Klaviyo Email Preview Text Best Practices: Boost Open Rates with Effective Snippets
- Dispatch Strategy Team
- Apr 3
- 3 min read
Preview text is a powerful yet often overlooked element in email marketing campaigns. For e-commerce brands leveraging Klaviyo, optimizing this small snippet can significantly impact open rates and engagement. Let's dive into the best practices for crafting impactful email preview text in Klaviyo.
What Is Email Preview Text and Why Does It Matter?
Email preview text is the short line of copy displayed next to or below the subject line in inboxes like Gmail and Outlook. It serves as a teaser, offering additional context about the email's content. When used strategically, preview text complements the subject line, sparks curiosity, and drives recipients to open your email.
In Klaviyo, failing to specify preview text means inboxes will pull it from the first line of your email content—often resulting in irrelevant snippets like ALT text or navigation links. That’s why customizing this space is crucial for optimizing your campaigns.
How to Add Preview Text in Klaviyo
Adding preview text in Klaviyo is straightforward, whether you're working on a campaign or a flow email:
For Campaign Emails:
Open your campaign and click Continue to Content.
Locate the Preview Text field on the email preview screen.
Enter your desired text, ensuring it aligns with your subject line and overall email strategy.
For Flow Emails:
Open the flow containing your email and click on the flow message to open the content sidebar.
Select Edit and find the Preview Text field.
Add your customized snippet.
By following these steps, you ensure that only your chosen preview text appears in recipients' inboxes, avoiding accidental pulls from unrelated parts of your email design.
Best Practices for Writing Effective Email Preview Text in Klaviyo
To maximize the impact of your preview text, follow these proven strategies:
Complement, Don’t Complete
Your preview text should expand on the subject line but not depend on it for clarity. For example:
Subject Line: "Spring Sale Starts Now!"
Preview Text: "Shop fresh styles at up to 50% off."
This approach ensures that even if the preview text isn’t displayed in certain email clients, your subject line still makes sense on its own.
Create Urgency and Curiosity
Use techniques like urgency ("Limited time offer!") or curiosity ("Find out what’s trending this season") to entice readers into opening your email.
Keep It Concise
Different devices and email clients display varying amounts of preview text—typically between 40 and 140 characters. Focus on delivering your message within this range for maximum visibility across platforms.
Place Key Information First
Since some clients truncate longer preview texts, prioritize important details at the beginning of your snippet.
Avoid Repetition
Ensure that your preview text adds value rather than repeating the subject line verbatim. Variety keeps readers engaged and intrigued.
Advanced Tips for Optimizing Preview Text
Test Across Devices: Use Klaviyo’s testing tools to see how your preview text appears on mobile versus desktop inboxes.
Include a Secondary CTA: Reinforce actions like "Shop now" or "Explore new arrivals" in the preview text.
Hide Preview Text When Necessary: In cases where you want only the subject line visible, use Klaviyo’s HTML block feature to hide the preview snippet entirely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Relying on auto-generated preview text from ALT tags or navigation bars.
Making subject lines dependent on preview text for meaning.
Overloading preview text with unnecessary details or jargon.
Conclusion
Optimizing email preview text in Klaviyo is a simple yet impactful way to enhance engagement with your campaigns. By following these best practices—complementing subject lines, creating urgency, keeping it concise—you can transform this small snippet into a powerful tool for boosting open rates.
If you’re struggling with crafting compelling previews or optimizing other aspects of your Klaviyo campaigns, let’s talk!
At Dispatch, we specialize in helping brands maximize revenue through effective email and SMS strategies.
Connect with Dispatch today to elevate your marketing efforts.
Want more tips? Check out The Only Ecommerce Email & SMS Marketing Video You Will Ever Need for expert insights!
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