Email Preheader: What It Is, Ideal Length and Examples

Email marketing is a powerful tool for engaging with customers and driving conversions. It allows businesses to communicate directly with their audience, build relationships, and drive sales. One often overlooked element of a successful email campaign is the email preheader. Despite its subtlety, the preheader can make a significant difference in your email's performance. In this article, we'll dive into what an email preheader is, its benefits, and tips for creating effective preheaders. Additionally, we'll highlight how using tools like Mailpro can enhance your email marketing strategy, making it more efficient and impactful.

What is an Email Preheader?

An email preheader is the short summary text that follows the subject line when an email is viewed in the inbox. It provides additional context or a preview of the email content and is designed to encourage the recipient to open the email. This snippet of text is typically displayed next to or below the subject line in most email clients, giving recipients a brief insight into the email before they open it. Think of it as a secondary headline that can significantly impact your email's open rates. A well-crafted preheader can complement the subject line, increase curiosity, and ultimately drive higher engagement with your email content.

Key takeaways

• The preheader is the short preview text inboxes show next to or below the subject line.
• Aim for 40 to 100 characters and put the key words in the first 40, because phones show less.
• If you don't set one, inboxes pull the first text of the email, often "View in browser" or "Unsubscribe".
• Make it complement the subject line, never repeat it.

Benefits of Using Email Preheaders

1. Increased Open Rates: Preheaders provide extra information that can entice recipients to open the email. By giving a glimpse of the email's content, preheaders can complement the subject line and boost open rates. This additional line of text serves as a hook, drawing in recipients who might be on the fence about opening the email. When the preheader and subject line work together effectively, they create a compelling reason for the recipient to engage with the email. According to research, emails with preheaders have a significantly higher open rate compared to those without, making them an essential component of any email marketing strategy.
2. Enhanced Engagement: A well-crafted preheader can capture the recipient's attention and increase engagement. When combined with a compelling subject line, a preheader can make the email more appealing and relevant to the reader. This increased relevance and appeal can lead to higher click-through rates and more interaction with the email content. Engaging preheaders can also improve the overall perception of your brand, as they demonstrate attention to detail and a focus on providing value to the recipient. By crafting preheaders that resonate with your audience, you can drive more meaningful interactions and build stronger relationships with your customers.
3. Improved User Experience: Preheaders help set expectations for the content of the email. This can improve the overall user experience, as recipients know what to expect when they open the email, reducing the likelihood of unsubscribes. Clear and informative preheaders can make the email feel more organized and professional, which can enhance the recipient's trust in your brand. Additionally, by providing a preview of the email's content, preheaders can help ensure that the email is relevant and valuable to the recipient, which can further enhance their experience and increase their satisfaction with your communications.
4. Optimized Mobile Viewing: Many email clients, especially on mobile devices, display the preheader text alongside the subject line. This makes it crucial for optimizing email content for mobile users, ensuring your message stands out in a crowded inbox. With the increasing number of people checking their emails on mobile devices, having an effective preheader can significantly improve the visibility and impact of your emails. Mobile-optimized preheaders can enhance the readability and accessibility of your emails, making it easier for recipients to understand and engage with your content on the go. By prioritizing mobile optimization in your email marketing strategy, you can reach a wider audience and achieve better results.

Tips for Creating Effective Email Preheaders

1. Complement the Subject Line: The preheader should expand on the subject line, providing additional information or a teaser about the email's content. Avoid repeating the subject line verbatim. Instead, think of the preheader as an opportunity to add value and context. For example, if your subject line is "Summer Sale Starts Now," your preheader could be "Enjoy up to 50% off on selected items." This approach ensures that the recipient gains more insight into the email's content, increasing the likelihood of them opening it.
2. Be Concise and Clear: Keep your preheader text brief and to the point. Most email clients display 40 to 130 characters, so make sure your message is clear and impactful within that limit. The goal is to convey your message quickly without overwhelming the reader. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon or overly complex sentences. For example, a concise and clear preheader could be "Free shipping on orders over $50," which directly communicates a valuable offer.
3. Use Actionable Language: Encourage recipients to take action by using actionable language. Phrases like "Discover more," "Shop now," or "Learn how" can drive engagement and prompt readers to open the email. Actionable language creates a sense of urgency and excitement, motivating the recipient to take the next step. For instance, "Unlock exclusive deals today" is more compelling than a generic statement. Action-oriented preheaders can significantly improve your email's click-through rates and overall performance.
4. Personalize When Possible: Personalization can increase the relevance and effectiveness of your preheaders. Tools like Mailpro allow you to dynamically insert personalized elements into your preheader text, making your emails more engaging. Personalized preheaders can include the recipient's name, location, or recent purchase history. For example, "Hi [Name], check out our new arrivals just for you!" This level of customization makes the email feel more tailored and relevant to the recipient, increasing the chances of engagement.
5. Test and Optimize: Use A/B testing to experiment with different preheader texts and determine what resonates best with your audience. Mailpro's robust analytics can help you track the performance of your preheaders and optimize them for better results. Testing different versions of preheaders allows you to understand what type of language, length, and content work best for your audience. Regularly reviewing and optimizing your preheaders ensures that you continue to improve your email open rates and engagement levels. For instance, you might test "Exclusive Offer Inside" versus "Limited Time Discount" to see which preheader drives more opens.

By following these tips, you can create effective email preheaders that enhance your email marketing strategy, driving higher open rates, engagement, and overall campaign success.

Examples of Effective Email Preheaders

1. Subject Line: "Exclusive Offer Just for You!" Preheader: "Save 20% on your next purchase with our special coupon."
2. Subject Line: "New Arrivals for Spring" Preheader: "Check out the latest trends in our spring collection."
3. Subject Line: "Your Weekly Update" Preheader: "Get the latest news, tips, and exclusive offers."

Preheaders and subject lines work as a pair, so test them together and judge by clicks as well as opens — see your email statistics.

12 subject line and preheader pairs by use case

How do you stop "View in browser" from showing as the preview?

Inboxes fill the preview with the first text they find in the email. If your preheader is short, they continue with the next text, which is often the "View in browser" link or the logo's alt text. Two fixes: write a preheader long enough to fill the preview (around 90 to 100 characters), or add invisible spacing characters after it in the HTML so the inbox has nothing else to display. Then send a test to Gmail, Outlook and an iPhone to check the result.

How Mailpro Can Help

Mailpro is a comprehensive email marketing platform that offers a range of features to enhance your email campaigns, including the creation and optimization of email preheaders. With Mailpro, you can:

• Easily Create Preheaders: Mailpro's intuitive interface allows you to quickly add and edit preheader text for your emails.
• Personalize Content: Use Mailpro's dynamic content features to personalize preheaders based on recipient data.
• A/B Test Preheaders: Experiment with different preheader texts to see what performs best with your audience.
• Analyze Performance: Track the success of your email campaign  with Mailpro's detailed analytics and make data-driven decisions to improve your strategy.

Conclusion

Email preheaders are a small but mighty element of email marketing that can significantly impact your campaign's success. By providing additional context and enticing recipients to open your emails, preheaders enhance engagement and improve user experience. Leveraging tools like Mailpro can help you create effective preheaders, optimize your email marketing strategy, and achieve better results. Start integrating well-crafted preheaders into your emails today and watch your engagement rates soar.

Check our Email Marketing Checklist

Frequently asked questions about email preheaders

What is the ideal email preheader length?

Between 40 and 100 characters. Put the most important words in the first 40, because phones show the least text, and check that the preheader still makes sense if it is cut off.

Is a preheader the same as preview text?

Yes, in practice. "Preview text" is what the inbox displays; the "preheader" is the text you place at the top of the email to control it. Some marketers also use "preheader" for a visible line above the email header.

Do preheaders improve open rates?

They influence the decision to open, together with the sender name and the subject line. Test them with A/B tests and judge the result on clicks as well as opens, because Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates open rates.

Should the preheader repeat the subject line?

No. Repeating it wastes the space. Use the preheader to add a detail, a deadline or a benefit that the subject line doesn't have room for.

Can I use emojis in a preheader?

Yes, sparingly. One emoji can draw the eye, but several look like spam, and some older email clients show them as empty boxes. Send a test before you use them on a whole list.