupon inside!

How many Black Friday deals have YOU seen with 85% OFF?
(Grab Yours Fast My Friend)

Black Friday Sale | Plan Your [year] Glamping Trip!

Black Surprise Friday Sale – 24-hour deals

Up to 30% OFF on Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals. Save Now!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals NOW

Thoughtful gift ideas for friends and family

Cyber Monday
Much like in the best-performing Black Friday subject lines above, customers expect
deep online discounts on Cyber Monday. Mention any big price cuts front and center
and consider sending an exclusive reminder to loyal online shoppers allowing them to
bypass the in-store crowds with a special promo code. If you can offer free shipping,
make sure to mention it in your subject line.

Example Subject line

Cyber Monday Mayhem: Up to 94% off over 100 deals + FREE SHIPPING!

Double the deals for Cyber Run-Day

Cyber Monday: 25% Off All Items - Today Only

It's CYBER Monday! Shop online avoid the Crowds!

Cyber Monday Savings... Entire Site on Sale... Load up and Save

MoneyEdge Newsletter: Don't Be A Loser This Holiday Season!

Include complimentary Holiday Gift Wrapping TODAY!

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 39

Chritsmas and Hanukkah

iContact.com
‘Tis the season of giving AND receiving! Winter is a great time to offer gifts, coupons,
and free content to subscribers. It’s also a common time of year for companies to send
end-of-year updates and well wishes to subscribers — make sure to clearly distinguish
your email’s purpose in your subject line.

T I P: Advertise express shipping

for last-minute shoppers.

Example Subject line

The beloved story of Christmas

Happy Hanukkah! Our Free Gift to You

Happy Holidays From HDtracks: 15% Off The Best of 2022!

Ho Ho Ho! FREE SHIPPING on Xmas + Boxing Day

Unwrap HOLIDAY SAVINGS up to 35% Off

Get $15 Off $99 Holiday Weekend package

Advent Daily Devotional

Winter Weather Update! We’re open.

Our Holiday Cookbook Gift to YOU!

Join the Christmas Kindness Movement

Ho, Ho, Ho, Holiday Savings!

Welcome to our Christmas shop | Unwrap great deals on books

Take a Look: Campus Christmas Tree Lighting Photos

Have a Very Merry Mondo Christmas

Everything you love about Christmas in Williamsburg

COLLECTION: winter go-tos and gifts

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 40

 iContact.com
Words that work

When looking at subject lines that received an 80% or higher open rate
(across all industries), we found that a significant/common element was the
use of a single declarative word or instructional phrase, followed by a colon,
and then followed by the rest of the sender's subject line text.

80%
Words that work

Congratulations:

Please read:
OPEN RATES
Time to___:

Action required:

Reminder:

Update available:

Announcing:

Information enclosed:

Alert:

Last day to enter:

Urgent:

Important:

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 41

 EXPERT ADVICE

iContact.com
Why SpamCheck matters
We’ve built our industry-renowned sending reputation by
helping our customers provide the type of content that
not only gets seen, but also delivers measurable results.

Specifically, our proprietary SpamCheck feature helps identify potential

areas of improvement within a customer’s email copy and then makes
helpful suggestions to help ensure the best deliverability rates possible
— all before ever hitting "send."

Within iContact’s Drag-and Drop Editor, SpamCheck will scan your

email copy for common spam words and phrases, such as:

• “FREE” and “money”

• Using too many special characters like “$$$” or “NOW!!!!”
• Excessive capitalization
• Curse Words

Trouble areas will be flagged based on the deliverability of your

content so you can revise before you hit send.

Monica Miller
Sr. Product Manager | iContact

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 42

Opt-in messages

iContact.com
Can I get a “yeah-yeah?”
People don’t like being yelled at — especially in a way that’s vague and
impersonal. It’s easy to forget the fact you need subscribers to double opt-in
for YOUR benefit, but what’s in it for them? Make subscribers want to STAY
on your list even after sign-up; don’t threaten them.

In the worst examples, you’ll notice that not much separates the text used in successful
opt-in subject lines as opposed to what’s being said in a low-performing one. The major
difference is likely the contact’s high opinion of the brand and whether they want to stay
an active customer or not.

This is, consequently, why inbox providers and email service providers encourage clients
to utilize the power of opt-in messages. The commitment shown via the action of an
opt-in often helps to satisfy many email privacy regulations, such as GDPR, CAN-SPAM,
CASL, etc.

Best opt-in subject lines

Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Confirm your SpaceLover email newsletter subscription 31,743 75.98%

“Confirm” as a verb conveys a brief action on the recipient’s part. Be sensitive to people’s time
when asking for participation.

2 Make the most of your benefits plan 20,955 71.87%

3 Registrant Information: Written Consent 13,932 82.93%

4 It’s so hard to say goodbye 10,106 53.57%

5 Confirm your interest in our email offers 240,929 53.46%

6 Confirm your subscription to fun mail 14,838 46.48%

7 Thanks, are you still in? 13,233 33.67%

Notice the claim is for you to enter AND win. It’s much smoother than “enter for a CHANCE to
win.”

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 43

 iContact.com
Best opt-in subject lines
8 Philly Post e-newsletter confirmation request 10,938 32.71%

9 Fuel YOUR passion for classic cars! 11,668 32.06%

Cheesy works (i.e., the use of the word “fuel”) when you obviously know your subscribers.

10 Product Listing Feedback – Get Paid $3 for a Min! 43,723 30.98%

11 Welcome! Confirm your email with us. 65,937 30.54%

12 Don’t abandon your art 28,472 29.87%

In a sea of “confirm your email” type messages, it’s no wonder this poetic subject
line stood out.

13 Help Us With a Car Restoration! 45,260 28.99%

14 We need your permission 37,323 23.21%

15 Stay connected with your local BBB 24,969 20.85%

Hinting at the close-knit community dynamic of the subscriber group is a nice way to keep
them active.

16 Action required – Please confirm email address 13,496 18.39%

17 Please Join the Backstage Bar Email List! 17,465 18.44%

18 Confirmation request from new owners of Beach Spa 10,909 18.29%

19 Confirm your wine subscription for $20 OFF COUPON! 25,830 17.61%

Keep your opt-in message efficient by pairing it with a great deal! Give us a confirmation, we’ll
give you a coupon!

20 Get exclusive updates on new products! 11,625 16.53%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 44

Worst opt-in subject lines

iContact.com
Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Don’t miss out on our emails 75,097 1.03%

This subject line is all about the sender and gives no incentive or information to why they
should reconfirm. Remember: Your subject line should ALWAYS be about the subscriber and
how to help THEM.

2 Warning: you are being unsubscribed! 46,091 1.21%

3 Don’t Miss Out & Register Now! 112,772 1.26%

4 Please Confirm Your Email Address 146,503 2.07%

5 Join our mailing list today! 106,583 3.03%

6 Thank|you! 22,075 3.51%

Interesting kerning can be used as a visual aid to stand out in the inbox, but only if your offer is
interesting too. What’s the point of opening an email when the subject line says everything you
need to know?

7 20% Off Because You Visited Us at the show 10,330 3.57%

Which show? Be specific!

8 Final chance to stay. Confirm now! 116,286 3.99%

9 Last chance to stay in the know 11,812 4.11%

10 We miss you! 43,803 5.85%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 45

Worst opt-in subject lines

iContact.com
11 Following up from the HealthExpo 64,927 6.02%

Think about what made your company’s display different from other exhibitors. Remember
that expos have TONS of exhibitors — remind subscribers about your conversation.

12 Welcome to Team Footwear – Get 15% Off + Free Shipping 17,460 7.00%

13 Still interested? 39,461 7.40%

Give a reason for them to keep interest and have them take a second step! “Still interested in
event planners? Take a look!” or “Still interested in a beach getaway? Dive on in!”

14 Let's reconnect you with the facts 10,187 7.64%

15 Confirm your subscription 84,940 8.14%

16 Keep the devotions coming your way! 42,496 10.40%

17 Confirm your subscription - Keep Receiving Promos 39,446 10.65%

18 Please Confirm Continuing Interest 14,139 11.20%

Enter to Win A Free $100 Gift Card By Confirming Your

19 18,866 12.55%
Subscription

20 Confirm your subscription to keep hanging out 12,372 12.64%

This has potential but could use an extra kick. The tone is clearly casual, but why not add
some information? “Confirm your subscription to keep hanging out with the pros at____” is
more enticing.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 46

Subject line by industry

iContact.com
If you ask one of our analysts if it matters what day a message is sent
(i.e., does a Tuesday increase the possibility for an open, or click, more than
a Friday) — they’d say, “It just depends on your audience and industry.” Email
marketers hate that answer because we’re all looking for that silver bullet to
conversions.

After trudging through thousands of subject lines from the past three years, we’ve
concluded that the length of your subject lines, in terms of how many characters you
use, doesn’t appear to lead to a significantly higher or lower open rate.

Now with that said, certain ISPs, such as Gmail and Yahoo, may favor a certain character
count, but truly engaged contacts do not. A good rule of thumb is to keep your subject
line length to between 61-70 text characters.

A word about list size

It is progressively harder to get a higher open rate on a large list size. The more
people you add to a list — all of whom are receiving the same subject line — the
harder time you’ll have finding a subject line that wins EVERYONE over.

Which is why, when you discover a really good subject line that does appeal to a
wide range of subscribers, that’s worth its weight in lead gen gold.

How homogenous is your list?

If your subscribers are very diverse, you may need to seriously consider
segmenting them into smaller lists.

So, what does make a difference to the list subscribers of particular industries?
Here’s what we discovered…

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 47

Argiculture/Enviorment

iContact.com
Add some urgency to your subject lines to boost open rates. With so
little time and so much to do, this industry tends to be doing things in a
Do “just in time” mentality. Do not overdo it, though, or you’ll be accused of
“crying wolf” and your audience will start tuning you out.

Subject line Open rates

Are Your Systems Ready For Winter? 23.65%

Early Conference Registration Now Open 21.70%

Call for Abstracts for IT3 due September 23.03%

Subject lines that only sell, sell, sell to their audience members get
much lower open rates than those emails out to teach them something.
Don't
Farmers have very little free time, so it isn’t surprising that they want
to learn something with their investment of hours spent online.

Subject line Open rates

Fabric Thursday - DSP Felt, Wood Laminate, & Bath Treatments 4.05%

657 MW of Utah Solar Projects Available for Immediate Sale 4.67%

SOLAR FARM Investment Deals - HI IRR's - 50 Deals 4.88%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 48

Non-profits

iContact.com
Leverage the use of emotion, excitement, and gratitude when creating
Do subject lines… your open rates will soar.

Subject line Open rates

Your charitable tax receipt for 2022 is ready to download! 64.21%

August ArtaFacts is Here! 61.61%

Thank you for donating to [fundraiser_name]'s fundraiser on USAHelps 53.49%

Building a sense of urgency or panic into your subject lines doesn’t seem
Don't
to move most nonprofit audience readers.

Subject line Open rates

We’ll Be In Your Area 0.92%

Bob Long Needs Our Help! 2.54%

Last Call for the Event of the Year at The Box 2.98%

Software/Technology

Content marketing is the star for this industry. Subject lines that are
Do educational in nature are the clear winners.

Subject line Open rates

BREAKING: RIP Social News Feed for Publishers 44.64%

Big news about my new social selling company 40.34%

Free Challenger 40th Anniversary Posters: Download Now 39.95%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 49

 iContact.com
Using subject lines to create a sense of urgency in readers will not result in high
open rates in this industry — it’s best to avoid doing that. The tech audience is
Don't
one of the most marketed-to, and is therefore the savviest in evaluating which
emails are relevant to them and which are just blowing smoke.

Subject line Open rates

Before it is too late 0.71%

Only 8 Hours Left In Health Insurance Open Enrollment! 0.73%

Hurry...Today Is The Last Day For Enrollment! 0.81%

Financial Services

Soothe their fears about money issues. For example, use words that
Do imply financial protection. The more you can prove that you KNOW them
via your subject line, the more successful you will be with your emails.

Subject line Open rates

Congratulations on your new home loan 63.10%

Welcome! Here’s our Privacy Notice… 54.90%

Phishing Notification – Community Bank 44.09%

IMPORTANT – Bill Pay Update Information 47.80%

Don't Use overtly sales-orientated subject lines.

Subject line Open rates

New Credit Card Options for You! 8.80%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 50

Real Estate

iContact.com
Do Use educational subject lines and segment your list by client interests.

Subject line Open rates

Learn to flip houses 34.00%

Include mention of the price of the properties or mortgage percentage

Don't
rates. Exclamation points do not work either — they sound desperate.

Subject line Open rates

Only if you open – 10% off next vacation rental 0.89%

4 Brm Townhouses starting at 1.2M 0.63%

Food and Beverage

Subject lines that mention savings and coupons have high open rates.
Do And, although exclamation points don’t work well for many industries,
they instill excitement for restaurant deals.

Subject line Open rates

Weekly Special: You’ll love this coupon! 40.25%

Save Big on Seafood! 39.05%

Educational subject lines are not popular. People want to eat well, not
Don't
learn more.

Subject line Open rates

How to prevent weight gain & illness 0.86%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 51

Professional Services

iContact.com
Use personal (i.e., variable) data or the word you/your in the subject line,
Do plus reference a sense of timing.

Subject line Open rates

IMPORTANT Message: You have sent an email 55.48%

[schoolname] Important Class Photo Information 51.42%

[schoolname] Urgent Yearbook Ordering Information 46.47%

Happy Birthday from your Perks Club 53.96%

Just because it’s content marketing and educational in nature doesn’t

Don't mean you stop personalizing the subject line. Vague teasers using
industry jargon may inspire you but may leave your prospects in the dark.

Subject line Open rates

What is loss prevention? 0.54%

Make your solution cloud-based 0.51%

Invest in the candidate experience 0.62%

What is a CRM? 0.85%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 52

Education

iContact.com
Most recipients in this industry appreciate the dissemination of
knowledge, so educational subject lines just lengthy enough to give the
Do recipient the gist of the content have high open rates. Now, if the subject
lines are also personal in nature, you have a winner on your hands.

Subject line Open rates

Review Your Spring 2022 Class Schedule 79.05%

Your Fall USM Registration Information is Now Available 78.41%

October 9th is the Schedule Adjustment Deadline! 66.75%

Unfortunately, many subject lines fail to incorporate the personal aspect,

Don't and those emails find themselves at the bottom of the pile. Mention
content a recipient wants or needs.

Subject line Open rates

Toronto Workshop Only 2 Weeks Away! 0.30%

Level 9 Socratic Seminar Workshop: Nov. 19 in Philadelphia 0.73%

Reminder: Become a University Leader, Attend an Open House on 3/21

1.06%
at Durham County Community College

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 53

 EXPERT ADVICE

iContact.com
Using emojis in subject lines
Emojis are a great way to creatively portray your brand’s
personality and grab your reader’s attention. Follow my
three simple rules to optimize the effect of emojis.

1. Don't over do it: Less is more when it comes to emojis.

40% off Spring Dresses until May 27th

40% off Spring Dresses until May 27th

2. Be relevant: Know your brand and use emojis appropriate to

your message. E-commerce brands can have more fun, whereas
B2B companies may want to stick with conservative symbols.

New calendar feature to help you stay on track

New calendar feature to help you stay on track

3. Test first: Support for emojis varies significantly across

devices, browsers, and ISPs.

Here’s a — from us to you!

Here’s a 👗 — from us to you!

Maria Burch
Sr. Director of Operations | iContact

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 54

Top-performing subject lines

iContact.com
In the following section, we have compiled only the best subject lines used by
iContact’s biggest fans in our most-served industries, including non-profits/
religious organizations, travel/hospitality, e-commerce, and universities.

Whether you do the email marketing for these types of organizations or not, these
examples can teach any marketer a lesson in effective editing.

For instance, no need to overthink subject lines when you’re an organization such as
a church, synagogue, or community center; your subscriber list is small and tight-knit,
therefore using subject lines that are short and to the point are best.

In fact, the lowest-performing subject line in over three years of customer data labeled
“non-profit” still received open rates in the 50% range! How could these examples influence
your own messages?

Non-profit
Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Confirm your subscription for church communications 1,011 89.42%

2 We are…thankful for an unforgettable week! 3,334 76.78%

This subject line does a great job with using strong words to portray emotion. Notice a
difference in tone when written like this instead: “Thank you for a great week!”

3 Thank you! 1,138 76.27%

4 Welcome to the sermons newsletter! 1,261 74.15%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 55

Non-profit

iContact.com
5 This Wednesday and Sunday 2,911 72.86%

If you’re involved in a tight-knit community that hosts a lot of events, scheduled updates are
appreciated.

6 Dues Payment 1,267 71.82%

7 New church membership flyer! 2,540 69.40%

8 Rest in Peace 3,788 66.05%

Not all subject lines are happy subject lines. When sad news is given, it’s best to be respectful
and informative to your subscribers.

9 This Sunday 1,005 65.87%

10 Bereavement Notice 2,377 63.86%

11 [fname], make a difference today. 4,258 63.62%

12 Runners on your mark…Get set…GO! 9,895 60.74%

13 Ready, Set, Share 8,980 57.38%

Ask your subscribers to get involved! This fun subject line instantly tells the reader that their
help is needed.

14 Religious Education – We need your help! 3,084 57.23%

15 Prayer Request 3,930 56.84%

16 Annual Church Picnic 1,127 56.70%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 56

Non-profit

iContact.com
17 Weekly e-Note from our Pastor 1,605 56.32%

Make a catchy phrase just for your organization’s email communication!

18 Christian Science Announcements 25,823 55.19%

19 Your gift will be matched! 3,294 55.22%

20 While Traveling in Israel | What to Remember 2,100 53.19%

Travel & Hospitality

Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Vacation Arrival Instructions 1,332 75.53%

2 Hurry! $1000 off your Havana tour 1,492 76.70%

It’s obvious this travel agency segmented its list based on travelers interested in Cuba. Great
deals are only “great” if they’re tailored to the recipient.

3 Mountain Wildfire Update For Your Cabin Stay 8,366 70.73%

4 Your Upcoming National Park Stay 4,912 69.10%

5 Embrace a New Outlook 14,934 67.40%

6 Guide Photo contest – Vote! 5,168 66.12%

A direct subject line that states exactly what’s inside and what to do with it. When you give
clear instructions, you’ll be surprised with how many people gladly follow.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 57

Travel & Hospitality

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7 Orlando: Book your vacation now 1,105 63.90%

8 Your shipment details + May Wine Club 1,968 62.91%

Why not pair your shipment notification with an invitation to join a relevant community? This is
a great way to keep the conversation going.

9 One day left to save! 16,748 59.83%

10 Make summertime extra entertaining 16,162 58.48%

11 Local’s Guide to the Grand Canyon 2,133 58.46%

A great tip for travel agencies is to emphasize authenticity. A “local’s guide” to any destination
will be a valuable asset to your subscribers and a great marketing campaign to encourage list
segmentation.

12 5 Trail Trips for Happier Feet 2,312 57.74%

This sender used a clever alternative to the usual “Trails for your vacation.” Try this exercise for
your next email!

13 Thank you for visiting 1,066 55.25%

14 Important Info & Parking Map 4,746 54.84%

15 Hi [FNAME] – Just to let you know 32,205 53.89%

16 Happy Birthday from Confetti Restaurant 1,644 52.80%

17 Plan your Napa vacation escape – new events! 3,183 52.12%

18 Exclusive Access for Members Only 3,300 50.67%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 58

Travel & Hospitality

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19 Know Before You Go: Packing tips 2,245 49.49%

Try thinking of a catchy rhyme for your next helpful email!

20 The best time to travel to Iran is now! Here’s why... 1,721 47.12%

E-commerce
Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Your Pay Deposit Not Completed 14,132 81.73%

2 Important Tax Notice – Immediate Action Required 14,669 63.74%

Direct and straight to the point, this subject line will grab the subscriber’s attention
immediately.

3 Facebook Competition Announcement 11,298 58.73%

4 ** Notice about your recent food purchase 15,029 58.49%

Preorder Listing Announcement – Comic Book Legends

5 11,481 56.97%
Statues

6 Your 4th Quarter Rewards Bucks are available now! 13,663 55.90%

7 [WEEKEND ONLY] 10% Off Site-Wide! 50,515 54.91%

Using something to visually differentiate your subject line among hundreds of others is useful
when done properly.

8 I have just granted you access [fname]. 47,054 51.62%

9 Enjoying your first order [fname]? 14,933 49.75%

10 $2 Tuesday is back & better than ever! 10,355 49.11%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 59

E-commerce

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11 Calling All Leaders! 13,721 48.18%

12 You need to see these studios! 12,911 47.54%

13 Welcome to the Party! 15,806 47.47%

14 This Tool May Change the Way You Approach Sanding 40,592 45.57%

Keeping your subscribers informed with the newest industry methods and technology is a
great way to sell a new product, promote a webinar, or appear as industry experts.

15 Welcome to Your 1st Video Lesson 15,322 45.15%

Having a number to suggest this is just part one of a series is a seamless way to orient new
subscribers. It gives them a clear starting point to familiarize themselves with your services.

16 Stuff the Bag and save! 89,420 44.51%

17 Great weekly specials, including FREE popcorn! 45,852 44.00%

18 10 Perfect Projects for National Sewing Month 20,721 42.85%

This sender is in tune with their subscribers and their buying history. Subscribers who have
previously browsed or purchased crochet hooks.

For example: would receive a project list for “National Crochet Month”
(which happens to be March)!

19 Psst...tasty deals inside 44,464 42.83%

20 Reel in these great seafood specials 44,126 41.70%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 60

Universities

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Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Admission Decision 1,106 94.30%

When your subscribers, like prospective college students, are eagerly anticipating your content,
there’s no need to get creative. Keep it short and sweet.

2 Calendar Options/Early Transfer Results 5,667 91.99%

3 Transfer Decision Letter 2,484 91.38%

4 Housing Assignment & Dining Plan selection 3,345 91.30%

For the sake of the students, try to clump corresponding content in one place like this sender
did instead of spacing them out!

5 Commencement Tickets 1,213 90.35%

6 Thank you for applying 2,302 90.10%

7 Final Grade Report 3,205 89.80%

8 Faculty Announcement 1,019 89.54%

9 Decision Letter 4,666 89.43%

The word “letter” has an association with education. Try using words that have that kind of
instant association with your industry.

10 Deposit Receipt 5,185 88.81%

11 What to expect from your college advisor 1,398 88.13%

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 iContact.com
Universities
12 You’ve been selected to Honors College 1,618 87.29%

13 How to install exam software to your laptop 2,049 86.77%

14 Registration tips 8,562 84.19%

Like this sender, universities should state clearly if what they’re sending is information, tips,
instructions, deadlines, etc.

15 University Application Fee Waiver 1,413 84.05%

16 Room change 8,552 83.17%

17 Panhellenic Recruitment Reminders 1,321 83.09%

18 Welcome Back, Business Students! 1,668 80.56%

19 Placement Assessments 9,646 80.57%

Your email nurture isn’t over after enrollment! Continue to welcome and excite your students
throughout their college careers.

20 Visitor’s Day Information 1,124 80.50%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 62

 EXPERT ADVICE

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Take a second look at preheaders

Think of your email’s subject line as a movie title

example: Jaws. A preheader teaser is your email’s
tagline: a compelling phrase to intrigue your audience
example: “You’ll never go in the water again.”.

This short line of text is a versatile tool that needs to be placed before
any other content in your message to flow well in the inbox.

Hide it at the start of your email’s body through simple size, color, and
display styling, moving utility elements like social and ‘view in browser’
links lower in the message.

Which email would you rather open:

Subject: 20% off all shark repellant until the 4th of July
Pre-header teaser: If you cannot see this email, please click here

OR

Subject: 20% off all shark repellant until the 4th of July
Pre-header teaser: Don’t go in the water without it!

Hank Hoffmeier
Sr. Manager of Marketing & Operations
iContact

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 63

A/B test vs. segment

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First, let’s revisit the definition of an A/B test:

That’s when you split off a tiny percentage from your overall list and send
two different messages. Whichever message variation wins the most opens
gets sent to the rest of your email list! Segmenting uses a unique customer
value saved in a contact’s record to group like-subscribers together.

These sub-lists help you to send personalized messages to each “segment” of your list.
(By the way, iContact makes doing both of these activities easy!) Segmenting lists to
send messages with custom subject lines vs. A/B testing two different subject lines
may sound like the same strategy, but, in fact, you use them differently depending on the
homogeneity of your subscribers.

It’s likely that any list you’re emailing has two or more distinct audience segments who
would each respond better to very different subject lines. This is a problem for A/B
testing as it could skew your results.

Imagine you’re a financial analyst with a list of 50,000 subscribers, and you’re sending an
email to promote an upcoming webinar on how to invest in clean energy. In this scenario,
you could A/B test two subject lines.

For example:

A Subject: How to pick Clean Energy stocks that beat the S&P: Webinar on 5/15

Vs.

B Subject: Aligning your values with your investments: Webinar on 5/15

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 64

Through A/B testing, you’re essentially hypothesizing that some people will respond

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better to the potential financial return of a trendy stock, such as clean energy, while
others value stocks not solely based on their monetary potential but due to their positive
impact on the planet.

Out of your list of 50,000 subscribers, let’s say 30,000 of those prefer the profit
messaging behind option A, while 20,000 prefer the more environmentally-friendly tone
of option B.

Your A/B test will probably end up with A being the winner. That means you will end
up sending all 50,000 contacts version A, driving decent open rates from those 30,000
subscribers BUT getting completely ignored by the other 20,000 — all because of that
subject line test.

A better strategy in this case would be to segment your list into two investor groups:

returns-based and values-based

Perhaps you have collected their preferences via checkboxes

when they subscribed.

Or you could build segments based on who clicked through

on prior campaigns that had a values-based theme and other
correlating factors like age, geography, etc.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 65

Ideally, you’re already gathering this kind of demographic data, but even if you aren’t, you

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can probably imply their interests based on past product choices and use this data to
your advantage.

Your strategy can now look like this, employing both segmentation and A/B testing:

Segment 1 30,000 subscribers Returns-based investors

A Subject: How to pick Clean Energy stocks that beat the S&P: Webinar on 5/15

B Subject: Make more $ with Wind, Solar, and Lithium:Webinar on 5/15

Segment 2 20,000 subscribers Values-based investors

A Subject: Aligning Your Values with Your Investments: Webinar on 5/15

B Subject: Is Your Green Invested in Green? Clean Energy Webinar on 5/15

PRO TIP:

Timing of emails
Keep a record of your email send schedule, segments/audience, and subject
lines used. You may find that some audiences have a better response rate at
different times of the day or certain days of the week, which will help you plan
future email tests and final deployments.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 66

Autoresponder messages

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The lazy marketer’s new BFF.

An autoresponder doesn’t have to sound impersonal, and you don’t have to

send the same one to everyone. The rule of thumb for designing your series
of autoresponders is to think of how many touches it would take to build a
relationship with a new customer in person.

Now, break down all those touch points into message themes. The number of themes
is what determines the number of automated messages you send, and the subscriber’s
actions spark a digital conversation, if you will.

As you can see in the subject line examples below, segmenting your automated
messages into smaller groups allows for a more personalized “conversation” and can
lead to stronger open rates vs. general batches to larger groups. The more you can
narrow your audience, the better the conversation will be between your subscriber and
your autoresponder.

Now, here’s what NOT to use with autoresponders: question marks.

Using too many question marks is a faux pas of email marketing —
try NOT to use them.

Remember:
Autoresponders are like digital conversations, not a game of Twenty-One
Questions. As everyone in advertising can attest, RULE #1: The answer to any
question-oriented headline is often “No.” A 50/50 chance is too risky when
you’re counting on healthy email marketing ROI.

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 67

 iContact.com
Best Autoresponders

Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Your results are in! 23,420 97.73%

Keep it short and sweet!

2 You have been chosen 10,759 62.17%

3 Free health how 2s 11,055 61.25%

4 Welcome to the portal 10,894 53.46%

5 Thank you and Hello! 12,666 52.49%

Make your autoresponder sound like a person saying “hello!”

6 Free stock research you requested 10,633 50.64%

7 Exercise that ages you more 10,633 50.64%

8 It could be your thyroid. 10,101 45.97%

9 How-to verify your cause gifts 12,858 44.86%

Your subscribers are connecting with you because of your expertise, so don’t hold out on them!
Help them do something.

10 How to change your administrator 11,500 45.06%

11 [fname] - Everything Good So Far? 15,636 43.78%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 68

 iContact.com
Best Autoresponders

12 The four secrets to feeling better 10,233 40.64%

13 [fname], read about the kidnapping of Mark 17,401 40.34%

14 Your Free Trial Ends in 9 Days 14,178 39.96%

15 [fname] reply back: are you getting my alerts 15,181 38.70%

16 [fname], Here's Part 2 of the Paid Surveys 38,361 30.75%

17 5 Tips for Readers, #3... 16,969 30.50%

18 [fname], Thank You For Your Order. Here is 65,482 25.77%

19 Which broker I recommend. All inside. 38,759 29.87%

20 Should you have a cheat meal? (Day 7 No 18,953 28.99%

21 Arthritis Knee Pain Exercises 26,500 28.40%

22 Average golfer gains 90 yards in 30 mins 15,333 27.80%

23 Week 3, Day 4: Rest Day 32,838 26.87%

24 Are You Sabotaging Your Career? 48,969 26.86%

25 The next level: Phase II, Day 42,371 26.85%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 69

Worst Autoresponders

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Rank Subject line Recipients Open rates

1 Ready for a Brand New Car? 21,558 1.31%

2 Still Need a Car? 22,156 1.53%

3 Confirm a New Charge Card Today! 21,903 1.37%

4 Poor Credit Score? 22,025 1.63%

Don’t just ask a question — offer a solution. For example, “Poor Credit Score? Here are ways to
raise it.”

5 [fname], Don’t Forget to Confirm: 693,988 1.67%

6 New Checking Account? 22,087 1.70%

Interesting kerning can be used as a visual aid to stand out in the inbox, but only if your offer is
interesting too. What’s the point of opening an email when the subject line says everything you
need to know?

7 No More Wrinkles! 10,510 2.09%

8 You Won’t Believe Some of these Offers: 22,028 2.16%

This sender already planted the idea that the offers inside are too good to be true. You want to
cultivate trust between you and your subscribers, and with a subject line that screams SCAM
and/or SPAM, you’re likely to get met with skepticism at best.

9 There’s Something We’ve Been Meaning to 29,039 2.17%

10 Are you ready? 22,357 2.26%

11 Help Us Now? 29,045 2.36%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 70

 iContact.com
Worst Autoresponders

12 Updated: New Offers Inside: 21,779 2.53%

13 I warned ya: 14,005 2.64%

Another example of a subject line with potential! The tone is fun, but it tells the subscriber
absolutely nothing. There are ways to keep a reader hanging while still giving them some
information. Try “I warned ya about our amazing Fall Collection!”

14 Did you get your sample? 10,200 2.65%

15 In a pinch? 13,750 2.97%

16 Why can’t YOU? 13,270 2.98%

17 I’M STUNNED 13,866 3.05%

18 is it B.S.?! 13,905 3.12%

19 I’m curious 13,893 3.18%

20 Speak Two Languages? Want a job? 13,309 3.18%

21 Your job SUCKS? 13,314 3.53%

22 Alert! Your skincare solution is nearly 11,530 3.50%

23 Exciting Limited Time Offer 66.835 3.61%

24 yo 13,325 3.74%

25 Hey [fname], give THIS a try... 119,525 4.03%

| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 71

 E D I T O R S N OT E

iContact.com
Inside The Ultimate Subject Line Guide

iContact analyzed data from 20 years and billions of messages sent by

our customers to produce these insights.This collection of 501 subject
lines tells the larger story of how rewarding (and challenging) email
marketing can be when tangible business results are on the line.

It’s our hope that by reading this guide of best and worst examples, plus
dos and don’ts, you learn from other senders’ triumphs, discoveries, and
spam missteps to improve YOUR chances for better open rates.

Many thanks to the knowledgeable team of section authors, business

intelligence analysts, and iContact email experts, who tirelessly helped
comb through lines of data to reveal these nuggets of subject line gold,
as well as a few hilarious ones that made us chuckle.

Because sometimes, when the marketing stakes are high and there’s
sweat on your brow as you press the send button — you just gotta

Mackenzie Folley
Content Marketer | iContact

If you like this guide, you’ll enjoy

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| The Ultimate Subject Line Guide 72