{"id":26118,"date":"2019-04-24T11:40:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T01:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/?p=26118"},"modified":"2019-04-30T14:05:20","modified_gmt":"2019-04-30T04:05:20","slug":"use-preview-text-boost-open-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/use-preview-text-boost-open-rates\/","title":{"rendered":"Use Preview Text To Boost Open Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preview text: What is it and why is it important? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, it\u2019s a small (but essential) line of text that follows the subject line that tells your recipient what the email is about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some say the preview text is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">important than your subject line for drawing in consumers. But it\u2019s more likely they hand-in-hand to create a compelling, attention-grabbing email that stands out in the inbox. After all, you\u2019ve done all this work to reach the inbox, let\u2019s not fall short before the finish line! <\/span><a href=\"\/mag\/create-killer-subject-lines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find out how to write killer email subject lines to get the click<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look at some preview text best practices and how you can optimise them to increase opens, click throughs and, of course, generate more leads.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is preview text?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The preview text, sometimes referred to as preheader text, is a short snippet of copy that displays under the sender name and subject line. Generally, your emails will display like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sender name<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subject line<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preview text<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Desktop Gmail display:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-26120\" src=\"\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/desktop-view-email-1024x31.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"31\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magmedia.machines4u.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24112231\/desktop-view-email-1024x31.png 1024w, https:\/\/magmedia.machines4u.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24112231\/desktop-view-email-300x9.png 300w, https:\/\/magmedia.machines4u.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24112231\/desktop-view-email-768x23.png 768w, https:\/\/magmedia.machines4u.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24112231\/desktop-view-email-500x15.png 500w, https:\/\/magmedia.machines4u.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24112231\/desktop-view-email.png 1259w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mobile Gmail display:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-26121\" src=\"\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/gmail-email-display-1024x276.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"665\" height=\"212\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the email client, on a desktop this is viewed on one line across the page, whereas on a mobile device you\u2019ll see everything displayed one under the other. With preview text being arguably <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prominent on mobile devices than on desktops, and with mobile email opens on the rise, there\u2019s never been a better time to optimise your preview text.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the past few years <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.campaignmonitor.com\/resources\/infographics\/24-email-marketing-stats-need-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">email opens on mobile devices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have surpassed that of desktop opens, coming in at 68% in 2016. Compare that to 21% in 2012 and it\u2019s easy to see email users are going more mobile.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How important is preview text?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/litmus.com\/blog\/state-of-email-2016-webinar-recording-qa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a survey by Litmus and Fluent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24% of respondents said that preview text impacted their decision to open an email. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">42% said that the sender or from name impacted their decision <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and the remaining 34% said the email subject line was the deciding factor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, why do people care about subject lines and preview text? Well, it\u2019s all about relevance. The more relevant your recipient finds your subject line and preview text, the more likely they are going to open the email.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 tips for optimising preview text<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Keep it clear and concise<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with everything in the email world, nothing is the same across all providers. So, to ensure that you make the most of your preview text, it\u2019s recommended you stick between 35 and 90 characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Machinemail allows preview text up to 90 characters, so that you have the best chance of your email being displayed correctly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Treat it as your second subject line<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because the preview text is displayed either next to or underneath your subject line, the two should work together to create a strong message.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When creating your email preview text, think about how you can use it as an extension of your subject line without being repetitive. Maybe you\u2019ve asked a question in your subject line and you\u2019re giving an answer or injecting a bit of humour in your preview text. Either way, it\u2019s a great place to experiment and see how you can best use this extra real estate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, it\u2019s important your subject line is clear enough that it makes sense by itself as well\u2014since not all email clients will show your preview text.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Include main points first<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping the character limit in mind, it\u2019s best to include the main points at the beginning of your preview text. Make sure you\u2019re using keywords and phrases that will grab your recipients attention and get them to take action.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since some email clients will cut off your preview text before your 90 character limit, you want your punchiest, best copy at the beginning!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Be personable<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personalisation is a tactic that many marketers use in their subject lines and email copy, and the same goes for preview text. Establishing a connection and friendly tone with your audience instills more trust in your brand and helps to enhance your results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a look at the two examples below, which are you more likely to click on?<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIs your tractor struggling? New limited offer on all tractor parts!\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGet in on this offer you don\u2019t want to miss\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Probably the first option, right? The first option is more personable, creates a bit of urgency, and tells the reader exactly what they\u2019ll find inside the email. This is exactly what we want to do.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second option falls short. It doesn\u2019t tell the reader what\u2019s inside, there is no value and it comes across spammy because of the lack of personable language.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Include a call to action<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might sound obvious, but including a good call to action in your preview text will help engage your recipients. Call to actions in preview text are used to make the next step obvious. For example, a simple \u201c&lt;&lt;click here&gt;&gt;\u201d will increase the likelihood of them doing so, and you\u2019re also drawing the reader in.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What not to include in your preview text<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Repetition<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it seems like the easy thing to do, you want to avoid repetition in preview text. If you\u2019re just spouting what\u2019s already in your subject line, the recipient is less likely to click through. You haven\u2019t engaged them with any extra or more compelling information to elicit the click.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The preview text is great real estate that should be used to engage your customers and communicate extra information: get your point across, draw them in and get the click!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Unsubscribe options<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s a legal obligation to provide an unsubscribe link somewhere within your email, displaying the unsubscribe option in your preview text won\u2019t do you any favours. While it may seem honest and transparent, it can also look like a spam email that\u2019s reached your recipient\u2019s inbox. The preview text should be used for what you want the recipient to do, and generally that\u2019s not unsubscribe!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. View in browser text<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a common mistake that\u2019s easily fixed. But, what is \u201cview in browser text\u201d? Ever noticed this text at the top of an email:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-26122\" src=\"\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/view-in-browser.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"299\" height=\"50\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is \u201cview in browser text\u201d. If you have noticed it, you\u2019ll know that it usually sits at the top of an email. Making it the first piece of text your computer will associate with the email.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how does it make it to the preview text? Well, when preview text isn\u2019t written your computer will automatically pull the first piece of text in your email, which generally happens to be the \u201cview in browser\u201d or \u201cNot displaying correctly? View in browser\u201d text. To avoid this, simply make sure you include preview text when crafting your email.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Avoid emojis and special characters<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with subject lines, using emojis and special characters runs the risk of miscommunication between devices. Some devices might showcase these characters beautifully, while others will show your customers blank squares and question marks (like this \u2370). Talk about poor user experience!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you\u2019ve relied heavily on emojis to clarify your message, you\u2019re going to lose out on leads from people whose email doesn\u2019t display them correctly. This will result in less opens and could even get your email marked as spam. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Things to remember<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So overall, your preview text is an opportunity to get your message across and add more value to your customers. It\u2019s a small line of text that should support your subject line and entice your readers to click through.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main takeaways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preview text should be short and sweet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use keywords and a call to action<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sum up your email and make the value clear to the recipient<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you find this article helpful? Let us know below.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 8pt;\">Sources: Hubspot, Campaign Monitor, Litmus, Fluent<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preview text: What is it and why is it important? Well, it\u2019s a small (but essential) line of text that follows the subject line that tells your recipient what the email is about. Some say the preview text is more important than your subject line for drawing in consumers. But it\u2019s more likely they hand-in-hand [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":26124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23069,20938],"tags":[1463],"yst_prominent_words":[2098],"class_list":["post-26118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-best-practice-guides","category-knowledge-base","tag-machinery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=26118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}