In the world of email marketing, subject lines often steal the spotlight as the critical element in determining whether an email gets opened or not. However, there is another essential component of email marketing that is frequently overlooked or underutilized – the preheader text. Preheader text, also known as the preview text, is the snippet of text that appears after the subject line in a recipient’s inbox. It serves as an extension of the subject line, providing additional context and information that can persuade the recipient to open the email. Despite its potential to significantly impact email open rates, preheader text is often neglected by email marketers. This paper explores the reasons why preheader text is an essential and underutilized aspect of email marketing.
Why Preheader Text is Neglected
There are several reasons why preheader text is often neglected by email marketers.
Lack of Awareness: Many email marketers are unaware of the existence or significance of preheader text. As a result, they do not allocate time or resources to craft engaging preheader text, instead focusing on the subject line and email body.
Technical Limitations: Some email clients impose character limitations on preheader text, rendering it less effective as a promotional tool. This can discourage marketers from prioritizing preheader text in their email marketing strategy.
Design-Focused Prioritization: Email marketers often emphasize visual design over written content, allocating resources to create eye-catching email templates. As a result, preheader text can be an afterthought, with marketers relying on default or automated preheader text instead of crafting custom snippets.
Misconception of Repetition: Marketers may assume that preheader text serves the same purpose as the subject line, leading them to repeat the same information in both places. This redundancy can lead to preheader text being neglected, as marketers believe they have already effectively communicated their message.
Unclear Metrics: Unlike subject lines, preheader text does not have a direct impact on open rates. This lack of clear success metrics can make it difficult for marketers to assess the effectiveness of their preheader text, leading to a lower prioritization of this element.
The Importance of Preheader Text
Preheader text plays a crucial role in email marketing because it provides additional context and information about the email’s content. When used effectively, preheader text can:
Increase Email Open Rates: Preheader text can provide a sneak peek into the email’s content, enticing the recipient to open it. Research shows that emails with both subject lines and preheader text have higher open rates than those with subject lines alone.
Improve Email Relevance: By providing additional context, preheader text can help recipients determine whether the email is relevant to them. This increased relevance can lead to higher engagement and click-through rates.
Enhance Mobile Experience: Preheader text is essential for mobile users, as it provides a preview of the email’s content without requiring the user to open the email. Preheader text can help mobile users quickly determine whether an email is worth their time, leading to higher open and engagement rates.
Differentiate from Spam: Preheader text can also help differentiate legitimate emails from spam. By providing relevant and engaging preheader text, email marketers can increase the likelihood that their emails will be seen as valuable and trustworthy, rather than spammy.
Best Practices for Preheader Text
To make the most of preheader text, email marketers should follow these best practices:
Keep It Short
In preheader text, simplicity is best. Whenever possible, marketers should try to get the character count between 40 to 50 characters. This will help fit a potentially smaller format that a majority of email clients can handle and at which mobile readers can easily view. In this way, it helps marketers get to the point and get the recipient to take action.
Complement the Subject Line
The preheader text and subject lines are inextricably linked in importance. Rather than a verbatim repetition of the subject line, the preheader amplifies the message with some complementary context or information. Think of the preheader as the great secondary actor in a main event — the subject line. For instance, if your subject line reads, “Spring Sale: 30% Off All Items,” your preheader could read, “Limited time offer-shop now for the best deals!” Not only is this engaging, but it actually encourages the recipient to open the email for more information.
Use Action-Oriented Language
Action-oriented language should be instilled in the preheader text, in a way to raise interest and create action. It may involve verbs such as “discover,” “learn,” or “get” to show urgency and curiosity. For example, when a preheader reads, “Get exclusive access to our newest arrivals!”, that is a clear, actionable message right from the very beginning of the subject line, encouraging them to dive deeper into the email. Using persuasive language in your preheader text can seriously boost open rates and engagement.
Test and Optimise
Testing and optimization-like with any important part of email marketing-turn what could be simple preheader text into a powerhouse for engagement. Marketers shouldn’t be afraid to play around with words, character count, and different styles of formatting to see what pulls their audience best. This is where A/B testing can be really effective: to see which one was more successful in regard to opening rates. To understand audience preferences and improve email strategy, data will be important.
Conclusion
While subject lines are certainly an essential aspect of email marketing, preheader text should not be overlooked. Preheader text plays a crucial role in providing additional context and information that can persuade recipients to open the email. By neglecting preheader text, email marketers are missing out on an opportunity to increase engagement, enhance the mobile experience, and differentiate their emails from spam. By following best practices and incorporating preheader text into their email marketing strategy, email marketers can improve open rates, engagement, and overall campaign performance.
