The average open rate for marketing email across industries is only 35.6%. That means over half of branded emails are left unopened.
The problem? Poor subject lines. Without crafting an email subject line that inspires the recipient to click through and check out what you have to offer—all of your copywriting efforts will be wasted.
Crafting the best email subject lines for your business is somewhat of a dark art. But the good news is, we’re going to share some actionable tips to boost your email open rates right here in this guide.
Understanding your audience and goals
Writing an email subject line that speaks directly to your audience will increase your open rates in a big way. But who is your audience, exactly? That’s for you to decide.
Know your email subject line target
By knowing who you’re writing your email content for, you’ll be able to craft a subject line that addresses a special pain point while offering a personal touch that will spark positive engagement (a.k.a. get your recipient to open their email.
You can do this by creating buyer personas or profiles based on your ‘model customers’ and splitting them into ‘segments’ based on their demographics, location, interests or main pain points. Do this and you’ll lay down solid foundations for your email subject lines.
FYI: By segmenting your audience into categories and writing your subject lines for specific groups of consumers, you’ll give your email open rates a significant boost.
Define your email content’s purpose
Once you’ve selected your target audience or consumers, you should define the purpose of your email.
By understanding the key goal of your email marketing content, you’ll give your subject line the definitive direction it needs to offer personal value. And when you do that—you’ll get consistent results.
To give your email content—and subject lines—genuine purpose, decide whether your content is:
Transactional: Is your email content functional or transactional? For example, an order confirmation, an abandoned cart email, a shipping notification or a welcome email.
Promotional: Is the main purpose of your email to promote a new service, product, sale or event? This will usually require a sense of excitement, exclusivity or urgency.
Newsletter-based: Is your email content a part of your ongoing customer engagement efforts or a wider marketing campaign? If so, your content and subject line will benefit from a touch of brand storytelling.
The anatomy of an effective email subject line
Now that we’ve laid the foundations, let’s get down to business by looking at the key elements of a killer email subject line—starting with length.
Email subject line length
To grab attention and ensure your email subject line is legible, length matters. While there’s no one-size-fits all solution, when it comes to email subject lines, you should make sure it’s no longer than 50 characters.
Keeping within the 50 character limit will avoid your messaging being cropped. It’s a character limit that works well with any device—it’ll also keep your messaging powerful and punchy.
69% of consumers will delete an email straight off the bat if they feel the subject line is too spammy. So keep yours short and sweet (around five to nine words is usually the sweet spot) and you’ll be onto a winner.
Word choice and tone of voice (TOV)
When you’re attempting to write the best email subject line for your business, every word counts.
To grab attention and inspire engagement, using strong verbs and marketing action words is key. You have five to nine words to make an impact—so you have to get to the point—and prompt action.
When you’ve drafted a potential email subject line, trim away anything that’s not absolutely essential to your messaging. Be clear, be concise, showcase your personality, and give your recipient a reason to click through.
Here’s a quick example:
Original: Learn How To Create Actionable Email Subject Lines For Your Brand Here
Improved: Get More Opens With These Email Subject Line Tips
The revised subject line is shorter, punchier, and creates a sense of intrigue or curiosity. It also makes a bold promise. Just remember that if you make a promise, you must deliver on it or you risk damaging your brand’s reputation.
Create a sense of curiosity or urgency
Following on from my last point: to prompt someone to engage with your content, your email subject line needs to serve up a slice of intrigue or urgency.
By asking a question, creating a sense of curiosity or teasing something that may be time-sensitive or exclusive, you’re far more likely to prompt people to interact with your email content. Let’s look at some examples.
Urgency
[Recipient Name], Grab Your Discount Code Before It’s Too Late
Our Biggest Ever Sale Has Arrived. Don’t Miss Out
Curiosity
Do You Know About The Power Of Tech Investments?
Can We Tell You A Stock Investment Secret?
Exclusivity
Unlock Your Epic VIP Perks
[Recipient Name], Grab Your Insider Email Marketing Guide
Common email marketing mistakes to avoid
Now you know the key elements of an effective email subject line, let’s look at what not to do—starting with the pressing matter of not looking spammy.
Don’t appear spammy with your email subject lines
Yes, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is writing spammy subject lines. Speaking of spamminess, there are certain words you just need to avoid altogether, even if they are the actual subject of your email.
FYI: The number of spammy keywords is growing. Prospect.io came up with a list of 455 spammy email keywords while Automational counted 474. Steer clear of these turns of phrase and you’ll avoid ending up in the spam box or having your email deleted from existence.
Ignoring personalization
Emails with personalized subject lines are at least 26% more likely to be opened. In today’s hyper-connected digital world, you have to connect with people on a personal level.
One-size-fits-all sales jargon no longer cuts the marketing mustard.
By adding personal touches like your recipient’s and looking at relevant data to understand what makes your target reader tick, you’ll hit a personal nerve that’s likely to prompt action.
Remember, like any marketing medium, email is all about offering personal value—and it all starts with your subject line. Be as personal as possible and you’ll enjoy the results you deserve. Don’t ignore this fact.
Forgetting A/B testing
So many small business owners overlook the value of A/B testing—but it’s essential to understanding what works and what doesn’t.
Overlook A/B testing and you’ll be missing out on essential insights that will help you squeeze the most promotional juice out of every one (or at least most) of your email subject lines.
Working with the right A/B testing software, you can roll out two different subject lines for the same piece of email content and analyze which yields the best results.
Doing this will not only lead you to the best email subject line, but it will also give you a practical gauge on the words, tone, approach, and style that resonates with your audience. Overlook the power of A/B testing and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever reach your full email marketing potential.
Advanced email optimization techniques
Use these insider optimization techniques to improve your email marketing subject lines and push yourself ahead of the pack.
Use emojis (but sparingly)
Using emojis in your email subject lines can draw visual attention to your messaging and punctuate a word or statement in a positive way. But don’t overdo it (remember what we said about being spammy).
Using a flurry of emojis will take up valuable messaging space within your subject lines and cheapen your brand image. But, one or two well-placed emojis will grab attention and inspire action. Here’s an example.
Overdoing it:Make Serious 💲Savings With Our Epic Sale 🤑🤑🤑💸
Sweet spot:[Name], Make Serious Savings With Our Epic Sale 💲
The first version of our email subject line is too busy, visually noisy, and looks cheap. On the flip side, the second includes one well-placed emoji that’s relevant and grabs just the right amount of visual attention.
Pre-header text allows you to expand on your email subject line just like a regular sub-heading. Your pre-header text is usually displayed just below your subject line and can offer extra context, excitement or inspiration.
Here’s an example for your reference:
Subject line: [Name], Make Serious Savings With Our Epic Sale 💲
Leverage pre-header text
Pre-header: Explore our exclusive deals & VIP-only offers and save big on your favorite products
And here are some quick tips on writing power pre-header copy:
Keep it to a character limit of 130
Reinforce the messaging in your subject line and offer a little more detail
Build extra excitement, exclusivity or urgency where you can
Avoid unnecessary jargon and highlight the benefits of opening the email
Keep up with emerging trends
Like any branch of marketing, email moves and evolves at warp speed. To keep on top of your game and continue writing killer email subject lines that get results, you need to keep up with the latest trends.
By reading industry publications, listening to relevant podcasts, signing up to email marketing newsletters, and following relevant influencers, you’ll keep your finger well and truly on the pulse—ensuring your email subject line writing efforts stay sharp in the process.
Final thoughts
Writing the best email subject lines for your business (the kind that earns consistent results) is no easy feat—but it’s more than possible.
By keeping it consistent, showcasing your brand’s personality, and following the actionable tips we’ve covered in this guide, you’ll start to see a big improvement in your email open rates. You’ve got this.
Do you have any thoughts, opinions or advice on the subject? Share them here by leaving a comment. Let’s get the conversation started.
You’ve finally done it. After hours of design and testing, your website is finally ready to be launched. But, in the back of your mind, you know you’ve been putting off that one last step: adding an SSL to your website. Since 2018, SSLs have become required features for Safari, Chrome and Firefox, so most web designers are very familiar with SSLs by now. If you’re new to the web design world, however, SSLs can feel daunting.
Don’t stress, we’ve got you covered.
In this guide, we’ll cover what an SSL is, how you can add an SSL to your website, and tips for getting the most out of your SSL.
Let’s go.
What is an SSL?
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between networked computers. The SSL itself is a digital document that ties the identity of a website to a cryptographic key pair, which includes a public key and a private key.
The public key allows a web browser to start an encrypted communication session with a web server via the TLS (Transport Layer Security) and HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) protocols. The private key is kept secure on the server and is used to digitally sign web pages.
Put more simply, an SSL tells your customers that it’s safe to browse, shop and enter their secure information on your site.
And for websites without an SSL? Here’s the warning that visitors will see:
An SSL certificate will also impact your website’s SEO (search engine optimization). Sites without an SSL installed will be deemed as lower-trust websites and will be penalized on search rankings. Give your viewers confidence and keep your site secure with an SSL.
How to add an SSL to your website
Let’s take a look at the process for setting up and installing an SSL on various server types below.
Note: This is a technical process, so if assistance is needed, click here.
Request your CSR
The first step to setting up your SSL will be requesting a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) from your hosting provider.
Note: If you’re installing your SSL to the primary domain of a Domains Buy Design hosting account, your CSR is generated automatically. When generating a CSR, you’ll need to provide specific details.
These are the details you’ll need to be prepared to provide:
Common name
The fully-qualified domain name, or URL, you want to secure. Note: If you are requesting a Wildcard certificate, add an asterisk (*) to the left of the common name where you want the wildcard, for example *.coolexample.com.
Organization
The legally registered name for your business. If you are enrolling as an individual, enter the certificate requestor's name.
Name of the city where your organization is registered/located. Do not abbreviate.
State/Province
Name of the state or province where your organization is located. Do not abbreviate.
Country
The two-letter International Organization for Standardization (ISO) format country code for where your organization is legally registered.
Generating your CSR
The process of requesting a CSR will vary by server type. Our Help Center has general guides for the most common server types, but if you do not see your particular server listed, you will need to refer to the documentation for your specific server for details on generating a CSR.
Set up your SSL
Once you have your CSR generated, it’s time to set up your SSL certificate.
Request your SSL
You’ll need to have your CSR handy for this portion of the setup:
Select New Certificate for the SSL credit you want to use.
On the Certificate Setup page, select Input a CSR.
Paste your CSR into the box and select Continue to open the Prove Domain Control page.
Leave everything as it is and select Continue.
On the Additional Options page, select the Certificate Issuer you want to use. The only thing that changes is who the certificate is issued by. Your certificate will function the same regardless of what you choose.
Read the Subscriber Agreement, select the checkbox for I agree to the terms and conditions of the Subscriber Agreement, and then select Continue.
Verify your SSL request
Before we can issue your certificate, we're required to verify that you control the domain that you’re using for your SSL request. This is to ensure that the SSL request is being made by an approved entity.
How you prove your domain control depends on if your certificate and domain are in the same Domains Buy Design account. Here are in-depth guides for both options:
If you're manually installing your SSL certificate on your hosting account or server, you need to download your primary and intermediate certificates from the SSL dashboard. If the option to download your SSL certificate is disabled, we’ve already installed the certificate for you.
Select SSL Certificates and select Manage for the certificate you want to download.
Under Download Certificate, select a Server type and then select Download Zip File.
Install your SSL
Now that you have your SSL files, it’s time to install your SSL. This process will vary based on your server type. We have instructions for the most common server types in our Help Center to guide you through installing your SSL, but you will need to contact your hosting provider if your server configuration isn’t listed.
Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
With the SSL installed, the next step will be to redirect your site to HTTPS. For those using Managed WordPress, this update will be automatic. If you’re using a non-managed installation of WordPress or a different type of server, you can find the steps to redirect HTTP to HTTPs on our Help Center.
Once you've added the redirect, you can use our SSL Checker tool to make sure that everything is working as intended.
Potential SSL installation issues
After installing your SSL and redirecting to HTTPS, it’s time to test your website for some of the common issues after installation. Here are the top issues to check and resolve:
SSL certificate not found
If your SSL is installed incorrectly, your visitors may see a “certificate not found” error.
HTTPS redirect failure
A site not properly configured for SSL can lead to a redirect failure error message being shown to visitors trying to find your site
SSL certificate mismatch
Error message occurs if the site isn’t properly validated prior to completing your SSL certificate installation.
Mixed-content errors
If your website’s source code is pulling in other resources with insecure HTTP protocol (such as images, videos, stylesheets, or scripts) your site will not load correctly.
Or, save the time and hassle and have us do it for you
If the steps to add an SSL to your website feels overwhelming, or you just have better things to do with your time, try the Managed SSL Service from Domains Buy Design.
Domains Buy Design offers both a one-time installation service and fully managed SSL services, depending on your needs. Not sure which would best fit your purposes? Here’s a breakdown of each.
Domains Buy Design SSL Setup Service
This one-time service includes the following features:
Installation and configuration of the SSL to the server.
Provide necessary redirection to HTTPS.
Update all mixed content to ensure the SSL padlock shows in browser address bars.
Update the sitemap so that Google recognizes that the site is loading securely over HTTPS.
If the site has a firewall, update the WAF settings to ensure full encryption.
It’s important to note that Domains Buy Design SSL Setup Service requires that the website be hosted on a server with a control panel. If the hosting provider does not provide a control panel, then we will be unable to install the SSL. Additionally, this service can only be used for a single installation. If other servers require SSL installation, then additional services will need to be purchased.
Domains Buy Design SSL Managed Service Add-on
The SSL Managed Service Add-on includes all of the features of the Domains Buy Design SSL Setup Service, but also includes the following:
Domains Buy Design provides ongoing support for any changes that are made to the website to ensure that your website remains fully encrypted for the length of the product subscription (for example, fixing mixed content errors that can occur at any point when new content is added to a site).
Ensure the SSL certificate is reissued at the end of each validity period to ensure that there is no gap in protection.
If there are any issues that need to be addressed, SSL Managed Service customers can simply create a help ticket in their SSL dashboard and our professionals will work to quickly address the issue. SSLs can seem daunting, but they don’t need to be a roadblock for you or your business. Need help with your SSL installation? Give our Customer Care agents a call and let us handle the heavy lifting.
Choose the SSL that works for you!
To wrap this up, if you're a webmaster or anyone who cares about website security (which should be all of us), it's important to get your head around the various types of SSLs: EV SSLs, OV SSLs, DV SSLs, Multi-domain SSLs, and Wildcard SSLs. Each of these has a special role in keeping things secure online, from the basic task of confirming that you own the domain, all the way through to validating your company details in order to boost the credibility of your business.
SSL certificates help to keep our online activities secure, providing a trusty shield against prying eyes and keeping customer info safe and sound. Your choice of SSL can do more than just fend off the bad guys, it also increases how trustworthy and authentic your site is for your visitors. So, it's well worth taking the time to choose the right one!