What AI Gets Wrong About Subject Lines

Hey, Alchemists

What if the reason your subject lines aren’t converting is because they sound too perfect?

This week, we’re tackling the blind spot in AI-generated copy: emotional connection.

You'll learn how to write subject lines that feel human — and actually get opened.

Today’s Insights

• The AI Subject Line That Flopped — why your “perfect” AI subject line might be silently killing open rates, and what to do instead.

• From Google’s ad monopoly ruling to creator-inspired hooks and PMAX budget strategies — plus 2 powerful tools (Docuwel + Neobase) to speed up your workflow.

• Quick tactics to rewrite weak subject lines, humanize AI outputs, and find your best-performing email angles.

• Use Neobase to analyze subject line patterns or Docuwel to draft your next A/B test in under 3 minutes.

🔍 Tutorial

The AI Subject Line That Flopped

Last year, I used AI to write a subject line for a product announcement email.

It was short. Punchy. Scored a 91 on a subject line grader tool.

I hit send.

And watched it flop.
Not just underperform — collapse.
18.2% open rate vs. the 27.6% I was averaging manually.

That’s when I learned something:
AI knows how to write — but not how to connect.

The subject line didn’t feel like me.
Worse, it didn’t feel like anything at all.

Let’s talk about what AI misses — and how to fix it.

Looked Good. Felt... Off.

The AI subject line wasn’t wrong — but it was boring.

It didn’t sound human.
It didn’t spark interest.
It didn’t make you want to open the email.

📧 What I did instead: 
I rewrote the subject line like this:

“This one mistake was killing our open rate. Fixed it.”

Open rate jumped by over 10%.

➡️ Try this (5 min):

Pull your last subject line.
Read it out loud.

Ask: Would I open this from a friend?

If not, rewrite it in your own voice.
Then test that version next send.

Curiosity ≠ Clickbait (Unless You Let AI Decide)

AI loves lines like:

“You won’t believe this trick…”
“This changed everything…”

The problem?

Your reader has seen it.
Too many times.

It’s vague. Empty. And screams “ad.”

Curiosity still works — but when it’s real and clear.

💡 From a client test (email marketing):

❌ “This simple subject line hack changed our CTR” 
✅ “What happened when we removed ALL punctuation from our subject line”

→ CTR jumped 14.7%

➡️ Try this (5 min):

Rewrite a subject line using this format:

Specific action → Unexpected result

e.g., “What changed when I dropped emojis from my welcome emails”

What Worked Before AI Still Works Now

Before GPT, I used what I now call the 4R Test for subject lines:

👉🏻 Relevant (Is this useful now?)
👉🏻 Relatable (Does it sound like me?)
👉🏻 Rewarding (What do I get for opening?)
👉🏻 Rhythmic (Does it sound smooth?)

It still works better than AI 80% of the time.

📧 From my email campaign: 
Subject line: “Most lead magnets fail the 5-second test. Does yours?”

→ Beat AI’s version by 21%.

➡️ Try this (5 min):

Take your latest subject line.
Check it against the 4Rs.

Fix what’s missing — then test again.

AI Is Helpful — But It Needs You

Think of AI like a smart intern.

It’s quick and has ideas, but it doesn’t know your voice — or your reader’s mood.

Use it to get rough ideas.
Then you polish it to sound real.

💡 From a social media ad test (researched):

Brands using AI plus human edit increased engagement by 22%, compared to AI-only headlines.

➡️ Try this (5 min):

Ask AI to write 3 subject lines.
Pick one.
Rewrite it like you're texting a friend.

Ask This Instead of “What Should I Write?”

Instead of asking:
“What sounds catchy?”

Ask: “What does my reader already want — and how can I say that in one line?”

This changes your subject line from being about you to being for them.

📧 Client example:

❌ “New swipe files just dropped!”
✅ “Need a faster way to write your next 5 emails?”

→ Open rate grew by 7%

➡️ Try this (5 min):

Write a subject line that gives your reader something they already want.

Make it short.
Make it simple.
Make it helpful.

TL;DR - What We Covered Today

Here’s a quick recap if you’re short on time:

✔️ AI subject lines often sound right but feel wrong. Rewrite them with your voice.
✔️ Curiosity works best when it’s clear and specific.
✔️ Use the 4R Test (Relevant, Relatable, Rewarding, Rhythmic)
✔️ AI is a smart helper — not the final writer. Human edits still win.
✔️ Write for what your reader already wants.

Each one of these ideas takes under 5 minutes to test.
Try one today and watch what happens 👀

Final Thoughts: People Open Emails That Feel Human

AI can help you save time.
But you know your reader best.

The best subject lines don’t sound perfect.
They sound real.

✅ Try this today:

Write one subject line that makes your reader feel something.
Then send it.

You might just get the best open rate of the month.

🏆 Quick Wins

✅ Pull the last 5 campaigns and highlight your top 3 subject lines by open rate. Reverse-engineer why they worked using the 4R Test (Relevant, Relatable, Rewarding, Rhythmic).
Expected Impact: Identify patterns that increase open rates by 15–30%.

✅ Add a curiosity trigger without being vague: Swap “Get our latest tips” for “What 7-figure brands are doing differently this week.”
Expected Impact: Boost in open rates by up to 21%, based on campaign-tested subject line rewrites.

✅ Use ChatGPT to generate 5 subject line variations for your next email—but humanize the best one by rewriting it in your tone of voice.
Expected Impact: Blending AI + voice editing has shown to increase engagement by 22% in side-by-side A/B tests.

📡 Radar

📣 Google Ruled Guilty of Ad Tech Monopoly

A U.S. judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws to maintain dominance over digital advertising. While this directly impacts ad platforms, it hints at future disruption that may affect Gmail prioritization algorithms and email ad placements.

➡️ Key takeaway: Watch for changes in Gmail's Promotions tab behavior—subject line clarity may become more important than ever.
Read More →

📫 Validity Acquires Litmus - Major Shift in Email Testing

Validity, a leader in email deliverability, has acquired Litmus, the popular email testing platform. This consolidation could reshape how marketers test emails by combining deliverability scoring with subject line previews, inbox placement, and performance analytics — all in one workflow.

➡️ Key takeaway: Start reviewing your current email testing stack—centralized testing may become the new standard.
Read More →

📱 What Creators Can Teach Performance Marketers

Short-form creators are outperforming brands in attention, retention, and conversion by leaning into fast hooks, tight story arcs, and native CTA placement. Performance marketers are now studying creator patterns to improve email, ad, and landing page content — especially above-the-fold elements like subject lines and preview text.

➡️ Key takeaway: Audit your last 3 subject lines. Do they hook like a creator’s first 3 seconds? If not, try using a curiosity or story-led opener inspired by high-performing Reels or Shorts.
Read More →

📣 How Top Brands Allocate PMAX Budgets

Fospha’s new playbook reveals that top-performing brands are allocating ~55% of their Google Ads budget to Performance Max (PMAX) and ~12% to Paid Search. Large brands lean heavier on PMAX (59%) due to broader product lines, while smaller brands balance with Paid Search (15%) to capture high-intent demand.→

➡️ Key Takeway: Reassess your ad spend split — if your email list is growing slower than your ad budget, it may be time to redirect part of that PMAX spend to owned channels like high-converting opt-ins.

⚒️ Tools

1️⃣ Docwelo: AI That Writes Your Docs, Your Way

Docuwel is an AI-powered document assistant that helps you create polished, on-brand materials in minutes — from proposals to marketing briefs. Just answer a few prompts, and Docuwel generates complete, accurate documents in your tone, with zero formatting headaches.

→ Key takeaway: Use Docuwel to turn your campaign ideas into clean briefs, fast — or draft subject line A/B tests with built-in structure so your team can move faster.
Learn More →

2️⃣ Neobase: Private, AI-First Research & Feed Tool

Neobase offers a real-time, privacy-first feed where AI organizes and contextualizes content from your trusted sources. Great for marketers tracking competitor subject lines, creator trends, or inbox patterns without distraction.

→ Key Takeaway: Use Neobase to ask things like “Which subject lines had open rates above 30% last quarter?” and get actionable insights in seconds — no analyst required.
Learn More →

⚡️ Productivity

Productivity Catalyst: 2-Minute Rule

Before: You see a small task — a quick reply, a form to fill, a file to send — and you push it off.

But later, someone follows up.
Then again.

Now it’s a mental weight and a time-waster.

After: You handle it the moment it pops up.

No back-and-forth.
No reminders.
Just done — in two minutes or less.

You feel lighter, faster, and more focused.

The Transformation Process

1. When a task hits your inbox or to-do list, ask: Can I finish this in 2 minutes?

2. If yes — do it immediately. No overthinking, no tab switching.

3. If no — schedule it or delegate right away.

Why Most People Fail: We underestimate the mental cost of delaying small tasks. They seem harmless… until they multiply and start stealing your focus.

Your Advantage: The Two-Minute Rule isn’t about speed — it’s about clarity. You’ll save hours each week by stopping tiny distractions from becoming time drains.

🧠 Real Talk: I used to delay these tiny things all the time — and then get annoyed when people followed up.

The irony?
It would've taken less time to just do it than dodge it.

Try it today

🚀 Case Study

Porch.com’s Content Marketing Victory

Industry: Home Improvement Marketplace

Challenge: Boost organic visibility through high-authority backlinks

Approach: Partnered with Fractl to produce tangential and on-brand content that earned press attention across multiple verticals

Results: 931 unique referring domains, 3,500+ total press mentions, and 38,000+ social shares

Why it worked: Blending Porch’s internal data with tangential content themes expanded reach beyond home improvement — securing placements on CNBC, NPR, Realtor.com, and more.

Read More →

🎙️ Podcast You’ll Love

🎧 Episode: Why Customers Buy When They Feel Like They Belong

📢 Host: Amy Porterfield

🎯 Guest: Veronica Romney, Founder of Identity Marketing

🗣️ What it covers: This episode dives deep into identity-driven marketing — how brands can create powerful emotional alignment with their audience by speaking to who they want to become, not just what they want to buy.

💡 Key takeaways:

✔️ Move from “buy this” to “be this.”: People buy into brands that reflect their ideal self — not just products.

✔️ Use the 4-Step Identity Code: Listen, test, define belonging, and build expression touchpoints.

✔️ Start from the inside out: Build internal identity among your team to ensure your external messaging feels authentic and connected.

⏳ Why it’s worth your time:

If you're struggling with engagement or feel like your audience is disengaged, this episode shows how rethinking your brand's identity messaging — even in subject lines — can radically shift how people respond.

🎧 Listen here 

📚 Growth Shelf

A must-read for marketers who want their message to be remembered—and shared.

Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Why it’s worth reading:

✔️ Breaks down why some messages stick and others fade — using proven ideas from psychology and storytelling.

✔️ Introduces the SUCCES framework: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories — with sticky examples at every turn.

✔️ Includes real-world case studies (hoaxes, charities, scientists, brands) to show how memorable ideas are built in any industry.

✅ Perfect for content writers, email marketers, and solopreneurs who want their audience to remember—and act.

🧬 The Elixir

Join Me

Follow Me On: Linked In | Twitter (X)

I deliver AI-Powered marketing intelligence used by top 1% professionals.
AI prompts + plug-n-play templates to achieve 3X marketing results.

I keep things concise, tactical & BS free - just actionable solutions you can implement immediately!