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10 email copywriting tips for messages your audience will love

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Email copywriting that resonates with your audience is both an art and a science. 

Strong email copy can grab reader attention, keep them hooked, and encourage the desired action. And with inboxes busier than ever, it’s crucial to make every word count. 

In this article, we’ll delve into 10 essential email copywriting tips designed to captivate your readers and drive engagement. 

From writing compelling subject lines to creating a sense of urgency, these strategies will help you write emails that not only capture interest but also build lasting connections with your audience. Get ready to transform your emails into powerful communication tools that your recipients will look forward to.

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What is email copywriting?

Email copywriting is the art of writing emails that drive recipients to take action. The point is to grab the reader’s attention, relay the message you need to communicate in a manner that’s engaging, and make them want to take specific actions. This craft involves using persuasive language and psychological triggers to increase open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

Why is having a great email copy important?

Well-written, captivating email content is the cornerstone of successful marketing campaigns, and there are a number of strategies that you can use to increase the impact you have on your campaigns. For example, the right email subject line, specifically one that is personalized and creates a sense of urgency, can increase open rates significantly. 

A good email copywriter will also maintain attention once the recipient has opened the email. The information will be relevant, and the recipient will feel compelled to keep reading and take the desired action — such as clicking a link to your store.

Compelling content that inspires readers to act goes beyond mere opens and clicks. Personalizing content according to your audience’s preferences and behavior can boost engagement, while a conversational tone helps to establish a connection with your reader.

10 tips for effective email copywriting

Want to get people’s attention and make them take action? These 10 email copywriting tips will help you craft emails that don’t get lost in busy inboxes.

1. Make your subject lines irresistible

Writing a great subject line is the key ingredient to getting more people to open your email messages. Consider the following example from Winc, with the cleverly personalized abandoned cart email with the subject line, “You forgot something unforgettable.” It’s a fantastic way to remind them of what they left behind and renew their interest at the same time.

If you struggle to come up with subject lines people can’t resist, try our free subject line generator. Alternatively, check out our best practices to improve your abandoned cart subject lines.

When writing your subject lines, try to keep them short (50 characters or less). Use words that make people want to do something, and add personal touches whenever you can. Segment your audience to deliver content that resonates with their interests and needs, and be careful to stay away from words that might make your message look like spam. Always test and improve your email titles. You may also want to consider adding emojis to grab attention.

2. Personalize

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from DoorDash
Image from Really Good Emails

Crafting personalized emails can have a big impact on sales by boosting engagement. 

Many people think email personalization starts and ends by using the person’s name in the subject line and the opening sentence of the email. However, truly effective personalization needs more than that. 

Personalization can include the recipient’s age, location, demographics, browsing history, and purchase history. By considering these factors, you can write emails that talk directly to each subscriber, which makes every email far more relevant.

Leveraging dynamic content customization allows you to tailor email elements to individual preferences. By feeling that you are talking directly to them, your recipients will enjoy your emails and be more likely to take action.

3. Hook them from the start

If you’re like most people, you have a long list of emails you have yet to open. However, before you start hitting the delete button, you spot a subject line that makes you curious. You stop and click on it to open the email.

The first sentence is crucial and should be written with the single purpose of grabbing, or hooking, the reader’s attention. It should either speak to something they want or address a problem they’ve been having.

As an example of how you can speak to the reader’s interest in something, here’s a message from coffee shop Magic Spoon: “Ready for Fall Flavors?” The subject line instantly makes the reader think of — and remember — tasty fall treats. Once they open the email, the cute picture also helps to make it stand out from all the mundane ones.

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Magic Spoon
Image from Really Good Emails

When you write your email marketing hooks, try different tactics, such as: 

  • Ask questions that they want to know the answers to
  • Pique their curiosity
  • Talk about the benefits they can obtain
  • Make it personal
  • Tell stories that take them to a unique place
  • Spark their imagination

The key is to think about what your readers want and need and show them how your email can help them in a special way.

4. Keep it short and sweet

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Supergoop
Image from Really Good Emails

Crafting concise emails is the key to keeping your readers engaged. Avoid using big, confusing words or jargon and, instead, express yourself in a way that’s easy to read and understand.

Supergoop’s subject line does a great job of this: “3 sunscreen myths, totally busted.” This line is clear and grabs your attention.

Then, the email body is short and punchy. As you’re crafting your message, put the most important information first. Bullet or numbered lists are also a great way to make key points stand out. Also ensure you get rid of any content that doesn’t need to be there.

5. Sell the benefits, not the features

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Fatty 15
Image from Really Good Emails

One of the most powerful methods you can use to sell in your emails is to help readers understand the benefits, not just the features. 

In other words, help them understand how your product or service will positively impact their lives. And don’t just talk about what it’s got: paint them a picture of how it will improve their lives. Your goal is to ignite their excitement.

Fatty does this well in this email. Instead of going deep into technical details, it tackles the issue of poor and disrupted sleep. The email offers restored sleep and shares social proof attesting to feeling better, improved heart rate, as well as increased energy.

6. Use words that spark action

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Allbirds
Image from Really Good Emails

This email from Allbirds starts with a punchy subject line: it speaks to runners, encourages action, and informs of new products. 

Once inside the email, there are bright pictures and CTAs you can’t miss. “Shop Men” and “Shop Women” make it easy to look at new shoe colors and buy them. The message’s look and words work together to encourage action.

Action verbs and direct calls-to-action (CTAs) excite your subscribers, compelling them to take action. Examples of this include:

  • “Go now,”
  •  “Get your discount,” 
  • “Join our group today,”
  •  “Learn more,” and “Sign up for free.” 

7. Create a sense of urgency

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from CLEAR
Image from Really Good Emails

Harnessing the power of urgency in email campaigns can dramatically boost conversions. Offers that only last a short time, countdowns ticking away, and messages about scarcity can make your audience want to do something immediately. Countdown timers are highly effective at creating a sense of urgency and motivating people to act quickly.

This email from Clear is an outstanding example of how to create a sense of urgency the right way. The subject line makes it clear that the discount offer is about to end, and the email body reinforces this with concise copy that quickly highlights the size of the discount and when it’s ending. The wording is also cleverly consistent with air travel, using the phrases “Final call” and “Your offer takes off tonight.”

Urgency can be created in a variety of ways: 

  • VIP and pre-access deals
  • Pointing out when products or services are running low can make your audience worry about missing out
  • Reminders to people who added items to their cart but didn’t pay for them

8. Show social proof

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Le Tote
Image from Really Good Emails

Incorporating customer endorsements in your emails is a powerful way to increase trust in your brand and encourage new customers to buy from you. Reviews, case studies, and testimonials highlight the value of your products or services, as well as your customer service.

Highlighting user-generated content is a powerful testament to your brand’s quality and value. It shows what people bought, how it makes them feel, a large customer base, and can help customers to feel part of a community.

Use Omnisend’s product reviews to effortlessly add social proof in your emails.

9. Optimize for mobile devices

10 tips for effective email copywriting: example from Moment
Image from Really Good Emails

It’s essential that your emails format properly on mobile devices, so recipients can easily read them.

Make sure your email is responsive so it changes size to fit different screens. Keep image files small, consider your font size so it’s easy to read on a smaller screen, and put the most important content at the top.

Moment’s email is a great example, with a clear image at the top, a bold headline, a concise paragraph, and a large and bright CTA button.

10. Test, learn, and improve

10 tips for effective email copywriting: A/B testing campaign example

It’s important to continuously strive to enhance your emails for optimal performance. Experiment with A/B tests and examine the results closely to figure out what works best over time. Try different subject lines, CTAs, and lengths to see what captures people’s attention. Omnisend makes split testing easy, so you can compare different versions’ performances and make choices based on the data.

10 tips for effective email copywriting: A/B testing in Omnisend

Learn more about A/B testing with our helpful guide.

Before running an A/B test, know what you want to test for. For example, do you want to see what kind of an impact an emoji has in the subject line? Do you want to see how adding more CTAs impacts sales? Only test one element at a time so you know with certainty how it affects results. 

Examine the results and put the winning versions in future messages. Write down what you discover and tell your team, as this will help everyone use data to make choices. 

Wrap up

Effective email copywriting is crucial for capturing your audience’s attention and improving the performance of your emails. By implementing these 10 tips, you can transform your emails into powerful tools for communication and connection with your audience.

We have explored some of the most important strategies, including crafting irresistible subject lines, personalizing content, and creating urgency. Also, never stop testing and looking for ways to improve your campaign. Over time, you can significantly increase open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, ultimately driving better results from your email marketing efforts.

Karolina Petraškienė
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Karolina is a content project manager and team lead at Omnisend, where she blends creative strategy with a keen focus on competitive intelligence. Outside of work, Karolina finds balance through her love of gardening, exploring new hiking trails, biking, and raising a bunch of boys.