PSA: I ran a split test on email subject lines for a month and the results were shocking

For a client's campaign last month, I tested two subject line styles. One was a standard benefit-focused line, 'Get 20% Off Your Next Order'. The other was a curiosity gap, 'Is your cart missing this one thing?'. The curiosity line had a 47% higher open rate over 30 days and drove 22% more clicks. I thought clear offers always won, but creating a question in the reader's mind worked way better. Has anyone else seen a big jump from switching up their subject line format?

3 comments

3 Comments

riverh4919d ago

Tried a similar test last year with a webinar invite. Our plain "Join our free marketing webinar" subject line got crushed by "The one mistake 80% of our attendees make." The question style made people wonder if they were making that mistake, so they opened it to check. Our sign ups went up by like a third, it was wild. Totally changed how I write all my subject lines now.

max_brown19d ago

My local grocery store uses mystery discount signs for the same reason.

margaretramirez19d ago

Gas stations do that too with their "cash price" signs, makes you look twice.