Create The Best Email Subject Lines With AI

Since 64% of email recipients choose whether to open an email solely based on the quality of the subject line, this is not a part of your campaign that should be taken lightly. Even the smallest of details can make a big difference in a crowded inbox and brands are having to find creative ways to stand out from their competitors. AI is becoming a go-to tool for marketers. It has been shown that AI-generated subject lines can increase open rates by up to 22%, so it seems like a no-brainer, right? Creating catchy email subject lines with AI isn’t just a way to cut corners. It’s an opportunity to combine human creativity with the advanced algorithms of AI.

In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of using AI to take your email marketing strategy up a notch and share our six-step process for creating the best subject lines possible.

What Makes the Best Email Subject Lines?

Although subject lines are only short, there is a lot to consider if you want to maximize impact. Marketers are constantly having to find new ways to stand out in a user’s inbox among all of the other content that is drowning them out.  Every business’s target audience is different, so finding the best strategies for your own brand can help you improve your approach. Emails that have emojis in the subject line have been proven to see a 73% improvement in open rate, but obviously this isn’t going to be the case for a corporate B2B brand, whereas subject lines containing a number see a 57% rise in opens. It’s all about figuring out what is the most effective way to grab the attention of your own mailing list.

The Benefits of Using AI to Create Your Subject Lines

Since the subject line is such a huge contributor to a successful campaign, using the right email marketing tools to get it right is a must. 

Using AI to take your ideas to the next level can offer a whole range of benefits. Let’s discuss some of the key ones.

• Save time on ideation. When you’re constantly trying to come up with catchy email subject lines for your campaigns, writer's block is all too common. This can result in long chunks of time being spent crafting subject lines when you could be focused elsewhere. AI allows numerous ideas to be generated in seconds.
• Utilize psychological behaviors. Since AI models use complex algorithms which analyze vast amounts of historical data and trends, they are able to create content that is based on proven psychological behavior. Combining this knowledge with your own creativity is bound to create powerful subject lines that stand out in the inbox.
• Run A/B testing at scale. A/B testing has long been a powerful email marketing strategy, but it can be time-consuming to set up if done manually. Using an email subject line generator to create various versions of your subject lines means you can get valuable insights into the style of content that provides the best results and fine-tune your future strategy.
• Maintain a consistent tone of voice. If you work in a large marketing team which sees multiple people working on the same campaign, it can be easy for the brand’s tone of voice to get lost. Your AI tools can be trained to align your content with your brand guidelines, ensuring it stays consistent throughout your marketing strategy.
• Improve email marketing ROI. The better your subject lines are, the more people are going to click through to see your content. By increasing your engagement, you are bound to see more conversions, and ultimately revenue, without having to drain your marketing budget on more expensive advertising methods.

Using AI to Write the Best Email Subject Lines in 6 Steps

Knowing how to write email subject lines that grab attention means finding the perfect balance between AI technology and your own creativity.

Let’s talk through the six steps you can take to create the best email subject lines that are bound to increase your open rate and get people talking.

1. Find the right tools for the job

Choosing the right AI tools is the first step, and since it will lay the foundation, it is important that you find the best option for your goals and budget.

Some marketers choose to use a custom GPT, individual versions of ChatGPT that can be tailored to your business. Once you’ve instructed it on your tone of voice, business goals, and historic data, it’ll save you from having to repeat the prompts anytime you want to use it.

Others choose to use a dedicated email marketing tool with built-in AI features. Since the tools have been specifically designed to help businesses improve their email marketing efforts, they often include everything from subject line generators to AI-powered segmentation.

Here’s an example from Hostinger Reach, an AI email marketing tool that also includes suggested subject lines. Through its subject name tips, it helps creators make their email content more eye-catching and maximize their chances of engagement.

2. Establish your goal

Although consistency is key with email marketing, content for the sake of content can quickly harm your stats. If your subscribers feel like your content is not offering them any value, they may start subconsciously tuning out of your emails when they land in their inbox, and could even end up unsubscribing.

When you are launching a campaign, carefully consider what emails you plan on sending, why you are sending them, and when you are sending them.

Starting by mapping out exactly what you wish to achieve through every email you send will lay the foundations for the rest of the campaign.

Building up excitement, offering exclusive insights, and highlighting any last-minute urgency are all valuable ways to generate results.

3. Brief AI on what you need

You know exactly what your brand looks like and how to write email subject lines that resonate with your audience, but AI doesn’t. The context you give AI will define the output you receive, so this step is crucial.

Ensure you give as much detail as possible when saying what kind of subject line you want to produce. Talk about the audience you’re targeting, the main message you want to send, the tone of voice your brand uses, and if you have any keywords you want to include.

The more information you input, the more relevant your subject lines will be and the less work you will need to do to rework them.

4. Generate multiple options

Once you’ve been given a subject line, don’t stop there, even if it seems like a great option.

Use an email subject line generator to create multiple different options, trialling different angles so you have a few to choose from. Ask it to play around with rhetorical questions, emojis, and urgent language so you can see which hook sounds the best.

Having a range of ideas in front of you will spark your imagination and is a perfect starting point to get you brainstorming.

5. Add your own touch

AI tools are smart, but they will never be able to replace what you know about your business. Don't leave it all to the bots; you want to make sure that all of your marketing communications are consistent and show off your brand's personality.

Once you’ve narrowed down the subject line options you’ve generated, it’s time to put your own spin on them.

You may find that you like elements from different options, so this is where your own expertise comes in. Play around with the ideas, cutting and pasting different parts to create the best email subject lines for your campaign

6. Set up A/B testing

Instead of sending all of your mailing list the same subject line, split your audience and send out two variations. This approach builds invaluable data since it shows what style of subject line best resonates with your target audience, helping you identify trends over time.

When you try out different approaches, you may find that the results surprise you. You may notice that your subscribers are the most receptive to subject lines that clearly show off your deals, or they may be drawn in by the use of colorful emojis that catch their eye.

Making Your Next Email Marketing Campaign Your Best Yet

Creating the best email subject lines takes a lot of trial and error, but it is bound to provide worthwhile results.

Using an AI email subject line generator as your sidekick when coming up with engaging and catchy email subject lines allows you to not only speed up the process, but also generate solutions that align with the psychological behaviors of your target audience.

Your own marketing knowledge and the power of AI can help you find the right balance between creativity and technology. This will give your campaign the push it needs to be the best one yet.