137 Best Email Marketing Subject Lines
& Templates that Get Attention

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines

The best email marketing subject lines are those that trigger a response that gets your subscriber to open, read, scroll, click, and engage with your email.

Let me explain their purpose and some helpful tips in more detail real quick, and then I’ll share 137 of the best email marketing subject lines and templates that will make writing them easier and inspire you when writing your own.

In my early days of email marketing, when I wasn't selling anything, I would simply send content to my subscribers.

I would send hundreds, sometimes thousands of subscribers to my webpages and would watch the Google Analytics number jump in real time with glee.

I used to measure my email marketing success based on having a high open rate but learned very quickly that the real measure of success was in how many subscribers were taking action (i.e. clicking on links) within my emails.

The subject line is the first thing your subscriber sees, and they will decide in their brain (within milliseconds) whether or not your email is worth opening or not.

Over the years, I've learned that the purpose of the subject line is to get the open and the purpose of the body copy is to sell the click.

But, I've also come to understand that your subject line has the power to begin the process of "selling" the content of your email before the subscriber even opens it.

Most importantly, the best email marketing subject lines do 3 things, they get:

  1. The attention of the right subscribers
  2. The subscribers to open
  3. The subscriber to take your desired action
Best Email Marketing Subject Lines


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4 types of subject lines

There are 4 different types of subject lines:

  1. Blind or Curiosity (away from pain, not knowing)
  2. Direct or Benefit (toward pleasure, gain)
  3. Urgency or Scarcity (away from pain, missing out)
  4. Proof or Results (toward pleasure, it can work for me)

Using all four in your campaigns is a must because it will give your subscribers different reasons to open emails that are often about the same thing.

Every person is wired differently, but all of us tend to do one of two things, we either move toward pleasure or away from pain.

By using these 4 types of subject lines you will be able to determine what is most motivating to your subscribers.

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines

The importance of sender reputation

While there are many tips and ways to stand out in subject lines to get your emails noticed, author Ian Brodie suggests that the biggest factor in getting people to open his emails “has nothing to do with the email itself but rather who the sender is”.

In his book “Email Persuasion”, Ian gives the example of how we will open, read, and click on emails from people we have a good relationship with anytime of the day or night, regardless of what is contained in the email.

He describes how crucial it is to establish a good reputation with a new subscriber within the first few welcome emails.

CampaignMonitor stated "Given its prominence, it’s unsurprising that 68% of Americans say they base their decision to open an email on the “from” name".

If you are real, provide value, and even entertain a little, you will get your subscribers to OPEN your emails.

If you consistently get them to take action and engage with the content, you will build a loyal subscriber base that will make it a habit of clicking and consuming the emails you send.

In my opinion, the best email marketing subject lines strike a balance between being attention grabbing and relevant, while respecting the relationship you have with your subscribers.

When your subscribers know they can trust you and that your email content will be worth their time they will associate your emails with positive outcomes.

Once you establish your name and reputation, creating an effective subject line is the next step to get people to open your email.

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines

A quick and easy way to determine if the subject lines you’re writing will be effective and attention grabbing is by following a clever idea I learned about from marketer Ken Countess.

It’s called the 2-2-2 principle.

The first (2) is for the first 2 seconds you have to get your subscribers attention and compel them to open your email. 

The second (2) is for the first 2 words of your headline, that’s really all they read before they make a decision of whether they’ll even finish reading the subject line, let alone open and engage with your email.

The third (2) is for Today. “Why is this e-mail important to your subscriber today?” If you can answer that question as close to the first two words as possible, more people will stop and open your message. 

Examples: “You won’t believe what we have in the store”, or “Only people who read this will do this tomorrow”

Ken suggests writing your subject line after you’ve written and designed your next email campaign because you will have a much better idea of what the purpose of your email is after doing so. 

Recently, I was listening an email marketing podcast I like, The Email Marketing Show, they gave some helpful insight for creating subject lines that get attention. 

They suggest using viral words or common relevant phrases, in subject lines to capture more attention (ex. Yeet, YOLO, shade, flex, TLDR, I’m dead [thats funny]).

Unsure what these phrase are? 

Consider your ideal customer’s age and then run a Google search for “trendy phrases of [YEAR]”. 


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Another formula Ian shares comes from copywriter Gary Bencivenga and it reads:

I = B + C

Interest = Benefits + Curiosity

How do we come up with the benefits you might ask?

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines

The easiest way is to think of who your ideal customer or client is and brainstorm what types of goals, aspirations, problems, and issues they have.

Write down a list of these things.

Next, write down a list of curiosity elements.

They could consist of:

  1. Disagreeing with mainstream beliefs/being controversial (i.e. Why healthy food isn’t actually healthy?)
  2. Adding a number (odd and specific numbers grab attention and establish the most legitimacy)
  3. Using emotion (They’re trying to cancel Good Friday services…Again!)
  4. Associating a topic with something unexpected (What Brad Pitt taught me about swimming)
  5. Tying in news and current affairs (What the Johnny Depp case means for your marketing)
  6. Mentioning a well known expert (Richard Simmons' most favorite workouts)
  7. Sharing your mistakes and/or embarrassing moments (The WORST investment I ever made)

Finally, add the B and C together and BAM! you’ll have a variety of the best email marketing subject lines that focus on your subscribers/potential customers interests.

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines

If you write and send emails often, circumstances can sometimes make it difficult to think up the best email marketing subject lines.

When this happens, don’t worry, I’ve got ya covered. 

I have put together a list of the best email marketing subject lines and templates that you can use on the fly or when your brain quits working.

The templates are first.

Following the templates are a mix of different subject lines from different business sectors I have collected over the years that I found to be highly persuasive and sell not just the open, but the click. 

Feel free to copy, paste, and modify them for the emails you send.

Consider bookmarking this page to return to it as much as you need (Ctrl + D on a PC, Cmnd + D on Mac)


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Best Email Marketing Subject Lines Templates

Russell Brunson

Hacks

  1. (Number of solutions) secrets of (Main Keyword Phrase)
  2. Create Your Dream (Big Thing your audience wants)
  3. The real secret to (Main Keyword Phrase, Big Thing your audience wants)
  4. How to avoid (Big pain your audience wants to avoid) forever
  5. (Main Keyword Phrase): (Result Your Audience wants) in half the time!
  6. (Your brand name) (Number of solutions) simple ways to (Result Your Audience wants)
  7. (Number of solutions) shortcuts for (Main Keyword Phrase)
  8. Top (Number of solutions) tips for your (Big Thing your audience wants)
  9. (Number of solutions) ways to save money and (Result Your Audience wants)
  10. (Result Your Audience wants) in (Number of solutions) days or pay nothing
  11. For avoiding (Big pain your audience wants to avoid), this works like crazy...
  12. The fastest path to (Main Keyword Phrase)
  13. Here's an example of what works to (Result Your Audience wants)
  14. Here's a shortcut to (Result Your Audience wants)
  15. The best way I know to get a (Big Thing your audience wants)
  16. A great (Main Keyword Phrase) resource I just found
  17. Break this (Big Thing your audience wants) 'rule' for success

Plan, Report

  1. (Main Keyword Phrase) Template & Report 
  2. Can I Give You A (Main Keyword Phrase) Plan?
  3. Step-By-Step (Main Keyword Phrase) Process
  4. A Detailed (Main Keyword Phrase) Plan ((Result Your Audience wants) This Week)
  5. Swipe this (Main Keyword Phrase) cheat sheet
  6. Free (Main Keyword Phrase) Training Video...
  7. The Key To (Main Keyword Phrase)
  8. Best (Main Keyword Phrase) Training Anywhere...
  9. YOUR step-by-step (Main Keyword Phrase) plan...
  10. Ultimate (Main Keyword Phrase) Game-Plan
  11. Details on my #1 (Main Keyword Phrase) resource (or tool)
  12. {FIRSTNAME} More (Main Keyword Phrase) - Less (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)
  13. Here's Your "(Big Thing your audience wants)" Checklist
  14. (Your brand name) Get your (Main Keyword Phrase) questions answered
  15. What all (Your Target Audience, Plural) need to know about (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)
  16. (Your Target Audience, Plural): Get the (Main Keyword Phrase) help you need
  17. This ruins most (Your Target Audience, Plural)

How to / Strategy

  1. (Main Keyword Phrase) How-To
  2. Fastest Way To (Result Your Audience wants)
  3. (Your brand name) How to Survive (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)...
  4. How to overcome (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)...
  5. This (Big Thing your audience wants) tip is almost too easy
  6. 5 (Main Keyword Phrase) Lessons Learned from (Current news topic)
  7. "(Current news topic)" tactics for (Your Target Audience, Plural)
  8. How to thrive with (Main Keyword Phrase)
  9. How I avoided (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)

Problems / Frustrations / Mistakes

  1. Frustrated trying to (Result Your Audience wants)?
  2. (Number of solutions) Solutions to overcome (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)...
  3. Why Your (Big Thing your audience wants) Won't work...
  4. How to survive (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)
  5. {FIRSTNAME} Avoid (Big pain your audience wants to avoid), still (Result Your Audience wants)
  6. (Number of solutions) Ways to Avoid (Big pain your audience wants to avoid)
  7. The scary truth about (Main Keyword Phrase)
  8. Here's the bad news about how to (Result Your Audience wants)
  9. Avoid The #1 (Big Thing your audience wants) Mistake...
  10. The biggest (Main Keyword Phrase) mistake (Your Target Audience, Plural) make
  11. How's your (Main Keyword Phrase) working?
  12. My #1 (Main Keyword Phrase) Secret
  13. RE: Your (Main Keyword Phrase)
  14. What I learned from (Current news topic)
  15. (Your brand name) Just checking in
  16. {FIRSTNAME}, I need your help
  17. Are you using this (Main Keyword Phrase) tool?
  18. Take the (Big pain your audience wants to avoid) prevention test...
  19. (Main Keyword Phrase) Details...
  20. {FIRSTNAME}, About your (Main Keyword Phrase) success
  21. (Big Thing your audience wants) in (Number of solutions) days or its free
  22. (Result Your Audience wants) or get a refund
  23. Get (Big Thing your audience wants) in (Number of solutions) days or your money back


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More of the best email marketing subject lines I have saved from great Content Writers and turned into templates...

Mashable

  1. Cool (PERSON) wore a backwards hat on vacation
  2. Hilarious photo series shows the alarmingly normal lives of (PERSON)
  3. People are fuming over (SOMETHING)
  4. My response to the (COOLEST/WORST) (TYPE OF MESSAGE/CALL/VOICEMAIL/EMAIL) I've ever received
  5. Watch this horrifying (THING HAPPEN)
  6. (X) takes aim at (X) with (X) (an even lower minimum for free shipping)
  7. This is possibly the most hilariously brilliant (X) (sports interview of all time)
  8. Surprise: (PERSON) is pretty (ADJECTIVE) about (SOMETHING/PERSON) (Trump and Putin's relationship)
  9. We finally know when (SOMETHING)(Outlander) will (DO SOMETHING) (return for Season 3)
  10. Truth can be found through (SOMETHING) (this 8-year-old wearing a clown costume in family picture)
  11. Introducing the (COOL THING) (little robot arm) that can (DO SOMETHING COOL) (recreate anything you draw)
  12. Man instantly regrets (DOING SOMETHING) (taking retired racehorse for gentle countryside trot)


Digital Marketer

  1. Do You Recognize the [number] Early Warning Signs of [blank]?
  2. If You Don’t [blank] Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later
  3. The Biggest Lie In [your industry]
  4. Don’t Try [blank] Without [desired action] First
  5. [blank] May Be Dangerous To [something precious]
  6. Why you shouldn’t [do what I desire them to do]
  7. Why [blank] Fails and [blank] Succeeds
  8. The Ugly Truth About [blank]
  9. Your [blank] Doesn’t Want You To Read This [blank]
  10. The Sooner You Know [blank] The Better
  11. Where [desired result] Is And How To Get It
  12. Stop [undesired result]
  13. Little Known Ways to [blank]
  14. How to turn [blank] into [desired result]
  15. How To Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of
  16. Get [desired result] Without Losing [blank]


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And finally, here are my collection of the best email marketing subject lines that have grabbed my attention, got me to open, and take action:

Best Email Marketing Subject Lines - Examples

eBay - Online Retail Auction Website

  1. Your day is about to get (even) better
  2. Have you forgotten something, Luke? Shop in the name of love...
  3. See what everyone's got their eye on
  4. It's tax refund season. Start treating yourself!
  5. eBay's most sought and most bought
  6. Wanted: eBay’s most popular items!
  7. Your name’s all over this.
  8. Luke, see what everyone’s got their eye on.


Center for American Liberty - Charitable Organization

  1. The terrifying reality we’ve warned about
  2. Did you see this Ron DeSantis video?
  3. A dangerous new normal
  4. This is the sick and twisted world we’re living in
  5. Do you stand for religious liberty?
  6. What are they hiding?
  7. BREAKING NEWS: Twitter lawsuit
  8. this can’t happen, Luke
  9. We’d be nothing without them
  10. I KNEW this was going to happen! Did you?


Priceline - Travel Website

  1. Psst. These are your personalized travel deals
  2. Good News Travels Fast - Low Rental Car Rates
  3. Experience more travel while paying less
  4. Cue the confetti! Travel deals worth celebrating


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Chili’s - Restaurant

  1. Luke, time to cash in your chips! 🌟👏
  2. That was fun. Let’s do it again soon!
  3. Luke, your monthly challenges are waiting!
  4. Don't miss your chance in the sun 😎🌊
  5. The wait is over. ⏰ Our merch store is open!🎉


Jim Edwards - Copywriter

  1. [JimE] This email mistake cost me a small fortune :(
  2. [JimE] Pay Attention To The Parts That Aren’t Fun… (That’s Usually Where The Money Is!)
  3. [JimE] Your Backstory and Why It's So Important
  4. [JimE] 🔮What Are the Magic Words That Make People Buy?
  5. [JimE]  📝 Is Your “To Do List” Ruining Your Life? 😳
  6. [JimE] 🖐 Five Steps to Getting Anything You Want (and Stop the Struggle)  🛑
  7. [JimE] 🥇 The #1 Factor In Success (or Survival)! 😎


Self Sufficient Backyards - Off-grid Living Website 

  1. #1 Item To Hoard in 2022
  2. Avoid Doing This on Your Property. It Can Get You Arrested!
  3. Strange Ways to Grow Potatoes In a Tiny Space
  4. 10 Things To Do On The Day The Economy Collapses
  5. Dangerous Insects That Are Actually Good For Your Garden
  6. What To Do If You Catch Your Neighbor Snooping Around
  7. 9 Wild Edibles You Should Forage This Spring
  8. Lemon and salt water (19 reasons)
  9. Home Cleaning Mistakes That Can Cost You Your Life


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Conclusion

The best email marketing subject lines are those that can capture your audience's attention, keep them interested, and lead them to action.

While there are tactics and techniques to get attention, it is essential that you build a solid reputation of trust with your subscribers, so that no matter when or what you send, they know it will be valuable and bring them a positive outcome.


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