CTA
Use action-oriented, subscriber-centric words like “get on the waitlist” or “shop and save 20%.”
Limit your CTA to five words or less, and try to make the transition to your CTA as seamless as possible.
Subheadline
Keep your subheads interesting to encourage subscribers to keep scrolling through the email.
Think of subheads as the preview text for your body copy—they should serve as an extension of your headline.
Body Copy
Like your headline (and subheadline), keep your body copy sharp and succinct.
Aim to limit text blocks to six lines or less.
Keep in mind: you can be conversational and not always use full sentences. Consider using bulleted lists.
Headline
Email attention spans are short—the average time spent reading an email is less than nine seconds. Be direct with your headline (or keep things short and punchy).
Consider the subscriber experience. When a subscriber opens your email, they would have just read your subject line and preview text. Think about how copy will flow from the inbox view to the body copy.
This is the bread and butter of your email. The body of your email should fulfill the expectation set by your sender name, subject line, and preview text. Here’s how to make a lasting impact to help your subscribers take action.
Let’s take a look at an email as an example from our own email program.
Body Content
We all know that the best emails are concise and to the point. But sometimes writing an email can be hard, especially when you have a lot to say.
There are many things to consider—like character counts, truncation, and calls-to-actions (CTAs). We compiled important points and considerations to help guide you in writing better emails.
Click the to expand for more tips.
Email Copywriting Kit
Inbox View
The inbox view is the first thing a subscriber sees when they receive an email. Ensure you're making a good first impression in the inbox and get subscribers to open your email.
Here’s how to optimize this view (and avoid awkward truncation).
From Name
Use a recognizable sender or ”from” name by including your brand’s name.
Subject Line
For optimal engagement, keep your subject line at or below 50 characters.
Preview Text
Each email client displays preview text differently, varying from 40-140 characters. Aim for 90 characters or less.
Use this preview text hack in cases where copy is too long or short.
20-30 characters
50 characters or less
90 characters or less
Use a tool like WordCounter.net to check your character count.
Level up your CTA game with our Guide to CTAs in Email Marketing.
Consider how your sender name, subject line, and preview text work together to encourage subscribers to open.
Tips for enhancing the inbox view
From Litmus' Director of Email Marketing, Jaina Mistry
Think of your preview text as an extension to your subject line.
Craft subject lines and preview text that work together and make sense when read together.
Avoid repeating your sender name in your subject line or preview text.
Note: the framework on the right is an example of what we use at Litmus. Consult with your email designer to find out your ideal character counts!
Make this framework your own: we created a Google Doc for you to copy and use for your own emails. You can also copy and paste this onto your collaborative tool of choice.
Let’s look at a sample copy framework with ideal character counts.
