Subject lines and preheaders: the two lines that decide the open
How long a subject line can be on a phone, what the preheader is for, and how to use names and emojis without looking like spam.
Write for the phone
Most emails are opened on a phone, where the inbox shows roughly the first 30–40 characters of the subject. Put the important words first: “Your welcome gift is inside” beats “We wanted to say a big thank-you and welcome you with a gift”.
The preheader is your second line
The preheader is the grey line shown after the subject in the inbox. If you leave it empty, inboxes show the first words of the email instead — often “View in browser” or your logo’s description. Use it to add the detail the subject doesn’t have room for: “Ends Sunday at midnight” or “Free delivery on every order”.
Names, emojis and capitals
- A first name can make a subject feel personal. Always give a fallback for people without one: {{first_name|there}}.
- One emoji can help a subject stand out. Several, or one in every email, stop working.
- Avoid whole words in capitals and too many exclamation marks; spam filters notice them, and so do people.
Promise only what’s inside
A subject that over-promises gets the open once and loses trust after. If the subject says 30% off, the first thing in the email should be the 30% off.
Set it up in Vikalp Omni: Personalise emails and notifications with variables · Design emails that look like your store
More from the blog
- A festive email calendar for Indian D2C brands
- Abandoned cart messages that bring people back
- Review request emails: when to ask, and how to get more replies
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