• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, May 8, 2015

A new study from email marketing agency Alchemy Worx, reported in DMNnews, reveals which email subject line words are more likely to prompt an open, and which ones turn readers off. Dela Quist, founder and CEO, says “… a single word can make a dramatic difference… ”

Strategists searched a database of more than 21 billion emails to compare and cull the best and worst performing words in the subject line. The agency looked at the top and bottom words overall, and then sorted for varying industries. They determined exactly how much better, or worse, these words performed compared to average email open rates, and also highlight the best- and worst-performing symbols in the email subject line.

According to the report, the top five words overall that brands can use to prompt more opens are: upgrade, just, content, go, and wonderful.

Equally as interesting, says the report, are the overall worst-performing words: miss, deals!, groovy, conditions, and Friday!. Monday, ironically, is the worst performing word for the media industry; groovy is the worst for retailers, says the report.

Things shift dramatically, however, by industry, says the report. The top word for the entertainment industry, for example, is content:

• For retailers the top words are painting (+18%), ships (+13%), please ( +7%), notice (+6%), and recipe (+5%)
• The top word in the travel industry is about (+26%)
• Consumer services is wonderful (+55%)
• For the technology industry, upgrade (+66%)

Symbols and emojis are becoming more common in email subject lines, says the report. The best-performing symbol is a snowman (+65%), followed by an emoji of the sun (+21%), and a star (+11%). The worst symbol is a human figure pointing to the right (-9.52%).

Quist concludes that “… each business has to determine what's best for itself and its customers… whether (or not) email marketers follow these findings, they need to look at the finer details… the subject line is the most important part of an email… “

For additional information, please visit Direct Marketing News here.