100+ Best Email Subject Lines to Boost Open Rate

How do you think you could make a good first impression on your audience with emails? Show them a good email subject line in their inboxes. With the latter, you catch the user's eye and push them to open the email.

Writing good subject lines is a pretty tricky task that requires quite a bit of creativity. It is vital to create subject lines your subscribers would be willing to click on right away. 

In this blog post, we will share over 100 best catchy email subject lines for open rates in 2022-2023 and tips on how to write the best email subject lines that will be a powerful addition to your email marketing campaign.

Let’s start with the subject line examples.

Email subject line examples that work

Not only did we search for the best examples, but also grouped them for your convenience:

Good email subject lines that include sales and discounts

No matter how much money we make, we always want to save some. This means that words like “discounts”, “sales”, “price dropped”, "stop wasting money", "earn double points today" and “off” in your email subject lines will drive higher open rates. Check these sales email subject lines from well-known companies that use them in their sales emails.

• A deal that seems impossible… — Grammarly Premium.

• You've officially got $40 in FREE GapCash to spend! — GapCash.

• 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% — Gap Factory.

• BIGGER deals just dropped! —> Use your $40 GapCash — GapCash.

• 50% OFF: ✅Tees ✅Shorts ✅Activewear ✅Sweats — Gap.

• Congrats Class of 2021 | 20% Off All Gifts — M&M’s.

• It's a Celebration! Up to 80% Off Anniversary Sale — Bellacor.com.

• Just Because We Miss You... Save 30% — SkinCareRx.

• Hanna, Start Your Week with 30% Off Food — Prezzo.

(Source: Email from Prezzo)

Best email subject lines that stimulate customer’s curiosity

Those may be email subject lines with questions or the ones that are pretty controversial. In other words, this type of email subject lines that raises a question and hints the answer is in the email. Check this subject line examples from famous brands that did excellent job in creating them for their newsletter campaigns.

• Open If You Dare! — AshleyStewart.com.

• A marriage proposal inside — PicMonkey.

• We can't stop smiling... — Bite.

• The Nominations Are In… — Greats.

• What is the danger of triskaidekaphobia? — Stripo.

• Open for an interesting surprise! — Grammarly Premium.

• Hey, you headed to the office? — Greats.

• Name a more iconic duo. We'll wait. — Gap.

• Moments of Ahhh — Athleta.

• Small Yet Mighty — Brighton.

• Hey now, you're an all-star — Really Good Emails.

• Crello goes funky — Crello.

• This email may cause drowsiness — Chubbies.

• Did Someone Say Glamour — Victoria’s Secret.

• Class is in session! — Gap Factory.

• Hey, It's Your Nike Hi-Five! — Nike.

• Robinhood slapped with biggest-ever penalty by Wall Street regulator — CNN Business: Markets Now.

• Once in a Full Moon… — Vermont Teddy Bear.

• You can still be a unicorn! — Etsy.

• You deserve something new… — Burkes Outlet.

• Tell me you’re a marketer without telling me you’re a marketer — Campaign Monitor.

• Chills, Thrills, and Non-Stop Entertainment! — Warner Bros Animation.

• Halloween game ON POINT!??? — Warner Bros. Animation.

• I’m really excited about this… — Jeff Bullas.

• ​​Your next step! — Wildist.

• Join us in fighting hunger — Starbucks.

(Source: Email from Starbucks)

Vanity email subject lines

Let’s confess that we are all a little vain about ourselves and like being high-valued. Let your customers feel respected and special seeing right subject line in their inboxes.

We hope these attention-grabbing email subject lines will encourage you to write a similar one for your email marketing campaign.

• Be the first to experience it — Samsung.

• [3-MINUTE SURVEY] We want to know what you think! — WWF.

• Be a VIP in the City or Explore the Jungle — The Forbes Travel Guide.

• Being a member has its perks — Adidas.

• Our birthday gift to you — Banana Republic.

• Living the Dream — Victoria's Secret.

• You’re part of the family now — eve Sleep.

• We only have eyes for you — 1-800 CONTACTS.

• Style icons spotted in MV — Monica Vinader.

(Source: Email from Monica Vinader)

Best email subject lines that highlight important information

In these great subject lines, you get straight to the point. You do say what the email is about. But subscribers need to open it to get the details. Read through these email subject line examples to see what we are talking about and apply the knowledge on your email campaign.

• “Why I Changed My Instagram Strategy”: Tips from an Ecwid Seller — Ecwid Blog.

• You can help end food waste — WWF.

• Family dinner is a tap away — KFC.

• Explore Autumn-Ready Cosy Interiors — Tom Raffield LTD.

• Drive E.U. Sales with New VAT Compliance — Practical Ecommerce.

• My Google rankings dropped — why and how to fix it?? — Stacy from Serpstat.

• Look Who's Back: The Jones Espadrille — Greats.

• Google has changed the way of forming Title in snippets? — Stacy from Serpstat.

• The Big Lie About Protein — Apple News.

• What’s the secret to customer loyalty? — Jenna at dotdigital.

• This Is How You Create Reports Like a Pro — MarketingProfs Update.

• How the Most Innovative Brands Approach Growth — GrowthHackers.

• Investors are terrified ... of missing out on the market rally — CNN Business: Markets Now.

• How food futurist Liz Moskow sees the year shaping up — Restaurant Business.

• Travel smarter with flight deals and low fares. — SkyScanner.

• Who Influences the Influencers? — Adweek.

• Your weekly digital marketing briefing — Dotdigital.

• What's new for June — IFTTT.

• Marketing automation isn't easy. But we know a secret... — User.com.

• [GUIDE] Discover the four pillars of omnichannel success — Big Commerce.

• Australian Marketplaces You Should Know — Power Retail.

• How might ESG metrics impact executive incentives? — Willis Towers Watson.

• Stripo + Your Email Service Provider✔️ — Stripo.

(Source: Email from Stripo) 

Best email subject lines that are funny

Funny subject lines are the definition of “Clickbait email subject lines” because people need to smile and laugh. News can be depressing, most emails in our inboxes are pretty serious. Stand out and make your customers smile with a funny subject line. Or at least appeal to some sweet emotions like in these good email subject lines.

• About Last Night — Victoria’s Secret.

• Go Big (Cuts) or Go Home — D'Artagnan.

• Caution: Extraordinary shorts inside — Chubbies.

• Her Name Is Not Honey Boo Boo — Pocket.

• You don't have a trucker jacket???? — Chubbies.

• MATH ALERT — Chubbies.

• Your Butt Has Summer Plans — Everlane.

• When’s the last time you… — Really Good Emails.

• Is It Hot in Here or Is It This Burger? — Adweek.

• Fang-tastic Halloween Treats For Ghouls, Goblins, Witches, Warlocks.... You!!! — Amy's Candy Kitchen.

• Two razors for your friends (on us) — Harry’s.

• Woof — Warby Parker.

(Source: Really Good Emails) 

Best email subject lines that appeal to emotions

As we know, appealing to customers' emotions is essential in email marketing — 95% of all purchases are emotional. Writing subject lines that touch emotions is a wise method to increase the effectiveness of your emails. See our bundle of effective email subject lines that appeal to emotions of famous brands' customers.

• Elephants on a crowded planet - Here’s what you can do to help — WWF.

• We’re celebrating our 15th birthday (and YOU!) — charity: water.

• Take steps to protect the planet! — WWF.

• It’s not just driving. It’s therapy. Stay Driven. — Porsche.

• Run for The Oceans — Adidas.

• For years to come — Charity Water.

• Treat Dad with the BEST GIFT EVER + 20% Off! — M&M’s.

• A mother’s love is something special — Epilepsy Foundation.

• Be nature's Valentine: Join WWF's Race for Love — WWF.

• Hanna, let us make this a winter to remember — Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

(Source: Email from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)

Best email subject lines that announce events or product launches

Recipients might not have time to read every email they get from you. But they might be waiting for a certain event or new product from you. 

Be sure to mention your event in the email subject lines for a product launch or event invitation emails. Check these great subject lines from various brands that notify and announce some of their events.

• Psst... Coming Soon… Shh, for your eyes only — Monica Vinader.

• The Deals You've Been Waiting For — Fall Scent Event from Victoria's Secret.

• Sean & Heard — Gap.

• The wait is over — Monica Vinader.

• Paint Options and Free Supercharging — Tesla.

• You’re invited — Brighton.

• [Webinar] How to Grow SMS Subscribers Before Black Friday & Cyber Monday — Adweek Partner.

• Get Ready — Livestream Cybertruck Unveil — Tesla.

• Change is a step away — Everlane.

• Meet Black Pepper — ORGANIC INDIA.

• One month to go! — Building Design.

• ? Time to put on your mask and celebrate Batman Day — WB Games.

(Source: Email from WB Games)

Best email subject lines for event-triggered emails

Event-triggered emails require concise and direct copy both in email body and in the subject line.

• Local Availability—Model 3 and Model Y — Tesla.

• Reminder: we'd love your help — Ann Handley, MarketingProfs.

• Reminder! Code FRIEND expires in 3, 2, 1… — Gap.

• New login to Instagram from Chrome on Mac OS X — Instagram.

• Google Workspace Update: Switch to the new desktop Google Chat app before March 30, 2021 — Google Workspace Updates

• Enjoyed it? — Netflix.

• This is goodbye. Here's why … — HubSpot.

• Whoops!... You might need this link instead… — OptimMonster.

(Source: Email from OptimMonster)

Best email subject lines that are personalized

Let customers know this email was crafted for them by either reminding them you have communicated before and now they are waiting for your email or by addressing them by name. 

Did you know that addressing by name in email subject lines increases the open rates by 26%?

• Love NYC? These Are Made For You! — Maybelline New York

• [POP QUIZ] See how your email program scores — Litmus.

• Hanna's Personal Class Recommendations — Skillshare.

• New to your feed: 17 ideas in Web banner design, Cars… — Pinterest.

• 15 Disney Memes Pins you might like — Pinterest.

(Source: Email from Pinterest)

If you want to show your promo image to customers before they even open the email, please refer to our “Gmail New Promotions Tab Guide” or watch a video below.

Best email subject lines that communicate urgency

Your sale is about to end soon? Let your customers know about it. It would be best if you gave them a deadline to urge them to act right away.

• We're sorry, but… — It’s the final countdown — Brooklinen.

• Last Call for Christmas delivery! — Decathlon.

• Limited Edition Collectible Helmets — Scuderia Ferrari Online Store.

• Last Chance for 15% Off Bulk Candy! — M&M’s.

• Last chance: an Extra 10% OFF ends tonight — Boden.

(Source: Email from Boden)

Certainly, in this case, it’s preferable to add a countdown timer in your email to be consistent.

Best email subject lines that show you care

We all love being cherished and cared for. Please show your clients your main goal is not to sell but to be helpful to clients. Certainly, if this is true. Perhaps some email subject line from this collection will inspire you to create a great email subject line for your own newsletter.

• Need a Gift Idea? We Got You Covered! — M&M’s.

• Stay Warmed Up All Season — Athleta.

• Mix & Match: Denim & Tees—BOGO Half Off — Lucky Brand.

• Upgrade your bedding! — Brooklinen.

• Start your day with something delicious — Starbucks.

• Sophisticated styles for every day — Nike.

• You Can't Go Wrong With These Bestsellers — Lucky Brand.

• Sweet ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day ❤️  — Starbucks.

• Sweeten Your Celebration — M&M’s.

(Source: Email from M&M’s) 

Tips to great newsletter subject lines that get opened

According to CoSchedule, 35% of email recipients decide whether to open an email or not judging by the email subject line alone, while 69% of recipients report email as spam and throw it in a spam folder, driven by the same reason.

We have thoroughly researched the web and asked our email service provider to conduct a short survey to provide you with the following tips for writing impactful email subject lines:

• watch the length of your email subject lines. Gmail desktop shows 70 characters of your email subject lines, while Android Portrait on mobile devices shows only 35;

• use numbers in your email subject lines. They grab recipient's attention — preferably, write them in numerals, not letters;

• personal subject line makes customers feel special and valued, so use them to your advantage;

• avoid spam words and punctuation like multiple exclamation points at all cost if you don't want your emails end up in spam filters;

• add descriptive preheader text;

• be direct and concise when creating your subject line(unless it is a teaser email);

• use intriguing email subject lines;

• stand out — don’t be afraid to be funny in your subject line when it’s reasonable;

• if you are an e-commerce website, urge your customers and notify them in your subject line of how many days the sale will last;

• don't hesitate to tweak your email subject line to match your brand voice;

• include emojis to spice up your email subject line;

• use conversational words to invoke the fear of missing out a great deal;

• even though you don't want to be overly promotional, you shouldn't be afraid to be direct either;

• look at your own inbox to see how others create their subject lines. Write down the hits to try in your next subject line.

How to add a subject line and preheader to your emails with Stripo

To add a subject and preheader to your emails, you need to:

• click the Settings button above the template;

• enter your email subject line in a respective field;

• enter preheader text if you like. If you do not feel like writing and adding any preheader text, just activate the Fill in with white space option. Otherwise, recipients will see the first elements of your email as the preheader text.

For your convenience, Stripo counts the number of characters you enter in both fields. 

Thank you for your time and for reading this blog post. I hope that the tips and these great examples given here will help you write email subject lines that will amaze your audience and bring you sky-high open rates.

Set good email subject lines and preheaders for your email marketing campaigns. Spice them up with emojis. Stand out in the crowd