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- Email Pre-Headers: The Key to Higher Open Rates in 2025
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Email pre-headers are one of the most overlooked elements in email marketing—but they have a powerful impact on whether your emails get opened or ignored. If you’re a Business Development Representative (BDR), Account Executive (AE), or email marketer aiming to reach more digital marketing clients, understanding how to use email preheaders effectively can be a game-changer.
In this guide, we’ll explore what email preheaders are, how to use them (with or without code), the ideal character length, and the best practices to write compelling preview text that increases your open rates.
What Is an Email Preheader?
An email preheader is the short line of text that appears right after the subject line in a recipient’s inbox preview. It gives readers a sneak peek of what your email contains—before they even open it.
By default, if you don’t specify a preheader, most email clients will automatically pull in the first few lines of your email body. Unfortunately, that usually means showing boilerplate content like “View in browser” or “Hi there”—not exactly the kind of message that encourages a click.
A custom email preheader allows you to control that first impression and craft a compelling reason for your recipient to open the message. In competitive inboxes, this preview text can make the difference between getting ignored and getting results.
How to Add Preheader Text to an Email Campaign
Adding preheader text is easier than most people think, and there are two main methods:
1. How to Add Email Preheaders with Code
If you’re comfortable using HTML, adding preheaders directly into your email code gives you full control over how your preview text displays. The trick is to include the preheader text right after the <body> tag and hide it using inline CSS so it doesn’t show in the actual email content.
Here’s a sample code snippet:
html
CopyEdit
<body>
<div style=”display:none!important; visibility:hidden; opacity:0; height:0; width:0; overflow:hidden; mso-hide:all; font-size:1px; line-height:1px; color:#ffffff;”>
Your customized email preheader goes here!
</div>
</body>
This ensures the text appears in the preview pane of most email clients but remains hidden once the email is opened. Always test your email across different platforms to confirm the preheader displays correctly.
2. How to Add Email Preheaders Without Code
Most email marketers prefer not to deal with code—and thankfully, you don’t have to. Most modern email marketing platforms offer an easy way to add preheaders through the campaign editor.
Look for a field labeled “Preheader,” “Preview Text,” or similar near where you enter your subject line. Simply type in your preheader text and save your changes. The platform will handle the formatting in the background.
This no-code approach is perfect for BDRs and AEs who need to launch personalized email campaigns quickly and efficiently.
How Long Should an Email Preheader Be?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but understanding how email clients handle preheaders will help you craft better ones.
Mobile vs. Desktop Display
- Mobile devices often display between 30 to 55 characters of the preheader.
- Desktop email clients typically show 40 to 130 characters, depending on how long your subject line is.
Best Practice
Aim for 40 to 100 characters of preheader text. This range provides enough space to deliver value while ensuring visibility across most devices. Always lead with the most important words first, in case your message is truncated.
Pro Tip: Some marketers suggest going slightly longer—up to 130 characters—to prevent email clients from pulling unintended text from the body if the preheader is too short.
How Do You Write an Email Preheader? 4 Best Practices That Work
Creating effective preheaders isn’t just about filling space—it’s about strategy. Below are four proven best practices to write email preheaders that increase open rates.
1. Build Curiosity – Don’t Just Repeat the Subject Line
Preheaders are not meant to duplicate the subject line. Instead, they should expand on it or provide a teaser that makes the reader want to learn more.
Poor example:
Subject: “Boost Your Marketing”
Preheader: “Boost Your Marketing”
Better example:
Subject: “Boost Your Marketing”
Preheader: “Discover 3 quick wins you can apply this week”
Use your preheader to set up a cliffhanger, ask a question, or create a sense of urgency. Curiosity is one of the most effective psychological triggers in email marketing.
2. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
A good preheader can act as a secondary CTA that complements your subject line. Use action-oriented language like:
- “Claim your spot now”
- “Start your free trial today”
- “See what’s inside”
This type of preheader tells recipients what they can expect and what you want them to do—improving engagement and click-through rates.
3. Complement Your Subject Line
Think of your subject line and preheader as a team. When they work together, they increase the chance of getting your email opened.
Here’s an example of effective synergy:
- Subject line: “New tool for digital marketers”
- Preheader: “Save 4 hours a week with this time-saving solution”
Your preheader should not feel disconnected from the subject—it should enhance it and offer supporting value.
4. Personalize When Possible
Just like subject lines, personalization in preheaders boosts engagement. If your email platform allows it, include:
- The recipient’s first name
- Their company or role
- A reference to a previous interaction
Example:
“Hey [First Name], ready to double your leads this quarter?”
Personalized preheaders increase relevance and trust, which leads to more opens and higher response rates.
Email preheader examples
We compiled some of the best-performing subject line + preheader text examples to help inspire your own ideas. All of these lines generated a 50+% open rate.
| Subject line | Preheader |
| Time is running out, {$name|default:”friend”}! | grab these deals now … |
| (Mostly) Good News!! | Skip the Line with our Value Bag! |
| I’m a stunningly bad businessperson. 😕 | The entire series all in one book, and all on me! |
| Dear {$name|default:”Reader”}, I’ve never done this before. | You could win $100 gift card. |
| This is the Bliss brother you’ve been waiting for! 🎉 | Save a horse. Ride Austin Bliss. |
| Would you like to join my special team? 😘📕📫 | Get free books in advance by joining my special team. |
| Start your 1 month trial today! | Unlimited articles + daily digital replica of the newspaper |
| Your Big Chance to Be Heard 📢 | And believe me, I listen. |
| Poll results 📊 | I’m with the majority 🙂 |
| The 2020 Challenge Started! | Here’s All The Details And Important Information |
| Omg, you rocked it, {$name}! | Will our winners please come forward? 😀 |
| Flash Sale ⌛📦❤ | One more week. 🙂 |
| Rock out to Bob Marley at Vinyl Happy Hour! 🎶 | Listen and discuss \Exodus,\” plus hear a live performance of the album!” |
| My biggest deal ever… | and it’s one day only. |
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Final Thoughts on Email Pre-Headers
Email preheaders may seem like a small detail, but they hold massive potential in influencing whether your email gets opened or ignored. In a world where inboxes are crowded and attention spans are short, your preheader becomes one of the most important parts of your email campaign.
By taking the time to write thoughtful, strategic preheaders—and aligning them with your subject lines and audience—you’ll see an immediate improvement in your open rates and overall email performance.
Remember:
- Use 40–100 characters for optimal visibility.
- Combine curiosity, value, and personalization.
- Test across devices and clients.
- Never leave your preheader to default settings.
Whether you’re sending cold outreach, nurturing leads, or launching a product, your email preheader is the hook that invites people to engage. Don’t waste it—optimize it.
Find Quality Leads in Just One Click
Install SalesSo’s Chrome Extension and start collecting leads while you browse your favorite sites