You spend 20 minutes writing the perfect subject line. You A/B test three variations. You check it on mobile. You're ready to send.
And then your preview text says: "View this email in your browser | Unsubscribe from this list."
You just tanked your open rate before anyone even saw your email.
Preview text is the 40-100 characters that show up right after your subject line in most email clients. It's the second thing people read when deciding whether to open your email. And most people either ignore it completely or let their ESP fill it with whatever garbage text happens to be at the top of their email template.
Gmail shows it. Outlook shows it. Apple Mail shows it. If you're not intentionally writing preview text, you're leaving open rates on the table.
What Is Email Preview Text?
Preview text (also called preheader text) is the snippet of text that appears after your subject line in an inbox. It's pulled from the first text in your email body unless you explicitly set it.
Most email platforms let you customize it. Mailchimp calls it "preview text." Klaviyo calls it "preheader." ActiveCampaign calls it "text preview." Same thing.
Here's what it looks like in Gmail:
Subject: Your cart is waiting for you Preview: Complete your order in the next 2 hours and get free shipping
Without custom preview text, it looks like this:
Subject: Your cart is waiting for you
Preview: If you're having trouble viewing this email, click here. Unsubscribe | Update preferences
One makes you want to open the email. The other makes you want to delete your entire email list and become a sheep farmer in New Zealand.
Why Your Preview Text Probably Sucks Right Now
Most ESPs auto-fill preview text with whatever's at the top of your email template. That's usually:
- "View this email in your browser"
- "Unsubscribe from this list"
- "You're receiving this because you signed up"
- Navigation menu links like "Shop | About | Contact"
- Or just blank space that pulls in random alt text from your header image
None of that helps your open rate. It's just noise.
The worst part? You probably don't even realize this is happening. You write the email, hit send, and assume people see what you intended them to see. But in their inbox, your carefully written email looks like spam.
Check your last five campaigns. Open them in Gmail or Outlook. Look at what the preview text actually says. If you see "View in browser" or "Unsubscribe," you're doing it wrong.
How to Write Preview Text That Actually Works
Good preview text does one thing: makes the subject line more interesting or useful.
Not: Repeats the subject line word for word Not: Wastes space with "Don't miss this amazing offer!" Not: Gives away the entire email so they don't need to open it
Your subject line starts the sentence. Preview text finishes it.
Subject: Your February invoice is ready
Preview: Total: $247. Pay by March 1 to avoid late fees.
Subject: We just restocked the hoodies you wanted
Preview: Sizes S-XL available. 40 left in charcoal gray.
Subject: Why didn't you finish your order?
Preview: Still thinking about it? Here's free shipping to help you decide.
See the pattern? The preview text adds new information that makes you MORE curious, not less.
Three Formulas That Work
1. Subject + Benefit
Subject: New article: How to fix your email deliverability
Preview: Reduce spam complaints by 60% in two weeks
2. Subject + Urgency
Subject: Your cart is about to expire
Preview: Complete your order in the next 4 hours or we'll release your items
3. Subject + Curiosity
Subject: I need to tell you something about your emails
Preview: It's not what you think. And it's costing you money.
The goal is to add information without resolving the tension. Give them a reason to open, not a reason to ignore.
Preview Text Mistakes That Kill Your Open Rates
Mistake 1: Repeating the Subject Line
Subject: 50% off all winter jackets
Preview: Get 50% off all winter jackets today only
You just wasted 40 characters saying the exact same thing twice. They already read the subject line. Tell them something NEW.
Fix it:
Subject: 50% off all winter jackets
Preview: 200+ styles. Free shipping over $75. Ends tonight at midnight.
Mistake 2: Using Generic Hype
"Don't miss out!"
"This is huge!"
"You won't believe this!"
Nobody cares. These phrases mean nothing. They don't add information. They just make your email sound like every other promotional email people ignore.
Fix it: Be specific. What's actually in the email? Lead with that.
Mistake 3: Letting It Default to Template Code
If your preview text says "View this email in your browser" or pulls in alt text from your logo, you're shooting yourself in the foot.
Go into your email template RIGHT NOW. Find where the preview text is set. Make sure every campaign you send has custom preview text written for that specific email.
Mistake 4: Writing a Novel
Apple Mail shows 140 characters. Gmail shows 100. Outlook shows 50.
If you write 200 characters of preview text, half your audience only sees the first sentence. Keep it under 100 characters. Say what matters first.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Mobile
70% of emails are opened on mobile. On a phone, you get even LESS space for preview text. About 30-40 characters before it cuts off.
Write your preview text. Then delete everything after the 40th character. Does it still make sense? Does it still create curiosity? If not, rewrite it.
How to Add Preview Text in Your ESP
Every platform is slightly different, but the concept is the same.
Klaviyo: Settings tab → Preheader field
Mailchimp: Campaign builder → Preview Text section (under subject line)
ActiveCampaign: Message settings → Text Preview
HubSpot: Email editor → Advanced → Preview Text
ConvertKit: Email settings → Preview Text
If your ESP doesn't have a dedicated field, you can hack it by adding hidden text at the top of your email template with a display:none style. But most modern platforms have this built in now.
FAQ
Does preview text affect deliverability?
Not directly. Spam filters don't score preview text the same way they score subject lines. But if your preview text is full of spam trigger words or looks sketchy, it doesn't help.
Better question: Does it affect open rates? Yes. Massively. And engagement (opens/clicks) DOES affect deliverability over time. So indirectly, yes.
Should preview text match the email tone?
Yes. If your subject line is casual and funny, your preview text should be too. If your subject is urgent and direct, match that energy.
Inconsistent tone makes people distrust the email. They see a professional subject line and then preview text that sounds like a teenager wrote it, and they assume it's spam.
Can I use emojis in preview text?
Technically yes. Should you? Depends on your brand.
B2C ecommerce brand selling to Gen Z? Sure, go wild.
B2B SaaS selling to enterprise IT directors? Probably not.
Test it. Some audiences respond well to emojis in preview text. Others see it as unprofessional.
How often should I A/B test preview text?
Same as subject lines. Every major campaign should have at least two variations if you have the list size to support statistically significant testing.
If your list is under 5,000 people, pick the best preview text based on past performance and send it. Testing requires volume.
What if my ESP doesn't show preview text?
Then your subscribers are seeing whatever defaults to the top of your email. Check your template. Move "View in browser" links to the bottom. Add a hidden text snippet at the top that says what you want people to see.
Or switch to an ESP that doesn't suck.
Does preview text work for transactional emails?
Yes. Even order confirmations and shipping notifications benefit from good preview text.
Subject: Your order has shipped
Preview: Track your package. Estimated delivery: Feb 26
That's more useful than "Your order #847392 from Acme Store has been shipped and is on the way."