Inbox first impressions: mastering the preheader
Hi friend,
I cry a little bit inside when I do an email audit and see how often preheaders are overlooked. Great subject line but then the preview text is “Read more below” 🥱 or the file path of the first image in the email. Okay I don’t really cry but I am disappointed for the email team.
Hours are spent crafting great copy and perfecting email design… but the preheader? Often an afterthought quickly typed in just before hitting the send button or completely forgotten.
Quick tips to get it right:
1. Don’t repeat the subject line: add context, curiosity, or a reason to open.
2. Keep it short: aim for 35–90 characters (anything longer gets cut off).
3. Front-load the value: start with the good stuff: a benefit, question, or teaser.
4. Avoid placeholder text: if your email starts with “Having trouble viewing this email?” you’re wasting prime real estate.
Here’s a real-life before-and-after:
Subject Line: Ipsum Fund Returns February 2025
Preheader Before: Ipsum Capital Fund Returns
Preheader After: See how your fund compares to last month 📈
That’s the kind of hook that stops your customer mid-scroll and convinces them to open your newsletter.
🛠️ Tools
Because we work across a variety of email software platforms (ESPs), we get a front-row seat to the different AI tools each one offers. Some will suggest subject lines or preview text—which can be a handy starting point. But more often than not, the suggestions lack nuance, so we’ll tweak or completely rework them to get the tone right.
If your ESP doesn’t offer suggestions and you want some ideas try out SubjectLine.com to test subject + preheader combos before sending. It’s fast and gives instant feedback.
Hope this helps.
Stay curious,
