Stop Guessing, Start Testing: 10 Subject Line A/B Test Learnings
Discover the 10 most recent test learnings for subject lines. Learn how to spark curiosity, create desired outcomes, and make sure your subject lines stand out.
Joe Portsmouth 🧲
Helping 12,000+ entrepreneurs grow their businesses with copywriting ✍️ Learn how to write high-converting copy with storytelling, psychology, & frameworks.
-
Stop guessing. Start testing.
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023
I run subject line A/B tests every week for my newsletter of ~12,000 readers.
Here're 10 recent test learnings you can apply to your subject lines: -
Winner: Repetition and rhyming beats boring and stuffy pic.twitter.com/d5VCREJoWP
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: Positioned as a "how-to" instead of a command pic.twitter.com/yMJ8nFACT4
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: spark curiosity with a question pic.twitter.com/iZJLXqsuLK
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: clear desired outcome pic.twitter.com/VdEtqOOYQj
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: No emoji
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023
P.S. I've tested this a lot over the last 8+ years and "no emoji" wins 90% of the time.
But... pic.twitter.com/oASZCd6lks -
Winner: You never know when you'll get that perfect-emoji-fit! pic.twitter.com/Rs9fqnLjfM
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: Uses alliteration and implies a transformation pic.twitter.com/8XhXNDTqgn
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: Uses "you" pic.twitter.com/jVl55sMGa8
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: Ties to a specific action pic.twitter.com/LNCnWF5yxX
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
Winner: Crystal clear benefit pic.twitter.com/k9YymG0qPD
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023 -
TL;DR - 3 takeaways from 10 subject line A/B tests:
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023
• Make it clear
• Make it interesting
• Make it about them
If you're not testing, you're not trying. -
Thanks for reading!
— Joe Portsmouth 🧲 (@joe_portsmouth) June 18, 2023
If you like posts like this, you might enjoy being the subject of an A/B test in my weekly newsletter, Write On.
Become a better copywriter in less than 3 minutes per week.
Join 12,000+ subscribers here: https://t.co/mmnnasa55b