The email preheader is the crux of the message that is shown in the inbox right after the email subject line. This one long sentence tells about what is going to be discussed in the email. This is the best way to break through a stuffed mailbox. We get a lot of emails every day.
Table of Contents
- What is an email preheader?
- The basics of an email preheader
- Email preheader best practices
- It must be different than your subject line
- Talk about some incentives
- Brief your email
- Increase curiosity
- Use emojis
- Use a suitable email automation tool
- Conclusion
We decide the destiny of those emails either to open them up to read or delete them without taking any notice purely on the basis of a subject line and email preheader. After the subject line, the preheader gives you a clue whether to open the email or not.
Some of the brands use their name to get attention and they get it also. But the email preheaders are the best way to get more attention because the users get to know what the message they are going to read in the email.
What Is an Email Preheader?
An email preheader or email preview text is a shaded gray text that we see right after the email subject line. This is the text that a user gets an idea from before they open it up. This is the punch line from which the recipient decides to open up the message or not.
Therefore, your email subject line and email preheader must be woven in a way that creates an interest in the minds of the user in a compelling way to open the message. Email is one of the finest ways to connect with your audience.
The possibility is not out of the question that no matter whether you design the world’s best email but remain unopened. The reason behind this is that more than 33 billion emails are being sent every day and our inboxes are getting flooded with too many emails.
We have to do something extra to show the recipients that we have something special for you. Our message will not get across unless the user will open it up. To make it open, you have to make it special and different than others to stand out in the market.
The Basics of an Email Preheader
If you do not understand the basics of anything, it would not be possible for you to perform it accordingly. The same is the case with an email preheader. Before you launch it, you have to go through some of the basics beforehand. The length of the preheader is a must in this regard.
When we send an SMS, we have to follow a certain character’s length. No hard and fast rule governs the length of an email preheader. Email Service Providers suggest using 50 to 100 characters due to different configurations.
But the issue arises when it becomes impossible for you to view these 100 characters. So, to make it the best, you must make it between 30 to 80 characters. The best length decides the best message and it increases the readability.
Email Preheader Best Practices
There is no hard and fast rule to make your preheader successful. All you need to make it attractive, as well as readable. While analyzing make successful emails, we notice some of the best practices that help increase the open rate.
Some of them are as under:
It Must Be Different Than Your Subject Line
This is the most important point in crafting an email preheader. If you will repeat the same message in your email subject line and email preheader, it will be a waste of time and space.
Further, it will give your brand a tag of being lazy that does not pay any attention to being different and more creative than others. Both must be different from each other and give a separate meaning.
Talk About Some Incentives
Incentives are something that catches more eyeballs. That is why you need to use them in the preheader so that your user might think that there is something that is beneficial for them. This will ultimately increase the open rate of your email marketing campaign.
For example, if you run a bakery, you can question in the subject line if the user eats chocolate cake or not. Then in the preheader, you can float a sale for up to any amount as per your convenience.
Brief Your Email
As we have discussed in the above lines that the preheader is the text that tells something about the actual content of the email.
That is why you need to tell something briefly in the message that is of much importance.
Increase Curiosity
Curiosity is in the nature of the people. Taking the advantage of that point, you must design your preheader where you will help the users to cure their curiosity. People are more into where there is something nosy.
For example, if you send an email with a subject line saying ‘Big News’ and a preheader that says ‘Save the date’, people will definitely turn their heads towards this. So, play skillfully with this instinct to make your mark.
Use Emojis
Emojis in email marketing are nothing new. They are being used since their inception in 1999. Today, more than 3.3 thousand emojis are available on the internet, which are being used as human body language.
Not only this, they break the language barriers as their meaning is all the same worldwide. That is why it will make your preheader stand out and more notable in the crowd.
Here, you also need to understand the fact that the days are gone when only 2% of the marketers were using emojis in their emails, now we see a great rush of emojis. Due to that reason, you have to use uncommon emojis to be different than others.
Use a Suitable Email Automation Tool
Email automation tools facilitate you to design an email preheader and run A/B testing before you send it to the users.
The testing process that you will run on more than one preheader will give you the understanding to use the best one in your final email marketing campaign.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that email preheaders are something that is of high value to increase the open rate and increase engagement in your email. All you need is to focus on the above-mentioned best practices to make it stand out in the mailbox.
Last but not least, you need to select the best email automation tool that helps you design the best email preheader that increases engagement and open rate.
