Question: If I put my company or brand name in the sender line of my email marketing message, do I have to repeat it in the subject line in order for people to see it and open it and know it's from me?

Answer: Not necessarily, but you need to test your sender line to make sure your name will show up that way in most email inboxes. Email clients handle the sender line in different ways. Some will use whatever you specify, but others will force your email addresses by default.

If you're sure your brand or company name will appear in the sender, or "from," line, go ahead and use it there. Our research shows readers look to the sender line first to decide whether to open an email or to judge its trustworthiness.

You have only a limited number of characters to state your business in the email subject line, so you shouldn't waste them by repeating your company name. Just make sure your subject line accurately reflects the message content, or subscriber dissatisfaction could affect their opinion of your brand or company.

If, for some reason, you find that the email clients you send to most often force you to show your email address, use one that shows your company name in the domain. Then, repeat it in the subject line. Whatever you do, make sure the name that appears in the subject line is one your readers will recognize.