Creating an effective email subject line is important for grabbing a consumer’s attention and encouraging them to open your message. The following are updated guidelines for best practices when creating email subject lines, structured consistently with existing support documentation.
For General Account Information:
Be Clear and Specific:
Indicate the nature of the email without alarming or misleading the consumer. Subject lines should clearly reflect the purpose of the message. Examples:
“Account Update”
“Payment Reminder”
“Billing Notice”
“Account Balance Information”
Keep it Concise:
Aim for brevity so the recipient can quickly grasp the email’s intent. A short and direct line communicates essential information efficiently. Studies suggest keeping subject lines concise improves comprehension and engagement.
Use Relevant Keywords:
Incorporate words related to account status, payment, billing, or statements to clearly reflect the email’s content. For example:
“Statement Available”
“Balance Update”
“Due Date Reminder”
Avoid Spam Trigger Language:
Refrain from using language that may be considered sensational, overly aggressive, or reminiscent of marketing promotions. Avoid terms such as:
“Urgent”
“Final Notice”
Excess punctuation (e.g., “!!!”)
Using straightforward language helps maintain professionalism and trust.
Personalize When Possible:
Adding specific references like the consumer’s name or account details can increase relevance and engagement. Examples:
“John – Account Statement Available”
“Account Update for Jane S.”
Use personalization judiciously and respectfully.
Maintain a Professional Tone:
Because these communications pertain to sensitive account information, subject lines should remain courteous, professional, and non-threatening. Avoid confrontational language unless required for compliance.
Follow Compliance Guidelines:
Ensure subject lines comply with applicable laws and internal policies. Avoid wording that could be interpreted as deceptive, harassing, or misleading.
Use Proper Capitalization:
Apply title case or sentence case. For instance:
“Upcoming Payment Reminder”
“Account Balance Update”
Avoid all caps as it can appear aggressive or informal.
Test for Readability:
Consider how the subject line will appear across devices and inboxes. Make sure it conveys the key message even when truncated or previewed with limited space.
Avoid All Caps:
Writing the entire subject line in capital letters can appear shouty or spammy. Do not use all caps or excessive punctuation.
Follow Tone Consistency:
Ensure that the style and capitalization of the subject line matches the tone of the email body. Consistency supports clarity and audience trust.
Vary Subject Lines:
Each email template should use a unique subject line. Reusing the same line across multiple messages increases the likelihood of filtering or audience fatigue.
For Settlement Information:
Use Clear Settlement Keywords:
Include words that accurately reflect settlement or balance resolution topics. Examples include:
“Settlement Options Available”
“Balance Resolution Information”
“Account Settlement Details”
Avoid Promotional Language:
Even when presenting options to resolve balances, avoid marketing-style phrasing that could be misinterpreted by recipients. Instead of “Special Settlement Offer,” use neutral language describing the content.
Personalize When Appropriate:
When beneficial, include the consumer’s name or account reference to make the subject line more relevant and tailored to the individual.
Maintain a Cooperative Tone:
Frame settlement subject lines in a helpful, supportive manner rather than as a sales pitch. Examples:
“Explore Settlement Options”
“Review Balance Resolution Options”
Referencing Previous Contact:
Avoid False Claims:
Never imply a previous conversation occurred if it did not. Misrepresenting prior interactions can erode trust and lead to complaints or compliance issues.
Be Honest:
If this is the first outreach or a continuation of prior outreach, reflect that clearly in the subject line. For first contact, use phrasing such as:
“Settlement Information for Your Account”
“Balance Resolution Options”
Use Friendly, Non-Pressuring Language:
Introduce the email’s purpose in a welcoming tone, avoiding language that feels forceful or demanding.
Reference Past Notices, If Applicable:
If prior emails or letters have been sent, accurately indicate this sequence in the subject line, for example:
“Second Notice: Account Information”
Confirm factual accuracy before use.Offer Clear Introduction on First Contact:
For initial outreach, consider subject lines like:“Introducing Settlement Options for Your Account”
This sets appropriate expectations for future email attempts.
Additional Subject Line & Deliverability Guidelines
Subject lines should sound informational, neutral, and professional.
Avoid sales-style language or incentive framing that resembles promotional campaigns.
Do not use urgency pressure, aggressive phrasing, or exclamation marks.
Preferred tone examples:
“Account Update”
“Payment Reminder”
“Settlement Options Available”
Avoid examples such as:
“Special Offer Just for You!”
“Act Now to Save!”
Subject Line Length & Structure
Keep subject lines concise and mobile-friendly.
Target:
3–6 words
Approximately 33–38 characters when possible
Place the most important words at the beginning of the subject line.
Avoid long, descriptive sentences that may be truncated in the inbox preview.
Preferred:
Account Update
Payment Reminder
Settlement Information
Avoid:
Important Notice Regarding Your Account Balance and Available Settlement Options
Avoid High-Risk or Trigger Language
Do NOT use:
Urgent
Immediate Action Required
Final Notice
Act Now
Limited Time
Special Offer
Guarantee
FREE
Multiple exclamation points
Instead, use neutral wording such as:
Reminder
Update
Notice
Information
Options
Details
Personalization Guidelines
Use personalization selectively and professionally.
Acceptable formats:
John – Account Update
Account Update for John
Avoid overly aggressive or demanding phrasing:
John, You Must Pay Today
John, Final Settlement Offer
Do not overuse first-name personalization across repeated campaigns, as it may appear automated.
Capitalization & Formatting Standards
Use sentence case (preferred) or light title case.
Avoid:
ALL CAPS
Excess punctuation
Shouting tone
Correct:
Account balance update
Settlement options available
Incorrect:
ACCOUNT BALANCE UPDATE!!!
Subject Line Rotation & Fatigue Prevention
Repeated subject lines can lead to performance decline over time due to audience fatigue and filtering pattern recognition.
To prevent subject line fatigue:
Do not reuse the same subject line across all templates.
Rotate phrasing while maintaining consistent meaning.
Develop multiple variations per campaign type (at least 3–5 rotating options).
Monitor open rates for signs of fatigue (gradual decline across repeated sends).
If a subject line is used in high volume, consider switching variations every 30–60 days or after large batch deployments.
For recurring campaigns, avoid sending the same subject line to the same audience more than twice in a short cycle.
Example Rotation for Settlement Messaging:
Settlement Options Available
Account Settlement Information
Review Your Balance Options
Balance Resolution Details
Options for Your Account
Maintain the same intent while varying structure and phrasing.
Structural & Engagement Considerations
Avoid excessive repetition of identical keywords across multiple campaigns.
Keep subject lines consistent with the tone of the email body.
Ensure the preview text (first line of the email body) supports the subject line and remains neutral.
Limit heavy promotional formatting that may resemble marketing emails.
When appropriate, encourage replies within the body of the email to improve engagement signals
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