EMAIL OPTIMIZATION & DESIGN

Mastering Email Preview Text: Your Second Chance to Drive Opens

31 March 2025

You've crafted the perfect email—compelling content, beautiful design, flawless code. But before anyone sees that masterpiece, they see three things in their crowded inbox: the Sender Name, the Subject Line, and the Preview Text.

Mastering Email Preview Text: Your Second Chance to Drive Opens

While subject lines get most of the attention, that short snippet of preview text is your critical second chance to capture interest and entice a click. Ignoring it means wasting valuable inbox real estate, often defaulting to uninspiring text like "View online" or "Unsubscribe." This guide explains how to master preview text for maximum impact.

 

What is Email Preview Text?

Preview text is the line of text displayed immediately following or below the subject line in most email clients (like Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook). It pulls the first few characters of text from the body of your email.

Its purpose is to give the recipient a further glimpse into the email's content, helping them decide whether to open it. A well-crafted preview text acts as a powerful extension of your subject line.

Most modern Email Service Providers (ESPs), like Enabler, allow you to specify custom preview text, overriding the default pull from your email body. This control is essential for optimization.

 

How Preview Text Works: Visible vs. Hidden

There are two primary ways to implement preview text:

  1. Visible Preheader Text: This is simply the very first line of text within the visible body of your email, often placed right at the top above the main header image. It serves a dual purpose: acting as preview text and providing context once the email is opened.

  2. Hidden Preview Text: This is the more common and often preferred method for maximum control. It involves placing a short snippet of text right after the opening <body> tag in your HTML, hidden using CSS. This text will be picked up by email clients for the inbox preview but will not be visible when the email is actually opened.

Example of Hidden Preview Text Code:

HTML
<body>
  <div style="display:none; max-height:0px; overflow:hidden;">
    This is your hidden preview text. It appears in the inbox preview only.
  </div>

  <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
    <tr>
      <td>Visible content like your preheader link...</td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</body>

Using hidden preview text is powerful because it allows you to optimize the inbox snippet without cluttering the visual design of your email when opened. You can even use both – place the hidden text before any visible preheader links to ensure your desired copy appears first in the inbox.

 

Controlling Length: The Whitespace Hack

A common challenge is that different email clients display varying lengths of preview text (from ~35 characters up to 140+). If your intended preview text is short, the client might pull in subsequent text you don't want displayed (like "View online" or image ALT text).

The Solution: The "whitespace hack" uses a combination of zero-width non-joiners (&zwnj;) and non-breaking spaces (&nbsp;) repeated after your intended preview text within the hidden div.

HTML
<div style="display:none; max-height:0px; overflow:hidden;">
  Short preview text.&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;... [repeat many times] ...
</div>

This creates a long string of invisible characters, effectively filling the available preview space and preventing unwanted text from being pulled in.

 

Strategic Best Practices for Preview Text

Think of your preview text as a critical part of your inbox "envelope."

  1. Treat it as a Subject Line Extension: Don't just repeat the subject line. Use the preview text to add value, context, urgency, or intrigue that complements the subject line.

  2. Optimize for Mobile Lengths: Write the most crucial part of your preview text within the first 35-50 characters to ensure it's visible even on the smallest mobile screens.

  3. Avoid Default Text: Never let "View Email Online" or similar utility links become your preview text. Use custom hidden text or ensure compelling copy is the very first thing in your email body.

  4. Consider Emojis (Carefully): Emojis can grab attention in preview text just like in subject lines. However, rendering varies wildly across clients. Always test thoroughly using an email preview tool to ensure they display correctly (not as ☐). Use them sparingly and ensure they add value.

  5. A/B Test Your Approach: Just like subject lines, test different preview text strategies. Does a question work better? Does highlighting an offer increase opens? Let data guide your optimization.

  6. Hint at Value: Use the preview text to tease key information or offers found deeper within the email, encouraging recipients to scroll and engage once opened.

 

Conclusion: Don't Neglect Your Second Impression

Preview text shouldn't be an afterthought. It's a vital component of your email's inbox presentation and a powerful lever for improving open rates. By strategically crafting custom preview text, controlling its length, and testing your approach, you give your campaigns a significant advantage in the fight for attention, ensuring your carefully designed emails get the audience they deserve.

Need help implementing custom preview text or A/B testing your inbox strategy? Contact the Enabler team.


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