Latest / The Email Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Newsletters, Open Rates, and Subscriber Growth / Why Email Preview Text Is Your Most Overlooked Asset
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I want to talk about something that I think is the most undervalued real estate in email marketing. Luna: Okay, I'm intrigued. Are we talking about the unsubscribe link? The footer? Lucas: Close, but no. I'm talking about the preview text. That little snippet that shows up next to or below the subject line in most inboxes. On Gmail, it's usually the first line of the email body, but you can control it with a hidden snippet. Luna: Ah, the preheader text. Yeah, I've seen studies that show it can lift open rates by double digits if done right. Lucas: Exactly. And yet, so many brands just let it default to the first visible line of copy, which is often 'view this email in your browser' or some generic greeting. That's a huge missed opportunity. Luna: Right, because the preview text is essentially the second sentence of your subject line. It's a chance to add context, create curiosity, or reinforce the value prop. Lucas: Exactly. And the data backs it up. A study from Litmus a couple years ago found that emails with optimized preview text saw open rates increase by an average of 15 to 20 percent. That's not trivial. Luna: Fifteen to twenty percent is huge. So what's the common mistake? Just leaving it blank? Lucas: That's one. But surprisingly common is repeating the subject line. If your subject line is 'Our Spring Collection Is Here' and your preview text says 'Our Spring Collection Is Here,' you've just wasted that space. The preview text should complement, not duplicate. Luna: Right, you want it to add information or intrigue. For example, if the subject line is 'Your order is on the way,' the preview text could say 'Track your package and see estimated delivery date.' Lucas: Perfect example. Or if the subject line is a bit vague, like 'An important update,' the preview text can clarify: 'We're changing our privacy policy effective June 15.' That way the reader knows it's relevant. Luna: That's a good point about building trust too. If you're vague in the subject line but specific in the preview, you're still being transparent. Lucas: Exactly. And another mistake is putting something like 'Can't see this email?' or 'Having trouble viewing?' in the preview text. That should be in the email header, not the preview. Luna: I've seen that a lot. Also, some brands use the preview text for a secondary call to action, like 'Shop now' or 'Learn more.' But that feels like a waste too. Lucas: It depends on the goal. If you're sending a purely transactional email, maybe that's fine. But for marketing emails, you want to pull them in, not sell them before they've opened. Luna: So what's the ideal length? I've heard different numbers. Lucas: It varies by email client. On mobile, you might get 30 to 40 characters. On desktop, maybe 80 to 100. The best practice is to front-load your key message so it's not cut off. And always test on multiple devices. Luna: Let's talk about some brands that do this well. Warby Parker comes to mind. Lucas: They're great. I got an email from them recently with the subject line 'New frames, fresh look.' The preview text said 'Try five pairs at home, free.' That tells me exactly what the email is about and gives me a reason to open. Luna: Patagonia is another one. Their subject lines are often short, like 'Repair is radical.' And the preview text expands: 'Learn why fixing your gear is better than buying new.' It completes the thought. Lucas: That's a good example of using the preview text to reinforce brand values. It's not just about the open — it's about communicating who you are. Luna: Yeah, and I think that's where a lot of brands miss the mark. They treat the preview text as a technical afterthought, but it's really a copywriting opportunity. Lucas: Completely agree. And it's not hard to implement. Most email service providers have a field for it. You just have to remember to fill it in. Luna: I also like the strategy of using the preview text to create a curiosity gap. For example, subject line: 'We made a mistake.' Preview text: 'And here's how we're fixing it.' Lucas: That's a great tactic for re-engagement emails. Or for announcements. The key is that the preview text should make the subject line more compelling, not redundant. Luna: Let's talk about testing. How would you approach A/B testing preview text? Lucas: I'd test one variable at a time. For example, keep the subject line the same and test two different preview texts. One that's descriptive, one that's curiosity-driven. See which gets more opens. Luna: And also test length. Sometimes shorter is better on mobile, but longer might work on desktop. Lucas: Right. And don't forget about the interaction between subject line and preview text. Sometimes a vague subject line with a specific preview works better than both being specific. Luna: So it's part of a system. You really need to think about how they work together. Lucas: Exactly. And speaking of systems, if today's episode sparked any ideas you've actually used in your own campaigns, you know what supports this show. It's listener support that keeps us ad-free and independent. Luna: Yeah, seriously. If you found this valuable, consider buying us a coffee. It's at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep the conversations going. Lucas: Thanks for that. So back to preview text — one more thing I want to mention is the rise of interactive emails. Some brands are adding live content or image carousels, but the preview text still needs to hook them. Luna: Absolutely. No matter how fancy the email is, if the subject line and preview text don't compel an open, it doesn't matter. Lucas: And with Apple's Mail Privacy Protection, open rates are less reliable, but preview text still matters because it's the first thing people see in the notification. Luna: Good point. Even if you can't trust open rates as a metric, you still want people to see your message in the inbox. Preview text helps with that. Lucas: So here's my challenge to listeners: look at your last five marketing emails. Check the preview text. If it's defaulting to something generic, fix it. Spend five minutes rewriting it. Luna: That's a really actionable takeaway. I'm going to do that myself. Lucas: And if you see a lift in opens, let us know. We'd love to hear about it. Luna: I think that's a wrap for today. Thanks for tuning in.