Preview text (also referred to as ‘the preheader’) is the snippet of copy that appears after the email subject line in a recipient’s inbox view, and it’s pretty powerful in driving an open. Typically, the subject line is used to grab attention and the preview text backs it up, making it stronger. Think of it as an iconic sidekick, like Donkey is to Shrek or Wallace to Gromit. One works significantly better with the other.

At ActionRocket, we know how important this particular sidekick is for email open rate, so here are our top tips on the benefits of, and how to use preview text in your preheader for success.

#1: Make sure you always have one

Rule number one is that you always include a preheader and that it fills up the field available after the subject line sufficiently. Otherwise, due to email client auto-formatting, you could end up with, not chosen by you, different types of in-efficient text populating this space. For example, a repeated subject line, an unsubscribe option, or an instruction to view the email online. Example below.

#2: How the text sounds

It’s not just about how the preview text reads on different devices, but now, due to the ever-evolving ways we consume communications, how it sounds. For example, Amazon updated its Alexa Voice Service to allow users to check their emails , so a repeated subject line or indeed an unsubscribe option within the preview text field is not going to sound good.

#3: Summarise your message succinctly

In most cases, email preheaders are about 85 to 100 characters in length, yet keeping them shorter, much like subject lines, means they are less likely to be cut off when viewed on mobile. According to Mailchimp, to make sure that preview text fits the widest range of devices, it needs to be between 30 and 80 characters. This example certainly got my attention in an extremely succinct way:

#4: Incentivise, summarise, personalise

An effective preheader will tease the recipient with what the benefits are to opening the email. It can create FOMO with an incentive of a % off or a free gift, available over a limited time. It’s important to optimise the use of characters here by avoiding repeating what’s said in the subject line. Here’s an example of a well written incentive subject line and combined preheader.

Summarising the body content of the email in the preheader is a way to ensure that you reach those who simply don’t have time to read all the emails in their inbox. A good example of this is below. Alternatively, posing a question in the preheader that connects with the subject line and is answered in the body copy is a way to pique interest.

For the personal touch, tailoring the preview text as well as the subject line with content that resonates with the individual opening it is a tactic to help improve the open rate. The preheader may also be a place the recipient’s name can be added, as opposed to in the subject line, for more subtlety. Whatever it’s chosen purpose, most importantly, the preheader must work together with the subject line.

#5 Consider stand out with emojis and humour

No longer simply a texting tool, the emoji is now being used to achieve stand out in the inbox. Emojis are a way to attract attention and inject humour. They should, however, be used sparingly and are not always appropriate for certain emails that require a more formal tone of voice, such as within the medical or legal industry. Canva have used them cleverly here.

For further email tactics that attach power to your open rate, check out Email Schema Markup and Gmail Promotions Tab and Email Delivery into Gmail’s Promotion Tab.