summer-email-subject-lines

Turn Up the Heat With 80 Original Summer Email Subject Lines

As the summer season unfurls, it’s not just the mercury rising—your email open rates could be, too, with perfect summer email subject lines!

64% of people say subject lines decide whether they open or delete an email. Whether announcing a summer sale, showcasing the latest in summer dresses, or sending out a last call for summer essentials, the right email subject line is your first and best chance to engage. 

As the new school year approaches and “Hello School” subject lines emerge, you’ll want to reflect on the effectiveness of your strategies and prepare for the transition. In this blog post, we have 80 ready-to-use summer email subject lines, with tips and tools to A/B test them to see which works best for you. 

 

The Art of Crafting Email Subject Lines

You’ve carefully planned content for your email marketing efforts, but you won’t see success without the right subject lines. 

Yes, it’s a strong claim, and don’t take it lightly. 

If your email’s subject line doesn’t capture the recipient’s attention, they won’t open it. But what makes a good subject line?

The art of crafting email subject lines that intrigue the recipient is in personalization, and that you can achieve with audience segmentation. When you send a personalized email with tailored subject lines, your email will pop out in the sea of emails in your reader’s inbox. It’ll call them and make them want to open it. 

Don’t believe us? 

Here’s data that shows you can achieve 29 to 50% better open rates with personalization and segmentation. 

Personalization and segmentation of email subject lines

To speak to your readers, you first need to understand them. This understanding means a solid grasp of your target demographic and their likes and dislikes. Collect this data through various data points, such as surveys, online behavior, purchase history, and analytics.

The data you collect will allow you to find similarities in characteristics among your target audience and create cohorts, known as segments. You can personalize the email subject lines and content of the email that speaks to these cohorts on a personal level. 

For example, say you’re emailing your customers and subscribers based in Arizona. We know that Arizona’s summer is brutal. Personalize the email subject line to offer your product as a solution to Arizona’s summer heat, and it will likely grab their attention. 

Say: “Arizona Summer’s hot, but our summer styles will keep you cool!”

On a simpler level, you can start personalizing each email, addressing the recipient by name. We all have those emails in our inbox that call us out by name. 

Personalized email subject line
Author’s screenshot

Read also: The Best Email Subject Lines For Any Occasion [2024]

Ready to Use Summer Email Subject Lines 

Writing up a summer-themed email right now? 

Well, no need to brainstorm; we’ve got some ready-to-use summer email subject lines listed below:

General summer email subject lines

  1. “Hello, Sunshine! Your Summer Checklist Inside ✔️”
  2. “New Season, New Styles: Summer Wardrobe Must-Haves 👕👒”
  3. “Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out: Gear Up for Summer Fun! 👙”
  4. “Ride the Wave 🏄‍♀️: Top Summer Picks Just for You”
  5. “Summer’s in Full Swing: Unwrap the Sunshine! 🌞”
  6. “Catch the Summer Breeze with Our Latest Collection 🌬️👗”
  7. “Make Waves: Dive into Summer Fun with Us! 🌊🏄”
  8. “Summer Vibes: Unlock 🗝️ Your Season of Adventure”
  9. “Soak Up the Summer: Tips for Your Best Season Yet! ☀️🍹”
  10. “Embrace the Warm Weekends: Summer Essentials You Need 🕶️”

Sales and promotions summer email subject lines

  1. “Summer Sale Sizzler: Hot Deals Just for You! 🔥”
  2. “Splash into Savings 💸: Our Summer Sale is Here! 💦”
  3. “Exclusive Discount Code for Sizzling Summer Styles Inside! 👙”
  4. “Last Call: Summer Clearance Before the Sun Sets! ☀️”
  5. “Summer Savings Alert: Don’t Miss These Hot Promo Codes! 🚨”
  6. “Your Passport to Summer Sales: First-Class Deals Inside ✈️”
  7. “Summer Blowout: Big Savings on Your Favorite Styles 💲”
  8. “Dive Into Summer Savings 💸 – Get Your Discount Code!”
  9. “Celebrate Summer 🎉 : Unwrap Your Exclusive Offer!”
  10. “Summer Clearance: Open 📦 for Unbeatable Deals!”

Events for summer email subject lines

  1. “Join Us: Summer Soiree Under the Stars 🌟”
  2. “RSVP Now: Our Exclusive Summer Fashion Event Awaits 🥂”
  3. “Sneak Peek: VIP Access to Our Summer Launch Party! 🕶️”
  4. “Get Your Tickets: Summer Concert Series Kickoff 🎶”
  5. “Sing into Summer 🎤: Join Our Open Mic Beach Night!”
  6. “Great Outdoors Day 🏕️: Experience Summer with Us”
  7. “Summer Solstice Party – Mark Your Longest Day in Style 🌅 “
  8. “Sparkle at Our Independence Day Celebration 🎇”
  9. “Escape the Heat: Exclusive Summer Retreat Invite 🏞️”
  10. “Mix & Mingle: Exclusive Summer Cocktail Party 🍹”

Summer newsletters’ subject lines

  1. “Inside: Your Monthly Dose of Summer Trends and Tips 🌞”
  2. “Summer Edition: What’s Hot in Our July Newsletter 🔥”
  3. “Beach Reads: Dive into Our Latest Summer Stories 🏖️”
  4. “Your Summer Email Exclusive: News You Can’t Miss 📣”
  5. “🌞 Heat Up Your Summer Plans with These Styling Tips”
  6. “Bikini Body Secrets in Our Latest Summer Edition 👙 “
  7. “Dive into Our Pool of Summer Wellness Tips 🏊‍♂️ “
  8. “SPF and Beyond🧴: Summer Skincare in This Month’s Issue”
  9. “Pedal Through Our Pages of Summer Fun Activities 🚲”
  10. “View Our Vision for a Stylish Summer in the Latest Newsletter 👓 “

Summer holidays email subject lines

  1. “Independence Day Deals: Celebrate with Star-Spangled Savings! 💥”
  2. “Father’s Day Finds: Gifts to Make His Summer Special 🎁”
  3. “Labor Day Getaway: Plan with Our Special Summer Guide 🧳”
  4. “Hello, School Year! Back-to-School Essentials for Cool School Leavers 🎒”
  5. “Sweet Summer Treat: National Ice Cream Day Surprises!🍦 “
  6. “Back to School 🏫 : Cool Gear for Your School Year”
  7. “Hat’s Off to Summer: Chic Looks for Derby Day 👒 “
  8. “BBQ & Brews: Get Grilling this 4th of July! 🌭 “
  9. “Mother Nature’s Day 🌸: Celebrate Earth in Summer Splendor”
  10. “Stargazer’s Delight: Specials for the Summer Equinox 🌌 “

Late summer email subject lines

  1. “Say Goodbye to Summer with a Final Splash of Savings! 💦”
  2. “End-of-Season Steals: Catch Them Before They’re Gone 🏃💨”
  3. “Farewell, Summer Sun: Grab Your Last-Minute Must-Haves 🌅”
  4. “Summer’s Last Hurrah 🎉: Shop the Final Days of Deals 🛒”
  5. “Last Call: Your Summer Calendar 📅 Wrap-Up!”
  6. “One More Dip: Late Summer Pool Essentials!🏊‍♂️ “
  7. “Golden Hour ✨: Savor the Last Summer Moments!”
  8. “Closeout: Summer Clothes Clearance! 👕 “
  9. “Late Summer Getaways: Pack & Go Specials 🧳 “
  10. “Road Trip Ready? 🚗 Late Summer Travel Deals!”

Summer email subject lines for social proof

  1. “See Why Everyone’s Raving About Our Summer Collection! 👀”
  2. “Hot Stuff Waiting 🔥: Our Top-Rated Summer Favorites”
  3. “Customers Love These: Summer Essentials You Can’t Skip 💖”
  4. “Summer Bestsellers: Shop What’s Trending Now 📈”
  5. “Rave Reviews💬 Why Our Summer Collection Rocks!”
  6. ” Real Stories: How Our Gear Made Their Summer 🌞”
  7. “Top of the Summer Charts: Bestsellers You Can’t Miss 🔝”
  8. “Customers Love These Summer Deals 🎖️”
  9. “Hear it Here: Testimonials on Our Summer Best 🗣️ “
  10. “List Loves: Influencer Picks for a Stylish Summer ✅”

Summer email subject lines for service providers or B2B companies

  1. “Rise & Shine: Boost Your Productivity This Summer ☀️ “
  2. “Grow Your Business 🌱 with Our Summer Success Tips!”
  3. “🔍 Summer Audit: Is Your Business Prepared for Q3?”
  4. “Launch into Summer with Our Project Management Tools 🚀 “
  5. “Summer Savings on Our B2B Solutions Are Melting Away ⌛ “
  6. “Summer Tech Refresh: Stay Connected with Seasonal Specials 📱 “
  7. “Join Our Summer Webinar Series: Hot Topics in Industry 🌟 “
  8. “Summer BBQ Bash: Casual Networking with Professionals 🍖 “
  9. “Labor Day Launch 👷‍♂️: Initiatives to Start After the Break”
  10. “End-of-Summer Review ⏳: Are Your Goals on Track?”

Read also: Summer Newsletter Ideas — How to Keep Your Subscribers Cool

Characteristics of Effective Subject Lines

While personalization is the key to catching your reader’s attention, you must also nail the three most crucial elements of effective subject lines. The following are the three most critical elements that boost open rates:

1. Appeal

Personalization is so important in your subject lines because it makes them more attractive to your readers. There are two other ways to intrigue your readers into opening your emails: 

  • Pique their curiosity: You can use challenging or thought-provoking statements and questions. This will make them want to open the email to learn more and increase their curiosity. 
  • Create a sense of urgency and scarcity: Suggest a time-sensitive action that makes them want to act quickly to avoid losing an opportunity. 

What to do?

  • Offer value in the subject line that the reader might get by reading your email.
  • Don’t just build curiosity; seek action. Write subject lines that instruct the reader to take action on the subject.
  • Give the reader a taste of the email’s content without revealing all the secrets. 
  • Tell the reader why the email is time-sensitive. Is this an exclusive deal that has a deadline or something similar?

Read also: 129 Effective Meeting Email Subject Lines for Every Occasion

2. Brevity

Have you heard about the KISS formula? It stands for Keep It Short and Simple. 

Nobody has time to read through long sentences in their subject lines when scanning through a full inbox. Plus, most devices don’t display over 60 characters of email subject lines. However, there is considerable leeway depending on the email client you use.

The table below shows the recommended length of email subject lines for various customers: 

Email subject character limit
Source

If that’s not enough, people read and open 81% of emails on mobile devices, with 1.7 billion people opening their emails on their phones. This is why 73% of marketers optimize email campaigns for mobile devices.

For mobile optimization, keep your subject lines about 30 characters. Lengthier subject lines may work, too, but you have to be smart about composing them, keeping the important part in the beginning. 

So, concise email subject lines not only pique the reader’s interest but also show better on small screens.

What to do?

  • Prioritize the most important details in the subject line.
  • Keep the subject line to no more than seven words or fifty characters. 
  • Express the core of your message using powerful and applicable terms.
  • Prioritize subject lines optimized for different email clients and devices. See how they look on various platforms.

Read also: 70+ Survey Email Subject Lines To Boost Your Response Rate

3. Clarity 

Beating around the bush? You’re losing your reader’s interest. If you want to deliver the value of your email content, get straight to the point. 

When email subject lines directly address the reader’s interests, they’re more likely to open it. When your content maintains this interest, they’re more likely to engage and take action.

What to do?

  • Incorporate keywords that speak to the readers and draw solutions to their difficulties. 
  • Ensure the receivers know what to anticipate by briefly stating the email’s main objective.
  • When creating your subject lines, you can use questions or challenges about the receiver’s problems.
  • Expose the value proposition, whether a time or money savings or a novel solution.

With it’s clarity, it’s also important to stick with the ethical practice. 

Ethical marketing practices for summer email subject lines

We’ve all clicked on an enticing email subject line and felt let down by the content. Perhaps it’s a misleading email with an excessively clickbait subject line to get the receiver to buy a product, or the content is completely unrelated to the title. 

Don’t be one of those email senders. Avoid misleading your readers with clickbait emails. 

The CAN-SPAM Act protects email recipients from misleading emails, and all email marketers must comply with it to avoid fines and penalties. 

Read also: 21 Innovative June Newsletter Ideas To Boost Your Business This Summer

Summer Marketing — Why It’s Unique

Consumer demands change with the changing seasons. Businesses can use this with relevant products, events, and activities. 

Paying great attention to seasonal fluctuations in marketing efforts helps companies create more sales leads and boost revenues. But despite all the season changes, the summer season offers a unique opportunity to boost your marketing offers! 

Why? Here are our reasons:

  • The longer golden hours: Longer daylight presents a great opportunity to take photos and make promotional videos. Brands take advantage by promoting more social media content and encouraging user-generated content (UGC). 

Encourage your patrons and customers to promote your products with a summer-related hashtag like #summervibes. Get them to snap some selfies and tag your brand. Here’s a great example from Swizzles, who arranged a summer break contest to encourage UGC. 

UGC Summer content
Source
  • It’s a social time: As the chill in the air gets gentler and the days get longer, more people leave their houses. There’s a natural increase in social interactions with outdoor activities, and outdoor campaign stands that offer more experiences. 

So add some summer fun, reach out to new people, and build relationships with your existing customers. Set out events and meet-ups, and send out emails to make it happen. The BLU UK marketing tour promoted their vape bar at UK food festivals to increase brand recognition for their popular e-cigarettes.

Blu UK Summer content
Source
  • Sun’s out, phones out: With summer vacations and schools out of session, kids, parents, and even those not planning holidays got their eyes on the screens more. They’re consuming more media, which is a great time for all marketing campaigns to engage and convert their audience.

Take inspiration from Target’s summer shopping tweets in their UGC campaign: 

Target-UGC Summer Campaign
Source
  • More spending: You may feel the sun’s warmth on your skin and enjoy summer skies painted in bright blue, but you can also notice a shift in your bank account balance. MassMutual research suggests that 52% of Americans tend to overspend over the summer, which is why promotional sales are more effective in the summer. 

You may introduce summer discounts/offers and market them as limited-time summer promotions. Take, for instance, the Minion collectibles campaign in the UK, which coincided with the start of the summer break. 

Minions collectible launch
Source
  • Good time to strategize: Launching strategic summer-themed advertising throughout the summer is smart. It’s never too late to start using strategies to bring in new consumers and remind existing ones that you’re still around! 

Budweiser seized the summer months of 2015 with the new BBQ packs and an online tool for beer consumers. You can check out the details of their campaign here.

Have you got the gist of why your brand needs a summer blowout in its marketing efforts? While we’re at it, we might as well show you how you can incorporate all the hot stuff in your email marketing, too.

Read also: Stepping Into Summer — A Handy June Marketing Ideas Guide

Elements of a Great Summer Email Subject Line

What does it take to come up with good summer email subject lines? Well, we have to tell you that it’s not rocket science. It simply gets your audience’s attention, piques their interest, and creates a desire to read your offer. 

Five main components of effective subject lines can help you do that:

Humor

Injecting humor into your summer subject lines can shimmer your messages like sunlight on water. Aim for a chuckle or a bright smile from your audience with playful puns or light-hearted jokes that resonate with the season. Ensure the humor aligns with your brand and is universally appreciated.

For instance, a subject line like “Our Summer Collection is Hotter than Your Beach BBQ! 🌭👗” captures the essence of summer with a humorous twist.

Example:

Humor email subject line
Author’s screenshot

Urgency

Create a splash by weaving urgency into your summer subject lines. Encourage quick action with phrases that evoke the fleeting nature of summer delights. 

“Last Splash Sale: Dive In Before It’s Over!” leverages the urgency with a seasonal spin, urging recipients to engage before they miss out on summer’s best offers.

Example:

Urgency subject line
Author’s screenshot

Power words

Energize your summer subject lines with powerful words that evoke emotions and drive engagement. Words like “exclusive,” “premier,” “urgent,” and “limited” can transform a simple announcement into an irresistible invitation. 

Consider “Unlock Exclusive Summer Savings Today!” for its compelling mix of exclusivity and immediacy.

Example:

Subject line with Power words
Author’s screenshot

Use of emojis

Brighten up your subject lines with emojis that echo the vibrancy of summer. They add a visual punch and can make your emails stand out in a crowded inbox. Use them judiciously to complement your message, like “☀️ Summer Deals So Hot, They Sizzle! 🔥”.

Example:

An example of emojis in subject line
Author’s screenshot

Seasonal references

Tie your subject lines to the essence of summer, evoking imagery of long days, warm nights, seasonal holidays, and activities. This makes your message timely and taps into the collective summer mindset. 

Example:

seasonal reference subject line
Author’s screenshot

Here’s a quick preview of good vs great summer subject lines:

OKayish summer email subject lines 😐 Great summer email subject lines 🌞
New items available for purchase 🔥 Sara, hot stuff waiting: Unlock your summer email subject lines with a bang!
Your weekly update 🏖️ Last chance for summer fun! The Exclusive summer sale ends in hours!
Latest company news 🌞 Dive into summer styles with our sizzling summer launch!
Check out our recent blog entry 🍹Susan, chill out with cool savings on summer essentials – Open now!
Information on service updates 🩳 John, score big on summer shorts – your exclusive discount code inside!
Find out what’s on sale this week 🏄‍♂️ Catch the wave: unbeatable summer savings on our best summer deals yet!
Your monthly summary 🌅 Create an instant summer feeling: discover your summer checklist inside!
Customer reviews and feedback 🎒 Hellen, kick off your summer break with our summer clearance – shop now!

Read also: A Guide to Mastering Email Subject Lines for Sales in 2024

10 Tips for Customizing Your Summer Email Subject Lines

Crafting a subject line for your summer email marketing campaigns that captures attention and incites action is key to success. Here are some tips to sprinkle some summer magic into your email subject lines:

Tip 1: Highlight the specifics

 “7 Beach Essentials for Endless Summer Fun 🏖️✨” – Let your subscribers know the exact summer vibes waiting for them in your email.

Tip 2: Evoke emotion 

“Unlock a Sun-kissed Glow: Our Exclusive Summer Deals ☀️🌺” – Tap into the summer heat with words that paint a vivid picture of the season.

Tip 3: Leverage urgency

“Last Chance for Summer Takes: 24-Hour Flash Sale on Summer Styles ⏳👙” – Convey the rush of snagging those summer deals before they disappear.

Tip 4: Promise exclusivity

“VIP Summer Secret: Early Access to Hidden Beachwear Collection 🗝️🩴” – Make your subscribers feel special with a summer slip into something unavailable to everyone.

Tip 5: Intrigue with the unexpected

 “You Might Overlook This Summer’s Trendiest Wardrobe Picks 🤫👚” – A subject line that challenges expectations and prompts curiosity.

Tip 6: Chat it up

“Hey, Got a Minute? Let’s Talk Summer Essentials ☀️💬” – Keep the tone light and conversational like a summer breeze.

Tip 7: Create immediacy

“Act Fast: Your Exclusive Discount Code Melts with the Sunset 🌅💨” encourages quick clicks, as though the summer sale is as fleeting as a day at the beach.

Tip 8: Boldness wins 

“Transform Your Summer Nights: The Outfit that Changes Everything 🌙✨” – Stand out by making a statement that’s as bold as the summer sun.

Tip 9: Guide the action

“Grab Your Sunglasses: Shop Now for Sizzling Summer Savings 🕶️💥” – Use a clear CTA that points directly to summer fun.

Tip 10: Embrace storytelling 

“Once Upon a Summer, The Girl Got Her Summer Wardrobe 🌞” – Invite readers on a narrative journey that begins with your email. A storytelling approach can engage the imagination and encourage readers to open the email to uncover the tale.

Read also: Sunny Strategies: July Marketing Ideas for Bright Results

5 Best Summer Email Marketing Ideas 

Now you know how to customize summer email subject lines to achieve higher open rates. We’ve outlined five great summer campaigns that’ll give you some inspiration for your next email campaign: 

1. The vacation-ready email 

Why not go on vacation with your customers? They’re already planning it!

Offer your products relevant to the travel season that summer brings. If your company has been around for at least one summer, you probably already have some useful customer purchase data in your database. With these tactics, you may re-engage clients from last summer and upsell or cross-sell vacation packages. 

Check out this summer email from Murad Skincare with the subject line: “Now $29.95! That travel trio you wanted.”

Murad Skincare summer email
Source

What we love: 

This summer campaign uses a single email to target two segments. With travel-size skincare products and affordable purchase choices, Murad Skincare caters to:

  1.  The clients who will chase the sun for their vacations and
  2. Others who will buy these for a pocket-friendly price

2. Help your customers prepare for the summer

As seasons change, people are looking at ways to better their lifestyles. Offer your newsletter as a solution to help them do that. 

Whatever your products or services are, guide your readers on how they can take you up to make their summer better. Give tips or write how-to guides to become what they wish to be this summer season. 

Here’s a newsletter from Chopra Living with the summer email subject line: “Slow down, get creative, and embrace your playful side this summer.”

Chopra newsletter with summer email subject line
Source

What we love: 

Chopra Living effectively taps into the summer mindset by encouraging readers to slow down and engage with their interests. This aligns well with the seasonal shift towards relaxation and personal enrichment. 

From the subject line to the visuals and the content selection, the newsletter’s elements set the tone of relaxation, self-discovery, and well-being. 

Read also: Funny Email Subject Lines to Copy and Use (And Examples From Big Brands)

3. Plan for major holidays

Creating dedicated summer promotions for specific summer holidays is a surefire method to bring in more money. 

Your marketing calendar should automatically include separate campaigns for summer events like Memorial Day, Labor Day, the 4th of July, and Father’s Day. The best way to boost sales during the summer is not to launch a blanket campaign but to send targeted emails with tailored items that appeal to particular demographics and consumer types. 

Here’s how Trudog made a lasting impression on consumers with their Memorial Day marketing with the email subject line: “Memorial Day Sale Edition”

Trudog memorial day email
Source

What we love: 

Who can ignore dogs in Memorial Day gear? The simple answer: no one!

Using a Memorial Day graphic immediately attracts customers’ attention. Even if a buyer doesn’t care to read the text below, they will still know that Trudog is offering an additional 30% discount for Memorial Day weekend. This way, the graphic serves as a solid call-to-action (CTA).

Read also: How To Write Welcome Email Subject Lines (Tips + Templates)

4. Build on curiosity …

We talked about the importance of building curiosity in your email subject lines. Why not continue that in the email? 

You don’t have to sell your products outright as you display them in the email. Instead, show off your color pallet or other summer elements and get the reader to check you out. 

They claim that no one is interested in lengthy emails anymore, yet we couldn’t help but browse through this J.Crew one. We aren’t oblivious to the subtle message a fashion company sends portraying ice cream in vibrant summer hues.

If you’re not in the market for a purchase, this email will put you in such a good mood that you’ll be more inclined to click the delicious scrolling call to action.

J.Crew Summer Email example
Source

What we love: 

Of course, only some enjoy reading a long scroll. 

Keeping that in mind, J.Crew astutely placed a call-to-action (CTA) above the first scoop. We love that the email is forthright about the lengthy scroll ahead. The lesson is to go outside the box to satisfy all your subscribers and reduce attrition.

5. Target the homebodies too

Not everyone travels in the summer. Research suggests 82% of American consumers plan on hosting gatherings for friends and family at their homes this year. 

Brands can use this opportunity to entice consumers eager to socialize again but don’t want to leave the house. How? Providing them with entertainment and home improvement-related ideas and offers. 

Here’s how Sonos did with their email:

Sonos summer email example
Source

What we love: 

Even though the company sells identical items, Sonos reaches a different demographic by tying its speakers to consumers’ summer plans. 

Whether at home or on an excursion, the brand can excite subscribers for the summer season. 

  1. For customers planning trips and camping excursions: Sonos recommends a speaker and emphasizes its compact design, water resistance, and lightweight features. 
  2. Sonos provides a separate product with 11 hours of playtime and powerful sound for customers planning to stay at home and host parties.

With all these examples and tips, you’re ready to roll out your next email campaign. To ensure optimum results, you should measure the performance of all the elements of your email content, including subject lines. This is where the A/B test comes into play. Read along to know more! 

Read also: 19 August Newsletter Ideas with a Splash of Inspiration

How to A/B Test Your Summer Email Subject Lines

Haven’t used A/B testing until now for your email marketing? Well, you better start using it after this.

Leveraging A/B testing or split testing for your summer email content can significantly sharpen your email marketing strategy and heighten the performance of your campaigns. This systematic approach lets you determine what elements of your summer email, including subject lines, resonate most with your audience. 

A/B testing will be necessary to improve open rates and subscriber engagement during this vibrant season. 

How does A/B testing work? Here are the general steps:

Step 1: Send two variant subject lines for the same email to segmented portions of your list—perhaps contrasting a “Sizzling Summer Savings” subject with “Last Splash Sale: Dive In!

Step 2: Adjust send times to find when your audience is most receptive. Is the “Friday Feeling” or a “Midweek Treat” that opens those summer emails?

Step 3: Analyze metrics to determine which subject line more compellingly captures the essence of summer for your audience.

By strategically A/B testing your summer email subject lines and content, you create a pathway to unprecedented engagement. Each email becomes a ticket to summer’s hottest events, from exclusive sales to unveiling new summer arrivals. 

Several tools out there offer A/B testing features. Let’s take a look at four popular email marketing platforms

1. EngageBay

EngageBay, which is a comprehensive sales and marketing CRM, offers in-built split testing features

By now, we know the importance of subject lines. With EngageBay, you can write a few different variants of subject lines for your emails and then execute the A/B Testing Feature to choose the best one to see which gets the highest open rate.

You may also test your:

  1. Headlines
  2. Body content 
  3. Images 

To improve your audience engagement and generate a higher click-through rate. 

EngageBay ensures a better user experience, helping you get more open rates, reduce bounce rates, and boost conversions.

EngageBay email subject line A/B testing feature

 

2. Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor also offers an inbuilt A/B testing feature in its email marketing platform. This feature allows you to test the email content, headings, and subject line. 

With the Campaign Monitor, you send two versions of your email to 20-30% of your subscriber list. The platform helps you pick the best version based on various criteria, such as:

  1. Clickthrough-rate (CTR)
  2. Open rate
  3. Total unique clicks
Campaign Monitor A/B testing
Source

MailChimp recommends using 20–50% of your audience for split testing.

Depending on your chosen metric, MailChimp will help you pick the best variant for increased views, clicks, or open rates. 

3. AWeber

If you’re using AWeber, you need at least 100 people on your contact list for accurate A/B testing results. Enabling A/B testing on AWeber is more complicated than enabling the other tools on this list. 

Here’s how to carry out A/B testing on AWeber: 

  1. Select only two versions of your email 
  2. Choose the Broadcast Split Tests option
  3. Select the percentage of contacts you want to send the email to
  4. Select the element of the email you wish to test
  5. Once receivers get the email, you’ll see the results

Some things to remember when A/B testing

Here’s your quick A/B testing checklist:

Focus on one element

Keep the test clean by altering just one variable at a time. This way, you know exactly what drives those clicks, be it the lure of summer dresses or the promise of hot deals.

Sample size matters

Ensure your test groups are large enough to give you clear insights. This precision allows you to tailor your approach, whether promoting summer wardrobe staples or exclusive discount codes for the hottest summer trends.

Test beyond the subject line

While the subject line is your headline act, don’t forget to tweak other elements. From the offer of a cool summer slip to the excitement of opening a “Summer Vibes” newsletter, every detail can enhance engagement.

Implement & optimize

After analyzing your results — be it higher open rates for “Splash into Summer Savings” over “Summer Clearance Countdown” — apply your findings. 

Take the insights of A/B testing from your dedicated tool into account. Optimize your summer emails to capture the season’s essence, ensuring your messages resonate from the sizzling start to the serene end of summer. 

Read also: 75 Captivating Labor Day Email Subject Lines For Small Businesses

How to Analyze the Impact of Your Summer Email Subject Lines

While open rates are useful, they are not the only metric that helps you understand the impact of your subject lines. Whether assessing subject lines or anything else, your attention should be on deep metrics.

Take a look at our email metrics chart below to learn more about the metrics that are most useful for evaluating where your email channels, subscribers, and campaigns stand.

Level of Impact For the email For the business
Customer-level Optimization for subscription

  • Lifetime value
  • Email inactivity
  • Subscriber’s recency, frequency, monetary (RFM)
Success for business

  • Customer lifetime value
  • Customer’s inactivity
  • Customer’s recency, frequency, monetary (RFM)
Channel-level Health of the emailing channel

  • Bounce rates (hard and soft)
  • Delivery rate
  • Inactivity rate
  • Engagement reach
  • Metrics per ISP
  • Churn rate
  • Subscription growth rate
  • Open reach
  • Click reach
  • Metrics for acquisition
  • Spam rate
  • Inbox placement 
Success of email channel

  • Revenue generated by email marketing
  • Revenue generated by each email and each subscriber
  • Conversion rate
  • ROI on email marketing
  • Profit from email marketing
  • Lead generation
Campaign-level Optimization of campaigns

  • Open rates
  • Click rates
  • Click-to-open rates
  • Mobile and desktop click/open rates
  • Engagement rates
  • Spam rates
  • Unsubscribe rate
  • Shares
Success of campaign

  • Campaign revenue
  • Campaign conversions
  • Post-click metrics like add-to carts, website traffic, etc.

Read also: A Complete Guide To Mastering Sale Email Subject Lines

Conclusion

As we say hello to summer and its cascade of sun-kissed campaigns, use this guidebook of summer email tactics and take it ahead in the rest of the year.

What summer means for marketers is an opportunity to reflect on what sizzled and what fizzled. The transition isn’t just a shift in temperature but a strategic pivot.

Labor Day sales become the final hurrah of summer goals, offering one last chance to make a splash. And for new graduates stepping boldly into their next chapter, it’s a whole new world of “hey, teacher”—I’m ready for life’s lessons. Let’s sharpen our pencils and strategies, ensuring our email marketing continues to make the grade every season.

EngageBay is an all-in-one marketing, sales, and customer support software for small businesses, startups, and solopreneurs. You get email marketing, marketing automation, landing pages and email templates, sales pipelines, live chat, and more.

Sign up with EngageBay for free, or book a demo with our experts.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What should be in the subject line in an email?

A subject line should concisely convey the email’s value while sparking interest. For effectiveness, include personalization, relevant offers, and urgency. Summer emails benefit from seasonal keywords, humor, and emojis to stand out.

2. How do you start an email in the summer?

Begin with a lively and seasonally appropriate greeting. Reference the leisure and warmth of summer to connect with the reader’s current experiences, setting a friendly and engaging tone.

3. How do you market in the summer?

Adapt marketing strategies to summer by aligning with the season’s pace and activities. Utilize bright imagery, seasonal themes, and time-sensitive promotions that resonate with summer’s relaxed yet adventurous spirit.

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