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10 must-follow rules for email subject lines

First off, when developing an email campaign be sure to follow all CAN-SPAM laws. Secondly, when writing your subject line(s), be sure to follow the 10 rules below to avoid getting caught in SPAM filters and to increase your open rate.

  1. Avoid words such as "FREE," "Buy,","Buying" or "Dear Friend."
  2. Never use all caps. It screams SPAM!
  3. Use fewer than five words whenever possible. Less is more.
  4. Stay away from unnecessary punctuation, such as over use of exclamation points, question marks, ellipses and dollar signs.
  5. Never use a toll-free number.
  6. Stay away from any sexual or pharmaceutical references.
  7. Don't use "As seen on TV!"
  8. Avoid words and phrases such as 50% off, discount, or anything else that suggests coupon SPAM.
  9. Never use the following phrases "Please read," "Don't delete" and "This is not SPAM".
  10. Avoid misspellings, as this indicates an email was sent from an unprofessional source.

Happy emailing!

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Comments

Joe Phelps said:

thanks for the advice.  

good review of the rules.

question: i've heard that it's not good to put the person's name in the subject line because it triggers filters. True to your knowledge?

May 22, 2008 4:12 PM

Amber Bryan said:

Great question Joe!

To my knowledge, this does not trigger SPAM filters. Adding the recipient’s name to the subject line will make them believe the message is personalized just for them and is less likely to tigger SPAM filters as the subject is more specific in nature than generic. However, don't use this tactic unless something in the email is personalized for this individual. Simply appending the name to the beginning of a subject line, and not delivering personalized content, is kinda gimmicky.

Also, always use a spam content checker if your email technology has this feature. Additionally, send proof messages to your AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail and other test accounts to ensure that your content doesn’t trigger a content filter.

Hope this helps!

Amber

May 23, 2008 1:14 PM

Dave said:

Isn't SPAM, SPAM? Why try to trick people into reading SPAM? Most folks (and especially consumers of quality brands) are too saavy spend much, if any time on unsolicited communications. And my name in a SPAM email from an unknown/unwanted sender is usually kind of unsettling. How'd they get my name? Yikes!

Rather, send email to recipients who've opted in to receive your email. Or at least target your email campaign VERY precisely to people who are predisposed to your good/service. The harmful side-effect of SPAM is that it leaves a negative connection to whatever brand is being hawked.

Better yet, stop SPAMMING people. It gets in the way of stuff that's important to them.

June 23, 2008 12:35 AM

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