The average individual receives over 100 emails daily across their work and personal accounts. Let that sink in for a second. With that much noise appearing in your customers’ inboxes, how can your email marketing stand out in a deep sea of cluttered inboxes? Standing out from the crowd is paramount. 

And why is this so? Well, 99% of email users check their inbox every day, with 60% saying that marketing emails have influenced their purchases and 50% buying something from a marketing email at least once per month.

The power of email marketing is apparent if executed correctly. Being able to convert through email marketing is a potent tool in your revenue-generating arsenal, but if your emails won’t even be opened by your customers, you can say goodbye to this value. 

So, what can you do?

The key to catching your customers’ attention and piquing their interest lies in crafting compelling subject lines. In this article, we delve into the significance of subject lines and uncover how Clerk's suite of products, especially our Audience and Email Recommendations tools, can supercharge your e-commerce business. 

Key Takeaways

• Master the art of crafting concise, engaging subject lines that align with your email content.
• Optimize subject line length to ensure visibility across all devices and platforms.
• Incorporate numbers and specific wording to increase click-through rates.
• Maintain integrity by delivering on the promise of your subject lines.
• Leverage Clerk's Audience tool for targeted email campaigns that resonate with your recipients' interests and preferences.

Why are subject lines so important? Unlocking the power of subject lines

Before we begin, we need to give a nod to Campaign Monitor's insightful article that outlines seven key considerations for crafting impactful subject lines. Drawing inspiration from their findings, we're diving into why subject lines matter more than ever. 

Subject lines aren't just a formality; they're often the first (and sometimes only) impression you'll make on your audience. This is why long, ambiguous, or uninspired subject lines spell disaster for your open rates. You need to catch a reader’s interest.

Your subject lines should exude professionalism, brevity, and most importantly, pique curiosity. And, it also needs to provide the necessary information, promote your brand and sell your products.

Yes, this sounds like a tall order. But fear not. We're here to break it down for you.

• Optimal length for subject lines ranges from around 17 to 24 characters, which ensures visibility across both mobile and desktop platforms. You can still go over this, but just keep in mind that the last characters might be cut off on devices with smaller screens.
• Incorporating numbers into your subject lines can turbocharge engagement, boosting click-through rates by a whopping 200%. This is also seen with blog posts, so you can take this tip and apply it to both.
• Remember that less is more. Concise and specific wording reigns supreme.
• And here's the golden rule: ensure your subject line aligns with the content of your email and is relevant to the recipient.

Related: Learn how you can find new customers and re-engage existing ones by mastering email segmentation.

Practical tip 1: Crafting killer subject lines

To illustrate the power of effective subject lines, let's dissect a rather bad example. Take the following subject line: “Hello there, friend! Check out our large selection of fantastic once-in-a-lifetime bargains." 

This headline would not catch my attention. It’s lengthy and vague. Mobile phones would absolutely cut off the most important part of that message: the mention of bargains. It’s also hard to ascertain what the email is even talking about. 

But something like… "Today only: 40% off games." Now, that is short, snappy, and irresistibly enticing. It immediately grabs my attention, as it tells me exactly how much I could save and which products are on sale.

But don’t worry, we're not advocating clickbait tactics here. As long as your business actually delivers on the promise of your email, then you are absolutely fine. No one likes feeling betrayed by a company halfway through an email. It's all about striking the right balance between intrigue and integrity.

Further reading: Eva Solo optimized the customer experience with personalized content and emails to see a 125% higher average order value.

How to create targeted email campaigns with Clerk's Audience tool

Now that you've mastered the art of crafting attention-grabbing subject lines, let's talk about targeting the right audience. You may not be the best writer, but no email will catch the attention of your audience if they just don’t care about the content. After all, even the most captivating subject line falls flat if it doesn't resonate with its recipients.

Enter Clerk's Audience tool, your secret weapon for laser-focused email campaigns. With a few clicks, you can pinpoint the perfect recipients based on their interests, preferences, and purchasing behavior. You’ll now find the perfect customers for any product, category, or brand, whether it's kilts, Apple headphones, or cookies and cream-flavored protein powder, we've got you covered.

Practical tip 2: Creating audience segments

1. Start by noting down at least 20 categories, brands, or types of products, depending on what you sell.
2. Using the “Interested In” parameters, Clerk will return Audience segments you can send highly relevant emails to.
3. Use our tips above to create sharp subject lines matching the items they are most likely to interact with.

We have seen this in practice. Using Clerk’s Audience tool combined with Email, our customers have seen the following:

• 78% increase in orders impacted
• 35% increase conversion rate
• 77% order value increase
• 17% basket size increase.

By tailoring your subject lines to match each recipient's preferences, you'll witness a surge in open rates and conversion rates. It's not just about sending emails; it's about sending the right emails to the right people.

Related: Discover our Audience best practices.

In conclusion: Elevate your e-commerce email marketing with Clerk. 

In summation, mastering the art of subject lines and targeted email campaigns is your ticket to e-commerce success. With Clerk in your tech arsenal, you'll attract, convert, and retain customers like never before.

And remember, in the ever-evolving landscape of online retail, staying ahead of the curve is non-negotiable. Let's revolutionize your e-commerce journey, one subject line at a time.