Let Sparks Fly With These Valentine's Day Email Subject Lines

On Valentine’s Day, people worldwide open their hearts and wallets to mark this special date.

According to a report, Valentine’s Day individual spending will go up from $175 in 2022 to an estimated $192 in 2024, meaning more sales opportunities for you as an eCommerce and online retailer.

Email is the communication channel of choice for most businesses. However, with the volume of promotional emails flooding inboxes during this period, you’ve got to put your creative ink to work, crafting relevant Valentine’s Day email subject lines that stand out.

This way, you increase email open rates and stand a chance to get your share in the Valentine’s sales gold mine.

Crafting Valentine’s Day email subject lines that stand out isn’t rocket science, nor should it be a shadow box. This post covers tips for creating engaging and romantic Valentine’s Day email subject lines, examples from big brands, and more.

Ready? Let’s begin.

Table of Contents

Subject Lines: A Deal Breaker in Email Marketing or Not?

You’ve heard it repeatedly – “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Well, in email marketing, the reverse is the case. Here’s why.

The image above is a typical representation of individual inboxes—crowded and filled with promotional, transactional, and other types of emails from competing brands.

The easiest way to get lost in this ocean of emails is to use a bland subject line that evokes no emotion or curiosity. It is worth noting that 47% of email subscribers based their decision to open emails on the subject line alone, and nearly 7-in-10 marked emails as spam based on subject lines as well.

So, in a sea of messages vying for attention, your subject line is your audience’s first contact with your email content. Crafting creative and compelling email subject lines could determine if your email is being opened, examined, or lost in the mix.

As marketers, we recognize that timing is everything, and Valentine’s Day isn’t an exception. This day of love usually provokes a surge in consumer spending, making it a strategic opportunity to leverage.

Now, the following are some reasons why crafting effective subject lines is crucial for email marketing.

First impression matters

The subject line is the first thing recipients see in their inbox. Engaging subject lines can create a captivating first impression, encouraging customers to open the email. According to research conducted by Litmus, 34% of people decide whether to open an email based on the subject line alone.

Boosting open rates

Engaging subject lines can significantly influence higher open rates. Adestra, an email marketing automation software, reports that personalized subject lines increase open rates by 26%.

Tailoring your subject lines to a Valentine’s Day theme can tap into the emotional connection of the season, prompting more users to open your emails.

Standing out from the inbox crowd

During Valentine’s Day, inboxes are usually flooded with promotional emails like we established earlier. Your subject line needs to stand out from the crowd.

With 69% of email recipients reporting email as junk mail based entirely on the subject line, crafting a unique and relevant subject line ensures your message is noticed in the crowd and not marked as spam.

We’ve been able to shed light on the critical role subject lines play in email marketing, especially during seasons of celebration like Valentine’s Day. Now, let’s delve into practical strategies for crafting compelling Valentine’s Day email subject lines to captivate your audience and drive engagement.

Best Practices to Create Valentine’s Day Email Subject Lines that Stand Out

Crafting compelling subject lines in your Valentine’s Day email campaigns requires a critical balance of creativity and relevance. To ensure your messages stand out in crowded inboxes and drive engagement, here are some recommendations:

1. Embrace emojis and wordplay

Incorporate emojis, puns, and wordplay into your email subject line. An example is:

“Love at first bite: Sweet deals for your sweetheart❤️”

This subject line provides a playful twist while conveying the Valentine’s Day theme and exclusive Valentine’s offer. Remember that emojis add a touch of emotion and ease the intensity of plain text, capturing the needed attention in a pool of emails.

To know more, read our blog on the best ways to include emojis in your email subject lines.

2. Personalize the experience

Use dynamic tags to insert the recipient’s name or location, creating a personalized mail experience and a sense of individuality for each recipient.

Beyond inserting subscribers’ names in the subject lines, another excellent way to personalize the experience is by crafting different subject lines for specific email list segments. This significantly boosts engagement rates as different subscribers get emails that resonate personally with them based on where they are in their customer journey.

EngageBay lets you personalize all aspects of your email—subject lines, preview text, and email content.

All you need to do is go to the marketing dashboard, choose Create new broadcasts or sequences, click on Personalization, and see a drop-down menu with various personalized fields and tada! You’re all set to click send.

3. Provoke curiosity

In the spirit of keeping it real, you’ll agree: whenever you see an email with a subject line that provokes curiosity in your inbox, you wear your investigation hat and don’t get it off until you see what the email is about, right? So, it makes sense to create subject lines that incite your recipients’ interest and make them eager to open the mail to find out more.

Here’s a subject line you can steal:

“Sarah, knock me off with this Valentine’s secret 💝.”

This subject line works for two main reasons. One, you are wondering why you have to knock off whoever the sender is and why they even want to be knocked out in the first place. Second, you’ll want to discover what this invisible knockoff punch is all about.

After all, we all need to add a few skills to our personal defense arsenal.

4. The shorter, the better

The phrase ‘less is more’ is double true regarding subject lines. A report from Invesp shows that email open rates and subject line word count don’t see eye-to-eye. In simple terms, the more words you have in your subject line, the lower the open rate.

The exception is subject lines with less than five words (even though they still do significantly better than subject lines with longer words). So, it’s best to keep subject lines between 6 and 10 words for maximum results.

Open rate vs number of words in email subject lines — *Source: Invesp*

With the limited spaces available for email subject lines, conveying your message concisely is essential while still capturing attention. Here’s something to steal:

“Sweet deals inside: Goes away at midnight 🎁.”

This subject line is eight words long (within the ideal length) and offers a sense of urgency.

Applying these tips is a step toward creating Valentine’s Day email subject lines that stand out.

Now, let us consider some real-world examples (from my inbox) by brands that have successfully captured recipients’ hearts and driven engagement with their subject lines.

Valentine’s Day Subject Lines Examples from Brands

Here are some real-world examples from brands you can readily implement. We discuss why they work to help you craft yours easily.

1. A little extra love for you, Daniella

AWAI (American Writers and Artists Institute) is an agency that specializes in helping writers build a profitable business with their several hundreds of courses and training. They give special discounts and offers for Valentine’s Day.

This subject line caught my attention for two reasons. First, it prioritizes showing love to the recipient. Most other Valentine’s offers from brands are intended to be purchased for someone else–your spouse, friend, or partner. But this subject line is about the recipient, and it’s a breath of fresh air.

This email shows that irrespective of your business or what you sell, you can always customize your Valentine’s Day offer to make sales. Second, it’s personalized with my name. Aside from this, it is concise (8 words) and evokes the feeling of self-love.

2. Spread the love with a Valentine’s Card

Canva is a favorite tool for creating beautiful brand designs worldwide for creators and business owners.

This Valentine’s Day challenge was aimed at improving user engagement. This subject line is short, and it includes an emoji. This adds color to the plain text and increases the chances of being spotted in the mailbox.

3. Last chance for Valentine’s Sale Savings

This subject line from 101 Blockchains leverages urgency as an essential motivator.

It takes advantage of the limited time, creating the fear of missing out (FOMO) and compelling recipients to open the email immediately.

4. Fall in love with this sweet Valentine’s Deal! Save up to 50% Off! 💕

This is another Valentine’s email subject line example from Flexjobs. This subject line attracts attention and communicates a clear goal—50% savings!

What’s not to love about that?

Whether Valentine’s Day or any other day, everyone loves a good deal that saves them money. And for email subscribers who have had an eye on any of their offers, this special discount provides a good opportunity to take action.

5. Give the gift of ‘forever’ this Valentine’s Day!

Mintable gets it right on all levels with this subject line. First, the “gift of forever” sounded mysterious, and I wanted to know what gift that was. Second, it’s within the recommended word count, and the infusion of emojis makes it stand out even better.

You can explore more email subject lines here.

Why are these email subject lines effective?

Relevance: All subject lines are connected to Valentine’s Day, ensuring they align with the recipient’s unique interests during this season.
Keywords: Each subject line carries applicable keywords, which include “Valentine’s Day,” “Love,” and “Savings,” improving their visibility in search results and increasing the possibilities of resonating with the audience.
Urgency: Including phrases like “Last Chance” and time-sensitive elements creates a feeling of urgency, encouraging instant response from the recipients.
Emotional appeal: By incorporating emojis and romantic language, the subject lines tap into the emotional appeal of Valentine’s Day, making emails more likely to stand out in crowded inboxes.

Next, we will explore some Dos and Don’ts for Valentine’s Day Email Subject Lines, providing actionable guidelines to boost your email campaign open rates.

Some More Valentine’s Day Email Subject Lines For Your Inspiration

Here are a few Valentine’s Day email subject lines to make hearts flutter:

Love-themed and romantic Valentine’s Day email subject lines

Celebrate Your Love Story: Exclusive Valentine’s Collection Inside ❤️
Together Forever: Romantic Gifts for Your Special Someone 💑
Love is in the Air: Unveil Our Romantic Valentine’s Picks 🌹
A Symphony of Love: Curated Gifts for Your Valentine 🎶
Cherish the Love: Unique Gifts for an Unforgettable Valentine’s Day
Hearts United: Discover Our Valentine’s Specials for Couples!
Eternal Love: Timeless Gifts for Your Valentine ⏳
Whispers of Romance: Find the Perfect Token of Your Love 💬
Fall in Love Again: Exquisite Valentine’s Treats for Two 💞
Celebrate Togetherness: Special Valentine’s Offers for Your Loved One 🥂

Funny Valentine’s Day email subject lines

Steal Their Heart, Not Their Fries! Fun Valentine’s Day Gifts Inside 🍟❤️
Love Potion No. 9 or Just Great Deals? Find Out Inside!
Roses are Red, Our Sale is Too, We’ve Got Valentine’s Deals for You! 🌹🎉
Be My Valen-wine? 🍷 Sip Up These Lovely Deals
Cupid’s Got Nothing on Our Valentine’s Discounts!
Forget the Arrow, Get Hit by These Valentine’s Offers!
Love is Blind, but These Deals Are Easy to Find! 😎
Are You a Parking Ticket? ‘Cause You’ve Got Fine Deals Written All Over You 🚗💕
Catch Feelings (and Savings) This Valentine’s Day!
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, and Our Valentine’s Sale is Waiting for You!

Email subject lines for Valentine’s Day deals

Last Chance!⏳ Cupid’s Countdown is On for Valentine’s Deals ❤️
Hurry! Love Won’t Wait, Neither Will These Valentine’s Offers
Time is Ticking! Grab Your Valentine’s Day Deal Now
Don’t Miss Out! Final Hours for Valentine’s Savings ⏲️💘
Quick, Before They’re Gone! Valentine’s Deals Ending Soon
Last Call for Lovebirds: Valentine’s Day Offers End Tonight!
Love’s Last Call: Exclusive Valentine’s Deals Ending 📞💕
Valentine’s Flash Sale: Today Only!
Tick-Tock! Valentine’s Deals Disappearing Soon ⏱️❤️
Rapid Romance: Snag Your Last-Minute Valentine’s Gift Now!

Personalized Valentine’s Day email subject lines

For You, [Name]: Handpicked Valentine’s Gifts 🎁
[Name], Surprise Her This Valentine’s Day with Something Special
Custom Love: Tailored Valentine’s Surprises, Just for You, [Name] 💌
[Name], We’ve Curated the Perfect Valentine’s Experience for You
🎉A Valentine’s Treat Just for You, [Name]: See Inside! 💕
[Name], Discover Gifts She’ll Adore This Valentine’s Day
[Name], Make This Valentine’s Unforgettable with Our Picks
Exclusive for [Name]: Personalized Valentine’s Day Selection💝

Platonic Valentine’s Day email subject lines

Galentine’s Specials: Cheers to Friendship! 🥂👭
Love Knows No Bounds: Gifts for Friends and Lovers Alike 👫💝
Celebrate Friendship: Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Bestie 👯
Spread the Love: Gifts for Friends, Family, and More This Valentine’s 👨‍👩‍👧
All You Need is Love: Gifts for Everyone You Care About 💞

Dos and Don’ts for Valentine’s Day Subject Lines

We compiled some dos and don’ts to keep you on track in creating your Valentine’s Day email subject line.

Dos:

1. Always conduct A/B testing on your subject lines

EngageBay email ab testing — *EngageBay email A/B testing*

Optimize your Valentine’s Day email campaign by conducting A/B testing on different subject lines. Analyze the overall performance of every subject line to understand what resonates well with your audience. This process helps refine your subject line for better results.

Steps to implementing A/B testing on your subject lines

Here are key steps to getting started:

Segment your list

Start by segmenting your email list into two or more groups. This allows you to test different subject lines and their impact on important metrics like open rate, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

Test the variables

It is vital to note that crafting Valentine’s Day email subject lines doesn’t require much to make significant differences. Hence, the golden rule is testing one variable at a time.

Experiment with different factors like word combinations, emojis, personalization elements, and subject line lengths.

Example:

Test 1: Subject line with emoji vs subject line without emoji
Test 2: Short and sweet subject line vs a longer and well-detailed subject line

This strategic approach provides data-driven insights into what works for your target audience.

Interpret the results

Once you have completed your A/B Testing, it is time to decode the results. Note that you must focus on critical metrics like open rates. With careful observation, you select the subject line that outperforms the other.

For instance, if the subject line with emojis outperforms the others, consider incorporating emojis in future Valentine’s Day email subject lines.

Also, it is vital to consider subtle differences beyond the primary metrics; for instance, does a subject line cause more click-through rates or a better conversion rate? Understanding the holistic impact ensures a complete optimization strategy.

Continue to refine what works

A/B Testing, or split testing, is an invaluable tool to refine your email subject lines and boost overall campaign performance. Also, it is not a one-time affair. As your audience options evolve, so should your subject lines.

Regularly revisit and refresh your A/B Testing strategy to stay updated with your audience preference and secure the clicks.

2. Segment and personalize

In email marketing, where personal connection is essential, segmentation and personalization are your best tools to create emails that resonate with individual subscribers.

Segmenting your email list is like creating a unique experience for each subscriber. You can tailor your Valentine’s Day email subject lines to resonate with their categories by segmenting your subscribers based on demographics, purchase records, or open rates.

For instance, if your business offers different Valentine’s packages and caters to a wide swath of people, sending emails with the same subject lines will be counterintuitive. In this instance, you can send an email with a subject line that says: “Blossoms of love for you forever love” for flower lovers while crafting something entirely different for the other segment.

Using email marketing software with dynamic tags that let you insert recipients’ names, locations, and personalized discounts into the subject line is a must.

Imagine receiving an email with a subject line that reads:

“John, unlock your exclusive 15% off Valentine’s Day treats.”

It does not only create attention but also establishes a connection with the recipient.

Studies have shown that personalized email subject lines yield a 26% higher open rate than generic ones, which shows the importance of personalized emails. When your subscribers feel your message is crafted specially for them, they’re likelier to open and engage your content.

Segmentation and personalization are not just buzzwords in email marketing; they are your secret ingredients to a successful Valentine’s Day marketing campaign.

3. Connect with your recipients’ emotions

Connect with them deeper by tapping their emotions with love, affection, and romance. Craft subject lines that resonate with the sentimental nature of Valentine’s Day, inspiring great emotional responses from your recipients.

4. Create a feel of exclusivity

Make your subscribers feel special with unique offers. Phrases like “Exclusive Valentine’s Day Offer” or “Limited-time Only: Valentine’s Day Edition” can create an experience of urgency and make your recipients feel happy to get a unique offer.

5. Use action-oriented language

Encourage recipients to act immediately by incorporating compelling verbs into your subject lines. Words like “discover,” “unveil,” or “surprise” create a sense of excitement, inspiring engagement and thereby increasing open rates and click-throughs.

6. Put keywords to good use

Keywords are a good way to increase your brand’s visibility. There are several ways to implement this. For example, If your business caters to a particular geography, including it in your email subject line would make sense.

So, instead of saying, “Dinner for two at the price of price one,” it would resonate better with people in a specific location if you say, for instance, “Miami sunset dinner for two: Promo code inside.” Now, it clicks for those in Miami that this offer is actually for them.

If your restaurant is a franchise with multiple locations, using a subject line like this requires segmenting your email list so each person gets an email personalized to their location.

In general, research relevant keywords related to Valentine’s season, love, and gifting and naturally integrate them into subject lines. While doing this, ensure your subject line is clear and concise.

Now that we have considered the Do’s, let’s look at the Don’ts!

Don’ts

1. Too many emojis is a deal breaker

While emojis improve your subject lines’ appearance, striking a balance is vital. Avoid the usage of too many or irrelevant emojis, as this can be very unprofessional or may even look like junk mail. Choose emojis that complement the message without overwhelming the recipient.

2. Don’t lie to or mislead recipients

Maintain credibility by avoiding clickbait subject lines. Misleading your recipients will eventually hurt your brand and email reputation in the long run. Ensure your subject lines reflect the content of your emails to build and maintain credibility and long-term relationships with your audience.

3. Avoid generic terms while crafting email subject lines

During festive seasons, users’ inboxes are usually filled with buzzwords and generic offers like “Best Valentine’s Day offers” or “Don’t miss out–you’d want to avoid those. Craft precise, personalized subject lines that captivate your audience and distinguish your brand from competitors.

Now that we have explored the do’s and the don’ts, we’ll explore some vital elements of crafting Valentine’s Day subject lines that speak for themselves in your recipient inbox.

Conclusion

Valentine’s Day emails are a great way to drive business sales in 2024, and optimized subject lines are excellent for getting your foot in the door with your email subscribers and increasing your open rates.

However, regarding conversion rate, it goes beyond subject lines alone to email content and other elements of your email. You must play the long-term goal and nurture your email subscribers all year.

EngageBay provides all the tools to create Valentine’s Day email subject lines and send email campaigns that stand out, from customizable email templates to A/B testing, advanced segmentation, and personalization features. You can get it all on EngageBay at a pocket-friendly price.

Here’s what one of our esteemed clients has to say about EngageBay.