Filling in the previewtext of your newsletter
The previewtext is an addition to your subject line: think of it as the opening sentence of your newsletter. Many email clients already show this extra line of text in the inbox, below or next to the subject, before the email is opened. On smartphones, this line usually appears directly alongside the sender and the subject.
In the inbox, your subscriber decides which email will or will not be opened, and whether to open it now or later. The previewtext gives a better idea of what is in the newsletter, helping you persuade your subscriber to read on. A good previewtext increases the chance that your subscriber will open and read your newsletter, which boosts your open ratio.
Filling in the preview text
You fill in the previewtext under the basic details in step 1 of your campaign. Good to know when filling it in:
- You can personalise the previewtext, just like the subject line.
- You can add emoticons to it.
- On the far right of the bar, you can see how many characters your text contains.
If you leave the previewtext blank in step 1, your subscriber’s email inbox will display the (first) text from the preheader.
Tips for a good previewtext
Because space is limited, it is best to keep it short and to the point:
- Include your main call-to-action, inviting the reader to open the newsletter straight away.
- Address your subscribers personally, for example by their first name.
- Make the previewtext follow on from your subject line. For example, let your sentence continue into the previewtext, or hint at the answer to a question you ask in the subject line.
- Keep it short. A strong previewtext contains between 20 and 40 characters. In any case, keep it under 100 characters, as an email client on a smartphone displays less text than on a desktop.
- If you are short of inspiration, enter your slogan or your brand or product name, for instance to increase brand awareness.
If you are unsure whether your subject line and previewtext work well, have your draft reviewed with Fresh view.
The difference between previewtext and preheader
The previewtext and the preheader are similar, but your subscriber sees them at different moments:
The preheader consists of two parts: a link to the web version of the newsletter and a piece of text that you add yourself when filling in the template. You can use that text for personalisation, for the edition of your newsletter, or for a call-to-action, for example. You can also repeat your previewtext there.