Bye bye subject line panic: Tips to writing better messages without overthinking it

You don’t need to be a marketer to write a great product message. And even if you are, sometimes it helps to have a few go-to tips.

Teams across marketing, product, customer success, and more use Appcues to send in-app messages, emails, and push notifications. Whether it’s a subject line, a push title, or a quick nudge inside your product, writing something that’s clear, timely, and effective takes a little thought.

This post shares a few simple tips that can make that process easier—no copywriting experience required. Just practical guidance to help you write messages that feel human and move users forward.

Start with the basics: who, what, why

Before you even touch the copy, answer these three questions:

• Who’s this for?
  Where are they in the journey? Are they new? Coming back? Power users?
  
  
• What do you want them to do?
  Be specific. It could be “finish setup,” “try this feature,” or “log back in.”
  
  
• Why should they care?
  What’s in it for them? What do they gain by clicking or taking the next step?

Once you’ve got those answers, the message becomes a lot easier to write. You’re not trying to impress—you’re trying to be helpful.

Say it simply

You don’t have to be clever. In fact, the clearest messages usually perform best.

Here’s what we’ve seen work:

• Use plain, everyday language
• Keep sentences short
• Skip jargon, filler, or buzzwords
• Prioritize clarity over creativity

Instead of:

“Ready to supercharge your experience with our latest innovation?”

Try:

“Try [Feature] to get more insights from your dashboard.”

It’s not ad copy—it’s a guidepost. Focus on what helps the user move forward.

Keep subject lines and push titles short and clear

No need to stress over the perfect headline. Your job is to make it obvious why the message matters.

Some quick guidelines:

• Keep email subject lines under 50 characters
• Keep push titles even shorter—aim for under 40
• Be specific about what’s inside
• Avoid clickbait, all caps, or multiple exclamation points

Examples we like:

• “You’re one step from finishing setup”
• “Try your new dashboard today”
• “3 days left in your trial”

One message = one action

If you’re asking for more than one thing, you’re probably asking for too much.

Pick one action you want the user to take and build the message around that. Keep the rest for another time.

Good CTA phrases:

• “Finish setup”
• “Try it out”
• “Learn more”
• “View dashboard”
• “See what’s new”

Make the next step easy to find—and even easier to take.

Match your tone to the moment

Tone doesn’t need to be formal or quirky—it just needs to fit the moment.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

• Reminders or nudges: friendly and supportive
• Announcements: helpful and confident
• Re-engagement: warm and welcoming
• Onboarding: clear and encouraging

Not sure if it sounds right? Read it out loud. If it feels natural in a 1:1 conversation, it’s probably spot on.

Before you hit send, do a quick gut check

✅ Is it clear what the message is about?
✅ Do you know exactly what you want the user to do?
✅ Is there just one call to action?
✅ Does it sound like something you’d actually say?

If yes to all of the above, you’re ready to go.

Key takeaway

You don’t need to overthink your product messages. Whether it’s in-app, email, or push, the same principles apply: be clear, be human, and guide users toward something that helps them succeed.

Already using Appcues? Try these tips out the next time you’re building a message. If you’re still exploring, book a demo—we’d love to help you get started.

‍