9 Hot Tips for Engaging Summer Email Subject Lines

Get ready to turn up the heat on your summer campaigns! We’ve already explored the creative ideas for your summer emails, and now it’s time to take a closer look at one of their most crucial components: the subject lines.

In this article, we’ll provide 9 effective tips on crafting summer email subject lines to grab attention and skyrocket your conversions. Let’s make your inbox the hottest destination this season!

Summer Email Subject Lines: 5 Things to Keep in Mind

In the dynamic realm of email marketing, the subject line is where it all starts. This seemingly small element is a sneak peek into the heart of your email and can dramatically influence the success of your entire campaign (since almost 34% of recipients open an email because of the subject line)!

First, let’s take a look at 5 fundamental points you should keep in mind:

1. Brand identity. Just like the emails themselves, the summer email subject lines should echo your brand’s unique voice. Showcase your recognizable style to maintain consistency and foster brand recognition from the moment your email lands in the inbox.
2. Email purpose. The subject line is the first part of your email that grabs the recipient’s attention. As such, it must clearly reflect the content of your email.
3. Proper length. Aim for around 30 to 60 characters to ensure your subject line displays correctly across different devices. And whenever possible, place the most enticing and crucial information in the first half of your subject line.
4. Concise language. Most of the time, people don’t read through their inboxes but rather quickly scan them. So, your summer email subject lines must be both informative and easy to understand at first glance.
5. A/B tests. Draft a couple of summer email subject lines and conduct thorough A/B tests. This will allow you to pinpoint the most effective option and gather valuable insights for future campaigns.

Create Your Summer Email Subject Lines with Blocks

Running out of catchy email subject line ideas and need a fresh burst of inspiration? Blocks got your back! Our AI-powered email builder makes crafting the perfect emails and subject lines a breeze. 

All you need to do is follow these 3 steps:

Step #1. Choose a suitable option

Craft the email from scratch or pick a pre-designed template and tweak it to your heart’s content. Whether you’re announcing a summer sale or preparing a monthly newsletter, our template gallery always has something to offer!

And if you already have an email template you’d like to edit, simply import it to Blocks with a couple of clicks and take it from there!

Step #2. Add & fine-tune the elements

Now, let’s breathe life into your summer email! With our user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, you can effortlessly add all the elements you need: from text and images to GIFs and even embedded videos.

Step #3. Generate subject lines

Finally, it’s time to create your summer email subject line! Use our built-in AI assistant to instantly generate 3 compelling subject lines (along with preheaders). Pick the one that suits your campaign best, and add it to your email with just a single click.

9 Tips for Summer Subject Lines 

And now it’s time to dive into 9 effective tips for your summer email subject lines! These ideas will help you engage the audience, leap ahead of the competition, and make this season your most successful yet.

Personalize

Stats reveal that emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. Personalization has established itself as a proven approach in email marketing and might become a game-changer for your campaign.

Here are 2 dynamic ways to use personalization for greater effect:

1. Seamlessly integrate the recipient’s name into your subject line
2. Hint at exclusive content that resonates with your subscriber’s tastes and interests

Of course, both options require significant preparations: from gathering names during the sign-up to segmenting your audience based on specific preferences. But more often than not, the substantial effort pays off with spectacular results.

Smiles Davis, make big moves this summer.

Sonder

Sonder shows a great example here and includes the subscriber’s name right in the beginning of the subject line.

Fire Up the Sense of Urgency

FOMO (fear of missing out) is a compelling force that’s equally well-suited for various occasions: from a regular summer sale to a brand-new product presentation. A subject line that highlights the exclusivity and limited availability of your offer can motivate the subscribers to act swiftly!

Use FOMO to spark genuine excitement, yet always remember to avoid false urgency. Misleading information about the scarcity of your deals may alienate customers (and even potentially damage their trust in your brand).

Feather summer deal—get $300 off this weekend only

Feather

In the example above, Feather uses FOMO to perfection by including both a limited timeframe and a discount tease.

Embrace Summer Fun With Emojis

Did you know that 44% of customers will more likely buy something if it’s advertised with emojis? You can choose among dozens of options to highlight the summer vibes: 

• sun ☀️
• palm trees 🌴
• waves 🌊
• sunglasses 🕶️
• and many more that perfectly align with the season!

For your summer email subject line, select emojis that not only celebrate the sunny days but also complement your message and reflect your brand style. And of course, use them sparingly to keep the subject lines both engaging and tasteful.

SUMMER SALE | 30% off 😎

Authentic Jobs

A summer subject line by Authentic Jobs above is a great example that announces its summer sale and includes a fun little emoji beside it.

Include Power Words

Leverage the energy of power words and phrases to captivate your audience in a split second! These words serve as triggers that make the message more impactful and drive the subscribers to a particular action.

Yet there’s more to them! Power words serve as catalysts for emotions, designed to evoke feelings ranging from urgency (“only today”, “limited”) to trust and comfort (“risk-free”, “no card required”). Use different variations depending on your offer and the occasion at hand, and watch your conversions go sky-high!

Spoil Yourself for Summer ☀️

Wonder Valley

Wonder Valley wastes no time and instantly includes the word “spoil” into the subject line (which invites the recipient to reward themselves with something pleasant).

Stir Curiosity

How about a pinch of spice in your summer email marketing campaigns? An intriguing summer subject line can fan the flames of curiosity and pump up your open rates in the process! Here’s how to make it irresistible:

• Tease mysterious summer deals and exclusive summer savings (“Discover Secret Summer Deals Inside…”)
• Ask the subscriber a direct and engaging question (“Feeling Ready For Summer Shopping?”)
• Hint at the most appealing and valuable part of your email contents (“Uncover the Top 5 Summer Styles This Year…”)

Needless to say, the intrigue must always remain genuine, justified, and rewarding. Deliver on the promises you hint at in the subject line to maintain your subscribers’ trust and keep them coming back for more.

This will make your day.

De Soi

In the example above, De Soi uses this tip to captivate the recipients with a mysterious offer and motivate them to promptly check the email contents.

Provide Social Proof

According to stats, 58% of consumers pay more for the products of a brand with good reviews. Customer feedback, ratings, and popular opinions serve as a “seal of quality” for many people, and sometimes even become the sole reason to try something new.

Incorporate social proof in your summer subject lines as well! Highlight your bestsellers, use phrases like “customers’ favorite” or “highly recommended”, and emphasize impressive numbers (“Loved by 98% of Buyers!”) to drive excitement and engagement.

Ice cream people love in Chicago

Yelp

Yelp provides a great example here and includes information about Chicago’s most beloved ice cream.

Leverage Jokes & Playfulness

Nothing is more synonymous with summer than joy and happiness. Perfect reason to spotlight summer fun in your subject lines! Make them gleam with cheerfulness or simply add a joke to brighten your subscribers’ day.

However, when you do, keep these points in mind:

1. Stay informative: make the subject line fun, but always ensure that it conveys the essential information
2. Be reasonable: not every joke will work for your brand and audience, so avoid humor that might feel inappropriate or misplaced
3. Keep it relevant: tailor your humor to match your brand’s tone of voice and audience’s preferences

Your Butt Has Summer Plans

Everlane

Everlane shows one of the best examples here that invites subscribers to upgrade their summer wardrobe. It’s fun, playful, and relevant at the same time.

Tie Your Summer Sale With Holidays

Your campaign is tied to a summer holiday? Show that in your summer email subject lines! Use the festive occasion to strengthen bonds with your audience: invite the subscribers to celebrate together, highlight your summer sale (or some particular summer deals), and amp up the holiday spirit even before the recipient opens your email.

For Father’s Day, here’s 15% off (and some real good dad jokes)

FitVine

For instance, an example by FitVine above features an excellent summer sale tie-in with Father’s Day.

Use Pop Culture References Carefully

References to movies, songs, or other pop culture elements can add a fun little touch to your summer subject lines. Yet they come packed with both the benefits and risks you should know about:

• Benefits: references are beloved by many and can resonate well, showing that you’re in sync with your audience. Also, the more “old school” references can awaken strong feelings of nostalgia.
• Risks: they might come off as cheesy, clichéd, or simply uninspired (especially when overused). On top of that, it’s likely that some of your subscribers won’t understand the reference, no matter how popular it seems.

So, should you include a reference in a summer subject line? Yes, but with caution: make sure that it aligns with your brand identity and audience’s interests to create a memorable impact.

☀️ Summer, summer, summer time!

Curate Labs & Magazine

As an example, the summer subject line by Curate Labs & Magazine above directly references a 90’s hit song.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of perfect email subject lines might seem like a significant challenge. Yet now, with these tips at your disposal, you are fully prepared to take the digital world by storm and make a splash in countless inboxes this sunny season:

• drive summer sales through the efficiency of personalization, FOMO, and power words
• underline summer vibes with emojis and pop culture references
• lift the mood with jokes and playfulness
• boost credibility with the help of social proof
• tie a summer sale with the holidays

And of course, you’re not alone on this journey. Blocks is always ready to elevate your email game and enhance your creative endeavors, from design to email subject lines.