Better email messages Part 2: One-word subject lines don't tell enough

Edited 9.8.07 - updated these links
Part 1: Rule of One
Part 3: Write useful subject line

The infusion of computers and the integration of email into our work and personal lives has done much to expose poor writing -- and thus poor communication.

I'm sure we all use email for informal as well as some more "formal" business-type communication. I've told people that I live and die by email. I rely on it heavily.

One of my pet peeves about email is the one-word subject line. For instance:

Subject: website

Ooookaaaayyy. What about "website"? Which website? Mine? Yours? Someone else's?

You've got a whole subject line. Why not use it? You can use more that a dozen characters. Is it really so difficult to string together a phrase of a few words to give more of a hint about the subject? How about this:

Subject: Broken links on blog website

Now that gives me a little more information. And because I don't like broken links on my website, to me this subject line carries more urgency and importance. This is something I have to pay attention to as soon as possible. Otherwise, it's ho-hum, OK, a message about "website," I'll get to it when I get to it.

Frequently in my reply I'll expand the subject line with the one word leading the subject, and then add a phrase that's adds more light, such as:

Subject: website -- broken links you told me about

I think the exercise here when writing a subject line is to put yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagining receiving your message among the many -- maybe dozens -- of messages.

Ask yourself: What is it about my message that's important to the recipient?

Then write a subject line that will catch his attention.