Email marketers spend a lot of time perfecting the subject line, and rightfully so. It’s the first thing a recipient sees in the inbox. But right next to it sits another piece of text that gets far less attention: the preview text, also known as the preheader. It’s that short snippet of copy that appears after the subject line in most inbox views, and sometimes it can play a bigger role in the open decision than marketers give it credit for.
Think about how you scan your own inbox. You rarely read the subject line in isolation. Your eyes take in the subject line and the preview text together, almost as one unit. If the preview text is missing, generic, or just repeats the subject line word for word, you’re leaving something on the table. Here are five tips to help you get more out of it.
1. Treat It as Part of the Subject Line, Not an Afterthought
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with preview text is not making a deliberate choice about it at all. When you don’t set your own, most email clients default to pulling in whatever text appears first in the body of your email, which is often a “view this email in your browser” link or other boilerplate. This represents a wasted opportunity on every send.
Write your preview text with the same intention you bring to your subject line. The two should work together, with the preview text extending the thought rather than restating it.
2. Don’t Repeat the Subject Line
If your subject line is “20% Off Your Next Order” and your preview text is some version of the same thing, you’ve used up valuable inbox space saying nothing new. Recipients scan quickly, and repetition doesn’t give them any additional reason to open.
Use the preview text to add information, create curiosity, or reinforce urgency the subject line didn’t have room for. If the subject line makes the offer, the preview text can explain the deadline or the detail that makes it worth clicking.
3. Watch Your Character Count
Preview text gets cut off, and where it gets cut off depends on the device and email client your recipient is using. Desktop clients tend to show more characters than mobile, and Gmail, Apple Mail, and Outlook all handle it differently.
There’s no universal limit, but front-load your most important words in the first 40 to 60 characters. That way, even if the rest gets truncated, the core message still lands. This is also a great place to point out the importance of usability testing across all the major ESPs on both desktop and mobile, so you can optimize your preview text for each one.
4. Keep It Consistent With Your Content
Just as your subject line shouldn’t mislead recipients about what’s inside, neither should your preview text. If it promises something the email doesn’t deliver, you might get the open, but you’ll lose trust over time, and your email may not be compliant with various laws and regulations. Apply the same compliance mindset you already bring to subject lines: it should accurately represent what’s inside.
5. Treat Preview Text as a Testing Variable
Preview text is another variable worth testing alongside subject lines. Try different approaches: a question versus a statement, a benefit versus a detail, shorter versus longer. What works for one list or campaign type may not work for another, so don’t assume your first approach is your best one.
Preview text is just one small element of your email, but all these elements add up. Start treating it as a deliberate part of your strategy, and you’ll have one more lever to pull in a crowded inbox.
To learn more about email deployment, email compliance, and other industry insights, check out our full blog here.
