Did you know that almost 70% of people decide whether to open an email based on the subject line and preview text? That’s an important space you need to use wisely. A key tip for mastering it is to include whitespace, a line break after the preview text. In this article, we’ll explain white space and show you how to effectively use it to enhance your preview text.
What is Whitespace? & Why it Matters (Even in the Preview)
Whitespace, also known as negative space, refers to the empty areas surrounding text and images. It’s not just about blank space; it’s about creating balance and visual breathing room. In email marketing, this principle applies to both the design of the email body and, crucially, the preview text. Let’s understand why whitespace is crucial, especially in the context of email marketing:
- Improved Readability: Makes your email easier to digest, especially on mobile with short attention spans.
- Enhanced Focus: Directs the reader’s eye to your key message or call to action, increasing click-through rates.
- Creates a Sense of Sophistication: Elevates your brand perception, making your emails feel more premium and less like spam.
- Sets the Tone: Establishes a visual hierarchy and guides the reader through your email content.
What happens if you don’t use whitespace?
In the example below, the first two items display only the subject line and preview text. However, in the third example, HTML from the message body bleeds into the preview, making it less valuable.
Implementing Preview Text Whitespace: A Best Practice Guide
So, how do we create whitespace in the preview text? The answer lies in using special characters that render as blank spaces in most email clients. Here’s how:
- The Zero-Width Space (ZWSP): This invisible character, represented by ​ or u200B in HTML, is the star of our show. It takes up no visible space but can be used to pad the preview text.
- The Non-Breaking Space (NBSP), represented by in HTML, prevents line breaks and can also be used to create small, consistent gaps.
The good folks at Litmus have a more complete overview in their article.
Implement the Hack in Oracle Eloqua
The hack can be utilized in Oracle Eloqua through dynamic content with ZWSP and NBSP, making implementation very easy.
- Create your Dynamic Content
Create a new dynamic content component and paste in the following HTML :
<br /> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌<br /> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌- When you are done, it should look like this:
- Insert the Preview Hack at the end of your subject line:
Preview Text Hack in Marketo
Marketo, a robust marketing automation platform, offers several ways to control the preview text of your emails. Marketo’s Velocity scripting language allows for dynamic content. You can create a Velocity script token to populate the preview text. This is more advanced but offers greater flexibility for personalized preview text.
- Edit the HTML in the Rich Text Token and enter the hack code:
<p><br /> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌</p> <p> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌<br /> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌</p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Light',sans-serif;">This is your compelling preview text. Open now to discover exclusive offers!</span></p>
- Your Rich Text Editor looks like this.
- Change your Email Settings and set the preheader as:
- Your Preview Text is all set.
Considerations:
Talking about optimizing email preview text, It’s more than just writing a catchy sentence. A key element is whitespace, and its strategic use can significantly impact open rates. Now, it’s crucial to remember that email clients render content differently. So, we need to test across major platforms—Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail—to ensure consistency. Also, keep in mind the differences between the mobile and desktop experiences. Character limits and preview text truncation vary, so we need to optimize for both. Don’t just add whitespace arbitrarily. Use it to highlight key offers, create a sense of urgency, or guide the reader’s eye. Think of it as visual pacing. And, of course, the best way to determine what works is through A/B testing. Experiment with different whitespace variations and analyze the results. It’s about leveraging data to refine our approach and maximize engagement.
Beyond the Hack: Elevating Your Preview Text Strategy
While this whitespace hack is a valuable tool, remember that the content of your preview text is still essential. Effective utilization of email preview text necessitates strategic enhancement of the subject line by providing supplementary context or generating curiosity.
For instance, a subject line announcing “New Arrivals” can be enhanced by preview text that details the discovery of recent styles and exclusive promotions. Furthermore, offering subscribers a preliminary glimpse of the email’s content is crucial. This may involve highlighting specific discounts or products within a sale announcement, or teasing key insights from a shared blog post.
Clear directives are essential; subscribers should be explicitly guided toward desired actions through the employment of action-oriented language, such as “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Register Today.” Personalization, facilitated by dynamic content, significantly improves engagement, with even simple first name inclusions demonstrably increasing open rates. Finally, the creation of urgency within the preview text, utilizing phrases such as “Limited Time Offer” or “Don’t Miss Out,” serves to stimulate immediate action from recipients.
The Cost of Neglecting Whitespace
Failing to utilize whitespace effectively in your preview text can have several detrimental effects. A cluttered, dense preview can overwhelm recipients, leading to immediate deletion. It can also project an unprofessional image, damaging your brand’s credibility. Furthermore, a lack of clear visual cues can obscure your key message, resulting in missed opportunities for engagement and conversions.
Conclusion: Unlock Your Email Potential
Mastering the nuances of email marketing, such as the strategic use of preview text whitespace, can significantly impact the success of your campaign. By combining a well-crafted preview text with strategic whitespace, you can create a more engaging and visually appealing email. Optimizing Preview Text Whitespace is a key part of email marketing best practices, and at 4thought Marketing, we understand the intricacies of effective email marketing. We’re dedicated to helping businesses like yours implement best practices and achieve exceptional results. Whether you need assistance with strategy development, campaign execution, or performance optimization, we’re here to help. Ready to take your email marketing to the next level? Contact 4thought Marketing today to discover how we can help you enhance your prospects and drive meaningful results.