The shocking truth about clickbait subject lines!

Spoiler alert – there is no shocking truth about clickbait subject lines. However, there is truth in the fact that more and more brands are experimenting with this tactic. An enticing subject line is ultimately what gets your email opened and standing out from the crowd in whatever shape or form is one way to guarantee this, but at what cost? Here’s our list of clickbait subject line pros and cons that you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT MISS… 

The pros

1. Curiosity leads to clicks

Brand: Marks & Spencer
Subject Line: Your annual leave request

There’s something about the unexpected that is guaranteed to pique someone’s interest. If an established brand sends you an email with a subject line that is so out of place that you think it must be a mistake or some kind of hack, what will you do? Open it of course. Once they’re in the email, you get to wow them with your content. Below is a great example of this technique used by M&S to promote their new summer range. I don’t work for M&S so why would they be emailing me about annual leave? There’s only one way to find out…

2. Stand out from the crowd(ed inbox)

Brand: Pergola on the Wharf
Subject Line: TEST

Every day our inboxes are flooded with brand emails promoting this or announcing discounts on that and let’s face it, who has time to read them all? That’s where the subject line comes in and with us busy bees only having time for a skim, cutting through the noise is becoming increasingly difficult. There are of course many ways you can do this without clickbait, but when done right, it’s a winner. This cheeky example from Pergola uses ‘TEST’ in the subject line to not only catch the eye but also create intrigue on whether a scandalous mistake has been made.

3. Things might just get emotional

Brand: Lux Skin
Subject Line: Information about your order

This one might sound strange but with the right level of clickbait in your subject line, you’ve got the chance to spark some genuine emotion. In an ideal world, this emotion would be joy or amusement with the potential to even make someone’s day, but there are of course other outcomes here. LUX Skincare had the power to provoke pure panic that I had unknowingly placed an order, with the email proceeding to tell me that my order was waiting. But instead it said, "your order is waiting and all you have to do is add your favourite product to card use code WOMEN20 for extra 20% off". It’s an interesting technique but one that gets people talking and that’s got to count for something. 

The cons

1 - They could get you sent to trash

For your email to be read, it needs to be in an inbox. When you become too adventurous with clickbait subject lines you run the risk that customers will view your email as genuine spam and send it on its way. This puts both the effort and cost of your email in the literal bin and can also result in damaged customer loyalty with the possibility of a dreaded unsubscribe.

2 - Is brand trust worth tarnishing

It takes a long time to build trust with your customers, and when you walk the line of clickbait subject lines, it’s easy to take things a step too far. If for example, you’re shouting about one thing in your subject line to try and get an open, but your content doesn’t quite match up, it can leave people feeling misled. This is particularly relevant if you’re yelling in capital letters about a special offer or discount that doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

3 - It’s easy to miss the mark

The thing about clickbait subject lines is that when they work they really work and when they don’t…well, you get the picture. Whilst some people might be excited by something a little cheeky and different, some people will not. There is also the matter of how many other brands are trying the same thing in the very same inbox. Try too hard to stand out and you could put a dampener on both your reputation as a brand in their inbox and the quality of your emails. 

It would appear the jury is out on the topic of clickbait subject lines. Whilst there is a huge opportunity for them to perform well, boost engagement and drive clicks, there is also the risk that they’ll do the opposite. A large chunk of this comes down to execution so if you want to give it a try, check out our top tips… 

• Run tests on smaller segments of your audiences to see if they respond well to this style of writing. 

• Remember, less is more. Mix up your usual emails with a quirky clickbait-style subject line now and again but don’t make it a regular habit.  

• Avoid false promises. If you’re claiming that your email is too good to miss, make sure the content lives up to the hype. 

• Don’t offend your customers. If you think you’re crossing the line then you probably are. Put yourself in their shoes and remember you’re trying to entertain and entice, not insult. 

Clickbait subject lines aren’t the only way to jazz up your emails. If you’re looking for more inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Get in touch today to find out how our team of specialist strategists, coders, copywriters and designers can help give your email marketing some pizzazz.