Hey there,

Want to know my favorite thing about marketing?

It never gets boring.

Here’s the cycle that keeps us on our toes:

  1. You find a shiny new tactic that works like magic ✨
  2. Everyone and their uncle starts using it 🐑
  3. People get used to it 😴
  4. The tactic loses its mojo 📉
  5. Marketers scramble to find the next big thing 🏃‍♀️

And guess what? We’re right in the middle of this cycle with one of email marketing’s darlings: personalized subject lines.

The rise and fall of “[First name]” 🪂

Back in 2018, a study from Stanford and the University of Chicago made a lot of noise. Why? Because adding a simple “[First name]” to email subject lines was found to:

  • Boost open rates by up to 23%
  • Increase clicks by up to 32%
  • Reduce unsubscribes by up to 17%

Fast forward to today, and first name personalization is everywhere: “Laura, check this out!” “Laura, you won’t believe this offer!”.

The plot twist 🎬

So in 2023, researchers from Austria’s Johannes Kepler University Linz decided to investigate: “Does this ‘[First name]’ thing still work?”

Their findings?

Nope. It doesn’t. At least, not like it used to.

In a study with over 3,500 university students, they found:

  • No difference in open rates (56.9% with names vs. 58.5% without)
  • No notable impact on clicks or unsubscribes

So, should we just give up on personalization? 🏳️

Definitely not. Just because “[First name]” has lost its charm doesn’t mean personalization is dead.

In fact, the researchers ran a second experiment. This time they used “[Title + last name]” in the subject line (e.g. Mr Doe).

The results?

11.8% higher open rates (38.8% vs. 34.7%)

So…

What’s a savvy marketer supposed to do? 🤔

Remember the marketing cycle? We’re at step 5: time to find the next big thing! So, try to get creative with your subject lines.

For example, you could:

  • Reference specific products or past purchases: “Because you loved [product they rated highly]”
  • Find uncommon ways to personalize your subject lines: “Rainy day in [City]? Perfect for our indoor sale!”
  • Trigger automated emails based on their behavior: “We saw you checking us out, [First Name]”

The bottom line 📌

Marketing is a never-ending game of innovation. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

But that’s what makes our job exciting, right? So next time you’re crafting that perfect subject line, try to think beyond “[First name]”.

Happy sending,

Laura

P.S. Want to dive deeper into email personalization? Check out our guide on how to customize your emails beyond just names.