How to Write the Perfect Ecommerce Email Subject Line

5. Rethinking the traditional subject line

We have already established that writing successful email subject lines requires you to be engaging, informative and clear using fewer than 70 characters. The problem is actually compounding, because mobile devices are increasingly the go-to option for checking email, especially among younger consumers. Many Millennials have migrated to exclusively using mobile devices for email, online shopping, etc. So, you probably have to learn how to be witty and concise in even fewer characters to get your point across to the recipient. Thankfully, the brilliant developers of the world have a creative solution for you.

Emojis & emoticons

Try incorporating emojis into your email subject lines. That’s right, emojis; the cutesy ideograms that have become synonymous with youth Internet culture. No, they are not just for young people (I personally know of several mothers who text their adult children using emojis regularly), and they are not necessarily unprofessional assuming you use them correctly. Are you someone who is immediately repulsed by the mere thought of sending an emoji? You are definitely not alone. That is a perfectly valid maxim to follow in your personal interactions, but if you want to do more with your brand’s email subject lines you should probably get over your aversion.

When you think about it, emojis actually make perfect sense in a marketing world beset by strict character limits and fleeting attention spans. They are a way to convey multiple characters’ — and sometimes multiple words’ — worth of information in a single image. They are optimized for viewing on mobile devices and they have the ability to instantly inspire emotion in the minds of the reader.

Find ways to use emojis where they will make the biggest difference. If you are incorporating a word with many characters, consider if there is an emoji or a combination of emojis that could convey the same message. Think about how much space you can save by replacing “Christmas” with the Christmas tree emoji, or how the concept of “celebration” pops on the screen when you replace it with a party hat or balloons. More and more people are discovering creative ways to convey incredible amounts of information with strategic use of emojis.

Actor Kyle MacLachlan recently posted a tweet consisting entirely of 41 consecutive emojis that were meant to summarize the plot of the 1984 sci-fi film, Dune, in which he starred. It was very unique and creative, but in a business setting it is important to remember that clarity is always the first priority.

A study by Experian found that 56% of brands they surveyed reported increased open rates after incorporating emojis. It is clear that this is not just a tool for teens texting each other; it has legitimate business value in the right circumstances.

Naturally though, many brands have been slow to adopt the use of emojis. Of the 27,879,642 emails we analyzed, we found only 113,481 — or 0.4% — of those emails delivered had at least one emoji in their subject line. However, we also noticed that emails which included emojis and emoticons had significantly higher open rates than the overall average (55.11%).

That said, there are some best practices that should be followed when using emojis in your email subject lines. First, as is the case with any marketing initiative, make sure that its use is compatible with your brand in general and the message you are sending specifically. If you are a formal menswear company targeting bankers and corporate executives, your customer might be slightly averse to purchasing from a brand that communicates in emojis. A fun streetwear company, on the other hand, would have a much easier time connecting with their audience through emojis.

Also, it is recommended to test your emoji-filled subject lines with small groups of your subscribers initially in order to determine if the practice would have a positive or negative effect. This is another area where you can turn to A/B testing to see how different subsets respond to the same content with and without emojis. And while you are in the habit of testing, it is necessary to test your emojis across various mobile and desktop operating systems, as well as different email clients, to ensure that they are formatting correctly for your entire audience. Emojis may have been created specifically for mobile phones, but that does not mean that all of them will render perfectly across every platform.

Finally, use common sense and do not barrage your customers with an endless string of incomprehensible emojis. Emojis are simply another tool to help you communicate your message clearly and effectively, and if using them complicates the process you need to take a step back. Even the best tools can be overused if you are not careful.