The pre-header, or second subject line, critically impacts opens. Using specific continuation words like "and," "but," or "plus" at the beginning of the pre-header compels the reader to continue from the subject line, which can lift open rates by a significant margin.

A rarely used but effective tactic is placing the same emoji at the beginning and end of the email preheader (the second subject line). This visual framing technique draws attention in a crowded inbox and can improve open rates for both B2B and B2C campaigns.

Prospects often hesitate to open emails, fearing a lengthy commitment. By adding an estimated read time (e.g., '3-minute read') to your pre-header, you manage expectations, remove friction, and make it easier for them to engage, which boosts open rates.

The email preheader is crucial for engagement. Beginning this preview text with a 'continuation word' like 'and,' 'but,' or 'plus' creates a cognitive link to the subject line. This simple linguistic trick encourages the reader's eye to keep moving and significantly lifts open rates.

Begin email subject lines with conjunctions to create an immediate sense of an ongoing story or a problem to be solved (e.g., "And then this happened" or "But here's the problem"). This copywriting technique sparks curiosity across any industry, prompting recipients to open the email to get the full context, lifting open rates by around 17%.

A counterintuitive tactic suggests beginning email subject lines with conjunctions like 'and,' 'but,' or 'plus'. This grammatically incorrect but novel approach disrupts reader expectations, sparking curiosity and leading to a claimed 15% lift in open rates, especially when the starting word is capitalized.

Data from Subjectline.com reveals a powerful, simple tactic for email marketing. Using a "continuation pre-header" that begins with "and," "but," or "plus" creates a narrative link to the subject line, sparking curiosity and significantly boosting open rates. This is an easy-to-implement test for any campaign.

The pre-header, or second subject line, has a major impact on open rates. Using continuation words like "and," "but," or "plus" at the beginning of the pre-header encourages the reader to continue from the subject line, which can result in a significant open rate lift of up to 10%.

Many marketers mistakenly reveal the entire value of an email in the subject line, killing any reason to open it. To maximize opens, provide a compelling hint or create a curiosity gap rather than giving away the full story.