LOG IN TO ACCESS:
Counts System
Order Management System
Tracking Platform
One of the most critical variables when it comes to open rate for emails is the subject line. All email marketing professionals know this, and Site Impact’s experts have been saying it for years. Your subject line is the first impression for your email to the recipient, and studies show it takes just seconds--and not many--for someone to decide whether or not to open an email. But subject lines can seem tricky, especially with the advent of spam filters from email providers, intended to shunt unwanted emails away from the inbox. Sometimes it can seem like an impossible standard to meet. But there are a few things that we can say with confidence will make a huge difference to your open rates when it comes to subject lines, and one of them is power words.
Power words are a fairly straightforward concept: they’re one to two word combinations that attract attention, enhance a sense of urgency, and otherwise cause the reader to pause and consider what they’re reading in more depth. When it comes to subject lines, power words tend to fall into a few specific categories: sales-driven, timeliness, holiday, and gratitude. When you look at each category in more depth, it’s easy to see why they make recipients pause and consider, as opposed to just discarding the email unread.
Sales-driven power words are those that are associated with--predictably--sales. They’re the keywords that tell a recipient that the email concerns a particular offer. This category of power words is strong because everyone likes a deal, and prospects who may have been on the fence about making a purchase can feel more comfortable about taking the plunge. Examples of sales-driven power words include:
â— Hot deal
â— Discount
â— Free shipping
â— Savings
â— Promotion
â— xx% off
By incorporating these words into your subject line, you communicate direct value to your recipients in exchange for them opening the email, which spurs more engagement with the email you sent.
Timeliness power words are words and phrases that indicate a limited time offer. They communicate a sense of urgency to the reader, tapping into FOMO--fear of missing out--and the prospect of a value that they can only access for a short period. By giving your recipients a sense that they’re in on a deal that is only available for a limited time, you can increase opens and conversions just on the basis that the recipient doesn’t want to risk spending more money later. Some examples of timeliness-oriented power words include:
â— Today only
â— Exclusive
â— Last minute deal
â— Order now
â— Open now
â— Limited time
â— Only XXX (hours/minutes/days) left
â— Don’t miss out
These key power words all work to give your recipients the sense that if they don’t act now, they’ll potentially miss out on a special deal--which of course can tip the scales in deciding to convert in a big way.
As we head into the fall and winter holiday season, these are a little more relevant--but there are holidays all year round that these can apply to, to varying degrees. By tapping into the sentiment and traditions associated with the holiday in question, you can trade on the spirit of generosity and good feeling, as opposed to just the prospect of a valuable offer. Holiday power words are a great tool for creating a more genuine connection that spurs people to pay attention. Some examples to consider are:
â— Season’s greetings
â— 12 deals of Christmas
â— Good cheer
â— Warmth and light
â— Eight days of deals
Of course, as we mentioned these aren’t just restricted to the winter holidays, and you can also choose power words associated with different holidays throughout the year--whether that’s Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, the Fourth of July, and so on.
Gratitude can go a long way; while many brands are asking for something from their recipients, thanking your audience for their loyalty, engagement, attention and so on can really work well to spur interest in opening your email and seeing what else you have to say. In addition to changing up from the usual demanding subject lines, power words associated with gratitude create a sense of warmth and connection in the recipient. Some examples of power words for gratitude include:
â— Thank you
â— Your support
â— Appreciation
â— Loyalty
â— We value you
Whether or not you include a special offer in the email, expressing gratitude for your recipients’ engagement with your business can really spur interest in buying.
Power words are a great tool for enhancing your email marketing performance, to set your campaigns apart in the increasingly crowded inboxes of your audience. They aren’t foolproof--nothing is--but incorporating these power words is an easy way to boost your open rates and even your conversions. Contact Site Impact to hear how we help all our clients get the best possible ROI on their email marketing campaigns.
