Email preview text, also known as preheader text, is the short snippet of copy that appears next to or beneath the subject line in an email recipient’s inbox. This text provides a brief continuation or summary of the email’s content before the message is opened. Its primary function is to serve as a secondary line of engagement, working alongside the subject line to offer recipients a compelling reason to interact with the message. Effective use of preview text is essential for maximizing open rates and driving campaign performance.
The Role of Email Preview Text
The preview text immediately supplements the subject line, forming a cohesive two-part message designed to capture the recipient’s attention. It offers necessary context that helps the user quickly decide on the email’s relevance. If the subject line sparks interest, the preheader text provides the final incentive to click.
This text offers an opportunity to create a sense of immediacy or exclusivity that the subject line might not fully convey. For example, details about a promotional offer, such as a percentage off or a limited-time frame, can be quickly stated here. By ensuring the message has a second chance to engage the recipient, the preview text contributes to a measurable increase in email open rates.
Character Count Guidelines by Device
The ideal length for email preview text is determined by the specific device and email client the recipient uses. An effective strategy recognizes this variability, prioritizing environments where space is most constrained to ensure the most important information is visible. Display length is measured in characters, though pixel width and the presence of emojis can also influence the cutoff point.
Mobile Devices
Mobile devices represent the most restrictive environment for preview text, demanding brevity. On average, a mobile inbox view displays between 30 and 55 characters of the preheader text. Since a majority of emails are first viewed on a smartphone, marketers should ensure their most compelling content is contained within the initial 35 characters. Text exceeding this limit is often truncated, obscuring important information or calls-to-action.
Desktop Clients
Desktop email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail, generally provide a more generous character allowance. Depending on the user’s screen size, these clients may display up to 90 or 100 characters. While this longer length allows for more detail, the initial 50 characters remain the most important area. A recipient scanning their inbox processes the beginning of the text first, so the start must be immediately engaging.
Webmail Clients
Webmail services like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and the web version of Outlook exhibit varying behaviors depending on the subject line length and interface layout. Gmail allows for a display of 75 to 100 characters when viewed on a desktop browser. Yahoo Mail is often more restrictive, displaying closer to 60 characters. A conservative approach suggests aiming for text that remains coherent and persuasive within a 60-character limit.
Strategies for Writing Compelling Preview Text
Maximizing the impact of the limited character space requires aligning the preview text with the email’s ultimate goal. One effective technique is to incorporate a clear, concise call-to-action (CTA) directly into the preheader. Instead of summarizing the content, the text should prompt immediate action, using phrases like “Shop the sale now” or “Download your free guide.”
Personalization is a strong driver of engagement and is effective when woven into the preview text. Utilizing data fields to dynamically insert the recipient’s first name, location, or a recent purchase detail makes the message feel relevant and tailored. For example, the text could read, “John, your personalized discount code is inside.” This technique increases the perceived value of the message before it is opened.
The preview text should function in synergy with the subject line, acting as a direct continuation rather than a repetition of the same idea. If the subject line asks a question, the preheader can provide the answer or a compelling next step. For instance, a subject line of “Did you forget something?” could be paired with a preview text of “Complete your order and get 15% off today.”
Generating a sense of urgency or novelty leverages time sensitivity to encourage immediate action. Phrases such as “Offer ends at midnight,” or highlights of newness, like “Just launched: See our new collection,” are effective. By focusing on scarcity and relevance, the preview text turns a passive inbox scan into an active decision to open the email.
Technical Implementation and Hiding Excess Text
Setting the desired preview text requires utilizing the specific fields provided by email marketing platforms. If this field is left empty, the email client defaults to displaying the very first line of text found in the email body. This often results in undesirable “fallback text,” such as “View this email in your browser” or navigation links, which wastes valuable inbox space.
To prevent fallback text and control the snippet length, a technical maneuver is employed within the email’s HTML body. This involves inserting the full, desired preview text as the first element, followed by a sequence of hidden characters. Using inline CSS to set the font size and line height to zero, or employing zero-width non-joiner characters, effectively hides the excess text from the recipient’s view within the opened email. This technique ensures the full preheader text is available for the client to pull without cluttering the message content.
Testing and Optimization
Effective preview text management requires A/B testing to refine performance for a specific audience. Testing should involve isolating variables, such as comparing a short, 40-character preheader against a longer, 80-character version to determine the optimal length for primary devices. Content variations, like testing a direct call-to-action against a personalized statement, should also be systematically evaluated.
The primary metric for measuring preview text success is the unique email open rate, as this reflects the text’s ability to drive initial engagement. A secondary metric is the click-through rate, which indicates if the preheader accurately set expectations for the content. While general guidelines exist, only dedicated testing reveals the precise length and content strategy that yields the best results for a particular subscriber base.