Email Copywriting Tips for Emails That Get Opened and Clicked

Write Subject Lines That Earn the Open

The subject line decides whether anything else gets read. It competes with dozens of other messages in the inbox, often on a phone screen that cuts it off after a few words. Put the most important words first.

Be specific about what is inside. "Your March invoice is ready" or "3 ways to cut your shipping costs" tells the reader what they get. Vague lines like "Big news" or "Don't miss this" rely on curiosity, which wears thin quickly. Avoid all caps, piles of punctuation and false urgency. They look like spam to readers and can hurt how mailbox providers treat your emails.

• Lead with the benefit or the key fact
• Keep the core message in the first few words
• Match the subject line to what the email actually delivers
• Use personalization only when it adds meaning, not just a first name

Use the Preview Text as a Second Subject Line

Most email apps show a short line of preview text next to or below the subject. If you leave it empty, the app pulls the first text in your email, which is often "View in browser" or an image description. Write it on purpose.

Use the preview text to add a detail the subject line couldn't fit. If the subject is "Spring workshop dates are open", the preview could be "Two evenings in April, seats are limited to 20 per session" if that is true for your offer. Together they should give a full reason to open.

Structure the Body Around One Goal

A marketing email works best when it asks the reader to do one thing: read an article, book a call, use a discount, register for an event. Every paragraph should support that one action. If you have three announcements, consider three emails or a clear newsletter layout with one main feature.

Open with the point, not a warm-up. The first sentence should tell readers why this email matters to them. Then give the supporting details in short paragraphs of one to three sentences. Many people skim on mobile, so use subheadings or bullets when you list features, steps or dates.

• First line: why this matters to the reader
• Middle: the details, proof or explanation they need
• End: one clear call to action

Write Calls to Action That Say What Happens Next

A button that says "Click here" or "Submit" gives no reason to click. Use words that describe the result: "Get the checklist", "Book your free call", "See the new collection". The reader should know exactly what they will get on the other side.

Make the main call to action easy to find and tap on a phone. You can repeat it once near the end of a longer email, but keep secondary links quieter so they don't compete with it.

Sound Like a Person, Not a Brochure

Email is read one-to-one, so write as if you are talking to one customer. Use "you" more than "we". Cut jargon and filler phrases. Read the email out loud; if a sentence sounds stiff, rewrite it.

Segmenting your list helps the copy feel personal without tricks. A first-time buyer and a long-time customer need different messages. Writing for a smaller, well-defined group almost always reads better than writing for everyone at once.

Test, Measure and Stay Compliant

Copy improves with testing. Try two subject lines on a portion of your list, or compare two calls to action, and change one thing at a time so you know what made the difference. Look at clicks and conversions, not only opens, since open tracking has become less reliable with privacy features in some email apps.

Good copy also follows the rules. In the US, commercial emails need an honest subject line, a clear way to unsubscribe and a valid physical address. Deceptive subject lines are not only bad practice, they can break the law.

Get Help With Your Email Copy

We offer both copywriting and email marketing, so we can write the words and set up the campaigns that carry them. We help companies be successful with their email marketing campaigns, following best practices and applicable laws. If your emails are going out but not getting results, we can review them with you in a free consultation.