Do Capital Letters Hurt Your Subject Lines?

Liz shares why lowercase may boost opens and avoid spam.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

How can joining an email marketing membership benefit your campaigns?

Utilizing resources like email marketing memberships can provide you with ready-made content and strategies to enhance your campaigns.

"If you want to learn more about email marketing and get more fun little tips like this, I'd love for you to join email marketing membership... where I write the weekly newsletters for you, so the content is good, so that people want to open over and over and over again."

Takeaway:
  • Access to professional resources can save time and improve email content quality.
  • Pre-written newsletters ensure consistent and engaging communication with your audience.
  • Support from a community or membership can enhance your email marketing efforts.

What is 'typecase' and why should marketers be cautious using it?

Certain stylistic choices, like 'typecase', can affect how your emails are perceived and may align with spam characteristics.

"They use typecase. So typecase is where they capitalize every first letter of the word... We can click on it. Oh wow, this is spam, right? This is very clearly spam."

Takeaway:
  • 'Typecase' refers to capitalizing every first letter of each word in a subject line.
  • Using 'typecase' can make your emails resemble spam.
  • Be cautious with stylistic choices that could negatively impact deliverability.

How can viewing your own inbox help improve your email strategy?

Analyzing your personal inbox can provide insights into common practices and how your emails can stand out.

"I want to show you, uh, something... We can see that we, you know, we got a lot of spam here, right?... Then you see Liz Wilcox... So these subject lines stand out, right?"

Takeaway:
  • Reviewing your inbox helps you understand how emails look from the recipient's perspective.
  • Identifying common traits in spam can help you avoid them.
  • Observing what stands out to you can inform your own email strategies.

How does the brain respond to different email subject line styles?

Understanding how your audience's brains process information can help you craft subject lines that capture their attention.

"It's just the way the brain works. We're searching for something different. That's where our eyes want to land."

Takeaway:
  • Using unique subject line styles can tap into the recipient's natural tendency to notice differences.
  • Standing out visually can increase the likelihood of your email being opened.
  • Consider psychological factors when crafting your subject lines.

Why is experimenting with email subject lines important?

Experimentation is key to discovering what works best for your email campaigns and can lead to improved performance.

"I would say experiment with it, get, you know, have some fun, don't be afraid to try something new. You just might be pleasantly surprised."

Takeaway:
  • Testing different subject line styles can reveal what resonates with your audience.
  • Experimenting can lead to unexpected positive results in open rates.
  • Keeping your approach flexible allows for continuous improvement.

What is the impact of subject line length on email visibility?

Subject line length can influence how your emails stand out in the inbox and can affect open rates.

"Now he uses some brackets and he uses type case, but it's super, super short. I'm using lowercase, just one word again, super, super short. So these subject lines stand out, right?"

Takeaway:
  • Short subject lines are more visible and can draw attention quickly.
  • Brevity in subject lines may differentiate your emails from others.
  • Combining short length with lowercase can enhance email visibility.

How does personalizing your email style affect engagement?

Aligning your email style with your personality and brand can enhance engagement, but it's important to consider how certain choices may impact perception.

"If it's in your practice, if it's in your personality, you just can't get over the lowercase thing. Go ahead, but do know that if you're willing to experiment, you might see some higher Open rates."

Takeaway:
  • Personalizing your email style is important, but be open to experimenting with new approaches.
  • Small changes like adjusting capitalization can have a significant impact on engagement.
  • Testing different styles can help you find what resonates best with your audience.

Why do spam emails often use title case in subject lines?

Understanding common traits of spam emails can help you avoid mimicking them and improve your email deliverability and open rates.

"They use typecase. So typecase is where they capitalize every first letter of the word, right?... We don't even have to click on it to know that that's spam, right?"

Takeaway:
  • Spam emails frequently use title case in subject lines, which can be a red flag for recipients.
  • Mimicking spam formatting can cause your emails to be perceived as less trustworthy.
  • Avoiding title case may help your emails look more authentic and increase open rates.

How can lowercase subject lines help your emails stand out?

Standing out in a crowded inbox is crucial for increasing email open rates. Lowercase subject lines can make your emails more noticeable among the clutter.

"Then you see Liz Wilcox and you see Pete McPherson... I'm using lowercase, just one word again, super, super short. So these subject lines stand out, right?... So I see them kind of first where I'm like, oh the rest of this is, you know, this is garbage."

Takeaway:
  • Lowercase subject lines draw immediate attention among capitalized emails.
  • Short and simple subject lines can differentiate you from spam.
  • Using lowercase may improve your email open rates.

Should you use capital letters in email subject lines?

The choice of capitalization in your email subject lines can significantly impact open rates and how your emails are perceived by recipients.

"So should my emails, to my subject line, should I use capital letters? I think the answer is no... I want to show you why. [...] We can see that we, you know, we got a lot of spam here, right? [...] They use typecase. So typecase is where they capitalize every first letter of the word."

Takeaway:
  • Using capital letters in subject lines may make your emails resemble spam, as many spam emails use title case.
  • Lowercase subject lines can help your emails stand out in the inbox amid capitalized spam.
  • Experimenting with lowercase subject lines might increase your open rates.

Episode Info:

Title:
Should I Use Capital Letters In Subject Lines?
Episode Link:
Keywords:
email marketing, subject lines, capitalization
Episode Air Date:
May 6, 2025

Podcast info:

Show Name:
The Email Sound Booth
Author:
Liz Wilcox
Owner:
Liz Wilcox
Category:
Business

More summaries from this podcast:

5-Minute Affirmations to Boost Entrepreneur Mindset

-
Why accept that your best varies?
-
How to find peace and pride in your work?
-
Are unseen resources available to marketers?
-
What internal support do marketers have?
-
How to feel safe stepping into new strategies?
View summary

3 Easy Collabs to Boost Growth Fast

-
How can simple collaborations improve your email marketing?
-
Why should you network across rather than up?
-
How to grow your list with a lead magnet swap?
-
What are the benefits of a co-hosted live session?
-
How to use a Top 5 Contributors Page to grow your email list?
View summary