How to Increase Email Open Rates with H2H Subject Lines | Literal Humans

How to Increase Email Open Rates with H2H Subject Lines | Literal Humans

The average email open rate across industries is 19.66% in 2022. This statistic can be concerning for marketers who rely on email as a communication tool. If your email open rates are low, it's probably for one of two reasons: subscribers don't want to hear from you (unlikely, since they signed up for your emails) or you're not framing your subject lines to show what's in it for them.

Before people open your email, they want to know that it's written for 'them'. The job of the email subject line is to make the reader know they want to see the email. People don't care about you or your product, and if you focus on yourself, you lose them. In 2020, a team of researchers examined how messaging affected solar adoption in 29 different cities. They found that people were twice as likely to adopt solar power when the message focused on personal gain for the adopter rather than social responsibility.

This insight highlights the importance of putting the reader's needs and desires first. When crafting subject lines, think about what's in it for the reader. What problem can your email solve for them? How can it benefit their life or business? By addressing these questions, you create subject lines that resonate with your audience and increase the likelihood of them opening your email.

Research shows that the brain releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical, as a reward for satisfying our curiosity. So once we encounter a knowledge gap or something else we don't know, we want to figure it out. Use headlines that cater to at least one of the five dimensions of curiosity:

1. Deprivation sensitivity – a knowledge gap that needs to be filled
2. Joyous exploration – fascination with a subject or concept
3. Social curiosity – a desire to learn more about other people
4. Stress tolerance – the willingness to embrace confusion, doubt, and other forms of distress
5. Thrill-seeking – a desire for adventure

By incorporating these dimensions of curiosity into your subject lines, you tap into your reader's natural inclination to seek knowledge and explore new ideas. This can significantly increase email open rates and engagement.

In a study, GetResponse found that triggered emails performed almost twice better than newsletters. Open rates for triggered emails reached 35.64%, while newsletter open rates sat at 20.58%. This finding suggests that timing and relevance play a crucial role in email open rates. Triggered emails are sent based on specific actions or events, making them more personalized and timely.

However, personalization doesn't mean adding a first name tag to your subject line. The GetResponse study found that as of 2022, open rates were actually lower when subject lines included this form of personalization. Instead, focus on creating subject lines that are specific and set clear expectations. For example, subject lines with the word "now" scored an open rate of 31.73%. This specificity sets an expectation and allows readers to picture a clear outcome.

Another important consideration is mobile optimization. Litmus found that most people open emails on their mobile phones. While the average subject line is 44 characters long, mobile phones can only accommodate around 33 characters in the field of view. This means that shorter subject lines are more likely to be fully visible on mobile devices, increasing the chances of them being opened.

To summarize, to increase email open rates with H2H (human-to-human) subject lines:

1. Focus on addressing the reader's needs and desires, highlighting what's in it for them.
2. Tap into the power of curiosity by incorporating the five dimensions of curiosity into your subject lines.
3. Ensure your subject lines are specific and set clear expectations, avoiding generic personalization techniques.

By implementing these strategies, you can improve your email open rates and create meaningful connections with your audience. Remember, the key is to always put the reader first and deliver value with each email you send.