We Need to Talk.

Welcome back to Digital Gravity 💪

Every Friday, we share strategies to help you grow your business with content marketing and reach ‘critical mass’ in the great online game.

This week, Maddie makes her Digital Gravity debut with a passionate take on the sneaky world of subject line catfishing.

Enjoy 👇

P.S. Don’t worry, Katie is still here. She’s just sharing Digital Gravity with the team.

📧 Subject Line Catfishing 📧

By Maddie Kamradt

The other day, I woke up from my beauty sleep, checked my notifications, and saw:

“We need to talk.”

Full. Body. Panic.

Did I forget to pay rent? Did I accidentally DM my boss the wrong meme? Who’s mad at me?

Nope. It was a brand trying to sell me socks, of course. Socks!

This is subject line catfishing.

You think you’re about to open an urgent, life-altering message, and instead, you’re pitched a 20% off deal on basic ankle socks.

And they’re not the only ones doing it. I’ve seen subject lines like:

“Don't open this.”

“Hey…”

“It’s over.”

“Maddie???”

(YES, with two question marks. Creepy much?)

I get it. The inbox is a jungle, and brands are desperate for attention (aren’t we all).

But shock-value subject lines are starting to feel like clickbait’s annoying younger cousin.

It works once. Maybe. But by the second or third time, I stop trusting you.

If you keep tricking me into opening your emails, eventually I won’t open them at all. 

Sorry! Someone had to say it!

If I know your subject line actually reflects what’s inside, you’ve got my attention.

If not, you’re just the boy who cried wolf, but with exclamation points.

The brands that do get me? The ones that give me real stakes.

A subject line telling me “This color won’t be restocked” or “We saved you a spot”? I believe that. I care about that.

Shock, manipulation, or fake drama gets you unsuscribed.

Honesty (and maybe a sprinkle of personality and giggle-worthy content) gets you loyalty.

Bottom line: If the inside doesn’t match the outside, you’ll lose me.

Don’t catfish your subscribers.

Socks aren’t worth my heartbreak.

— Maddie