Email Preview Text

Email marketing is a powerful tool for reaching customers and driving sales. But with so many emails flooding people's inboxes every day, it's essential to make your messages stand out. One way to do that is by crafting effective Preview Text.

What is Preview Text?

Preview Text, also known as preheader text, is the short snippet of text that appears next to or below the subject line of an email. Its purpose is to give recipients a preview of the content inside the email, enticing them to open and engage with it.

How a preview text appears in Gmail

Why is Preview Text important?

Preview Text plays a critical role in your email marketing success. It's the first thing people see when they check their inbox, and it determines whether they will open your email or not. In the absence of a captivating Preview Text, chances are high that your email will end up being deleted unread.

However, an intriguing or attention-grabbing Preview Text can entice recipients to click through to your email, giving you the opportunity to capture their interest and showcase your amazing content.

If you do not set a preview text for your email, it's possible that the email client will display the first few words of your message instead. To avoid unintended or inappropriate text appearing in your email preview, be sure to specify your desired preview text.

How to write effective Preview Text

  1. Ensure Preview Text aligns with the Subject Line

    The preview text is an extension of your subject line, so make sure they work together to grab your audience's attention.

  2. Use engaging language

    Use compelling language that creates a sense of urgency and conveys the value of your message, giving readers a reason to open your email.

  3. Keep it clear and concise

    Make your preview text clear, and concise, ideally under 100 characters, to avoid being shortened in some email clients. This also helps your readers quickly understand what your email is about.

  4. Mention topics covered

    Give readers a glimpse of the topics covered in your email, without revealing too much. This arouses their curiosity and encourages them to open your email to learn more.

  5. Tease an incentive

    Let your readers know that something valuable is inside your email, such as an exclusive offer, free download, or a special promotion. This can motivate them to take action and click through to read your email.

  6. Here are some examples of effective Preview Text:

  • Don't miss out on our exclusive 24-hour sale!
  • Discover the secrets to boosting your sales with email marketing
  • Limited time offer: 50% off all products
Test and experiment with different preview text strategies to see what resonates best with your audience. Analyze the results to continually improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns.

How to add preview texts in Amplified

When crafting new email content, you'll find a section called Email Fields. This includes the Email Subject and Preview Text box where you can type your message and get a sense of what it will look like to the recipient.

How to add preview texts in Amplified

Here are a couple of examples of Preview Text, courtesy of Litmus:

Preview Text examples