mmc a study on preview pane visibility
TRANSCRIPT
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Benjamin S. Curtis
Digital Strategist
A Study on Preview Pane Visibility
2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc.
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1.0 Overview 3
2.0 Testing Criteria 3
3.0 Preview Pane Sizes 4
3.1 Yahoo Webmail 4
3.2 Yahoo Classic Webmail 4
3.3 Windows Live Webmail 5
3.3.1 Windows Live Bottom/Horizontal Preview Pane 5
3.3.2 Windows Live Right/Vertical Preview Pane 6
3.4 Hotmail Classic Webmail 6
3.5 AOL Desktop Client 7
3.6 AOL Webmail 7
3.6.1 AOL Webmail In Window 8
3.7 Outlook 2003 8
3.7.1 Outlook 2003 Bottom/Horizontal Preview Pane 9
3.8 Outlook 2007 9
3.8.1 Outlook 2007 Bottom/Horizontal Preview Pane 10
3.9 Combined Results 10
4.0 Recommendations 11
5.0 Additional Questions 11
5.1 I thought vertical preview panes were on the rise? 11
5.2 What about Gmail? 12 5.3 What does the uture hold? 12
5.4 How can I make sure consumers receive my e-mails? 12
About the Author 13
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc.
1.0 OverviewThere is a lot o talk in the eMarketing world about
how consumers view their e-mails, especially in
preview panes. Should your company design or
vertical preview panes or horizontal? Should you
worry about how an e-mail will look without im-
ages? Where is the market going?
The problem with most common answers or
these questions is that there is little actual data
to support the variability o e-mail readers. The
standard responses lack oundation or statistical
data necessary to glean the answer. The most
basic question that should come beore any other
is, How much o my e-mail can consumers see
without scrolling?
Answering this basic question should uel decisions
or any o the prior questions. Beore determining a
layout or an e-mail, it is important to understand
what the exact visible space in each preview pane
is. Or rather, what the consumer will see rst.
The purpose o this document is to create a
solid, act-based oundation rom which your
organization can work. Putting aside the common
debates about the physical limitations o many
e-mail readers, we have put the most popular
readers on the market to the test.
We will show you the deault and optional
preview pane views or each o the most popular
mail readers, along with the specifc sizing and
resolutions with which your marketing and design
teams have to work. In addition, we will summarize
a set o recommendations on how to best build an
e-mail that will work with all o them.
2.0 Testing Criteria
We chose the ollowing e-mail readers based on a
MicroMass Communications-sponsored study o
over 179,000 consumers o large Pharmaceutical
Marketing campaigns, and the most common e-mail
domains rom them.1 Despite its more common
use in the B-to-B market, we then added Microsot
Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 or good measure.
This gives the study another mail reader contain-
ing vertical preview panes. The e-mail readers
consisted o:
Yahoo Webmail: 31%
Hotmail Webmail: 12%
AOL: 12%2
Outlook 2003: Unknown3
Outlook 2007: Unknown3
* Percentages dene the percentage o the 179,000 plus
consumers who belonged to that category.
We conducted these tests in Internet Explorer
6, which contains a 22.3% marketshare.4 Wechose IE6 due to the average size o its viewable
window, minus the deault toolbars. We then
used a resolution o 1024x768, which consists
o 48% o users.5 These selections were made
to ensure that we came as close to the average
consumers computer setup as possible, without
overcomplicating the test.
All tests, other than those done with Outlook
2003, were completed without adjusting the
deault size o any preview panes. Outlook2003 was an exception due to its seemingly
random placement o preview pane sizes ater
installation. However, these variations were
slight and would not have aected the results o
the study.
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3.0 Preview Pane SizesThe ollowing sections will take you through the
dierent e-mail readers involved in this test.
3.1 Yahoo WebmailYahoo Webmails deault mail view is to display
your list o e-mails on top, with a preview pane
below your messages. This is Yahoos deault
methodology, and they oer no alternatives.
3.2 Yahoo Classic Webmail
Users have the option o downgrading to Yahoo
Classic. Yahoo Classics deault mail view is to display
your list o e-mails with no preview pane. When
clicking on a message, the message is displayed inthe current window. This is Yahoo Classics deault
methodology, and they oer no alternatives. Whats
interesting about Yahoo Classic is that it is the only
mail reader in this analysis that does not strip images
by deault.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o not displaying images
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 622x192 (without
images), 622x255 (with images)
Deault Preview Pane Placement: Bottom
Other Preview Options : None
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 797x84 (with images)
Other Viewable Areas: None
Deault Preview Pane Placement: No Preview
Other Preview Options : None
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RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 785x210 (without
images), 785x238 (with images)
Deault Preview Pane Placement: No Preview
Other Preview Options : Bottom, Right
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 797x3 (without
images), 797x23 (with images)
2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
3.3.1 Windows Live Bottom/Horizontal
Preview Pane
This preview pane is an alternative option the
user may choose.
3.3 Windows Live Webmail
Windows Lives deault mail view is to display your
list o e-mails with no preview pane. When clicking
on a message, the message is displayed in the current
window. This is Windows Lives deault methodology;however, they do oer other preview pane options.
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3.3.2 Windows Live Right/Vertical
Preview Pane
This preview pane is an alternative option the user
may choose.
3.4 Hotmail Classic Webmail
Users o Windows Live have the option o down-
grading to Hotmail Classic. Hotmail Classics
deault mail view is to display your list o e-mails
with no preview pane. When clicking on a message,the message is displayed in the current window.
This is Hotmail Classics deault methodology, and
they oer no alternatives.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 513x171 (without
images), 513x219 (with images)
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 795x230 (without
images), 795x260 (with images)
Deault Preview Pane Placement: No Preview
Other Preview Options : None
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3.5 AOL Desktop Client
AOL Desktop Clients deault mail view is to display
your list o e-mails with no preview pane. When
clicking on a message, the message is displayed in
a pop-up window. This is the AOL Desktop Clientsdeault methodology, and they do not oer other
alternatives. We measured based on a maximized
window, as this is a common practice or users o
1024x768 displays.
3.6 AOL Webmail
AOL Webmails deault mail view is to display your
list o e-mails with no preview pane. When clicking
on a message, the message is displayed in a pop-
up window that is smaller than the actual screen
resolution (which was 1024x768 or this analysis).
This is AOL Webmails deault methodology;
however, they do oer other alternatives. We
measured based on a maximized window, as this is
a common practice or users o 1024x768 displays.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 907x316 (without
images), 907x316 (with images)
Deault Preview Pane Placement: In Window
Other Preview Options : None
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 687x474 (without
images), 687x495 (with images)
7 2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc.
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Deault Preview Pane Placement: Pop-up
Other Preview Options : In Window
3.6.1 AOL Webmail - In Window
This view is another display option provided by AOL
Webmail. It is not a preview pane; it allows the user
to open the e-mail within the current window, rather
than popping up a new window.
3.7 Outlook 2003
Outlook 2003 is a very common e-mail reader on the
market. While much more common in the B-to-B
realm, we elt we should include it despite the
overwhelming trend toward Webmail readers in
the Pharmaceutical consumer-based marketplace.
Unortunately, Outlook 2003s preview pane size
seems to vary rom installation to installation, so
we were orced to use what was currently displayed
on the test system.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 672x323 (without
images), 672x348 (with images
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 411x412 (without
images), 411x461 (with images
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Deault Preview Pane Placement: Right
Other Preview Options : Bottom, No Preview
3.7.1 Outlook 2003 Bottom/HorizontalPreview Pane
This preview pane is an alternative option the user
may choose. Despite not being the deault or Out-
look 2003, this seems to be a more commonly used
view.
3.8 Outlook 2007
Outlook 2007 is the newest release o Outlook rom
Microsot. While similar to Outlook 2003, it handles
e-mail in a dierent way. Yahoo, Hotmail and AOL
have all dedicated themselves to making eMarketing
dicult, but Microsot has raised the bar with its
latest release. Outlook 2007 now uses Microsot
Word to parse its e-mails, meaning that while it will
show images by deault, it will not display even
the most basic HTML, such as CSS positioning or
background images. Luckily, like 2003, Outlook 2007
is a much more common platorm in B-to-B, and
does not aect our consumer population as much
as the major webmail readers on the market.
Deault behavior o not displaying images
Ater the user tells the reader to display images
Deault behavior o displaying images,
and improper parsing o HTML.
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 743x166 (without
images), 743x232 (with images)
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 564x496 (with
some images)
Deault Preview Pane Placement: Right
Other Preview Options : Bottom, No Preview
2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc. 9
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3.8.1 Outlook 2007 Bottom/Horizontal
Preview Pane
This preview pane is an alternative option the user
may choose. Despite not being the deault or
Outlook 2007, this seems to be a more commonlyused view.
RESULTS
Deault Viewable Area: 781x199 (with
some images)
Deault behavior o displaying images,
and improper parsing o HTML.
{ Combined Results }
Figure 3.9a
Reader
Yahoo Classic
Windows Live
Hotmail Classic
AOL Desktop
AOL Webmail
Outlook 2003
Outlook 2007
Yahoo
Deault
Viewable AreaWith Images
797x84
785x210
795x230
907x316
687x474
411x412
564x496
622x192
Deault
Viewable AreaWithout Images
None
785x238
795x260
907x316
687x495
411x461
None
622x255
Other Preview
Options
None
Bottom, Right
None
None
None
Bottom, No Preview
Bottom, No Preview
None
Other Viewable Areas
None
797x23 (no images), 797x23 (with images)
513x171 (no images), 513x219 (with images)
None
None
672x323 (no images), 672x348 (with images)
743x166 (no images), 743x232 (with images)
781x199 (with some images)
None
Deault PreviewPane Placement
No Preview
No Preview
No Preview
No Preview
Pop-up
Right
Right
Bottom
3.9 Combined Results
Below is a combined chart o the results rom
each e-mail reader. The bolded resolutions are
the resolutions that should be ocused on or a
pharmaceutical consumer-marketing campaign.
Outlook 2003 and 2007 are included or comparison
purposes, but are not bolded due to their
probable low use in this market versus in B-to-B
communication. Again, other than with Outlook2003, these tests were all conducted without
resizing the deault preview panes. See Figure 3.9a.
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We recommend that you not confineyourself completely within these
numbers, but instead be sure that asignificant enough portion of your CTA
fits within this area. Use the visiblearea to give your consumer a reason
to scroll down.
For making your HTML e-mailsmore reader-friendly, youll have
to keep in mind what they will look likewhen stripped of all their visual flair.
Designer education and comprehensivetesting is the key to accomplishing this.
2008 - 2009 MicroMass Communications, Inc.
4.0 Recommendations
From the above preview pane size results, you
could surmise that designers and strategists should
structure their e-mails to contain the most relevant
calls to action within the top 638x86 pixels. This
would allow your calls to action to be seen in every
viewable area o the most popular Web mail readers
deault views.
Those with vertical preview panes may lose out on
some o the right-hand inormation, but those users
seem to be less numerous in this marketplace. I you
were really concerned with what would be visible
in every occurrence, you could ocus on the top
401x86 pixels, or organize your e-mail so that the
most valuable inormation is on the top let, and thesecond most valuable on the top right.
platorms above, to ensure high consumer quality
no matter what reader consumers choose.
For instance, i you have a $40 o oer in yourConversion program displayed as a callout, be sure
that enough o that callout is visible in the top let
638x86 pixels to be identiable. You dont need the
whole callout, just enough or the consumer to
be able to comprehend its meaning. For a newsletter,
ensure that the most valuable parts o your Table
o Contents are plain text and t within this area.
These methods will entice the user to display
the images associated with your e-mail, and
continue reading.
Constantly keeping track o how mail readers
change, and eeding that inormation to designers
so these problems are covered during the initial
phases o an e-mail campaign, is important or
any marketing department or agency. We also
recommend testing every e-mail produced in the
5.0 Additional Questions
There is a lot o talk in the e-Marketing world about
how consumers view their e-mails, especially in
preview panes. Should your company design orvertical preview panes or horizontal? Should you
worry about how an e-mail will look without images?
Where is the market going?
5.1 I thought vertical preview panes were
on the rise?
As you can see, our recommendations skew
toward the use o horizontal preview panes. As
or the debate over designing or vertical preview
panes or not, consideration o all preview panesis important. However, there is not a driving need
or the pharmaceuticalor any other consumer-
driven marketplace to ocus heavily on them.
There are currently only three clients that support
this technology:
Outlook 2003/2007 , which is used primarily in
the business environment or by proessionals,
not as requently by consumers
Thunderbird
, a Mozilla-based competition orOutlook Express geared toward more tech-savvy
consumers.
Windows Live
And out o these three, only Outlook 2003/07
deaults to this behavior.
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5.2 What about Gmail?
We get asked this question all the time. Gmail is a
very popular webmail reader rom Google. Gmails
usage is low in the Pharmaceutical consumer
marketplace, as our study showed only 6% oconsumers were using Gmail. This is great news
or advertisers. While the idiosyncrasies between
HTML processing or Yahoo, Windows Live and AOL
are vast, Gmail takes things to a whole new level
and post-processes almost everything it receives.
This makes it very dicult or an agency to create
an HTML-based e-mail that looks the same in Gmail
as it does in other mail readers.
5.3 What does the uture hold?
From our experience with users, we see an increasingamount o people change the deault setting or
Outlook 2003/2007 rom the right preview pane
to the bottom. Is this statistically signicant? O
course not, but it seems to be a common behavior.
In addition, most LCD monitors on the market today
have deault resolutions o 1280x1024, or their
widescreen variants. Computer manuactures are
now shipping their machines to match, meaning
or every new computer purchased, more viewable
area is attained.
Reerences1 Statistical analysis was conducted on 179,384 consumers in October o 2008 on marketing campaigns or large-tier Pharmaceu-
tical companies, spanning multiple indications. Results o this survey show that the ourth place in the list o mail domains was
less than 7%. Subsequently, any webmail reader other than Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL would be used less than 7% o the time in the
surveyed campaigns. All participants were recorded as having valid e-mail addresses with no record o a hard bounce. All Yahoo and
Hotmail percentages assume that all participants use those respective Webmail readers, which is likely the case.
2 Statistics contain all AOL usage, including both the sotware and Web-based mail reader.3 Even i Outlook 2003 or 2007 was used by every other mail domain surveyed, which is not the case, it could not pertain to more than
48%, or the remainder, o the audience.
4 Statistics sourced rom W3Schools (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp) on October 15, 2008.
5 Statistics sourced rom W3Schools (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_display.asp) on October 15, 2008.
5.4 How can I make sure consumers receive
my e-mails?
The best way to ensure that consumers receive your
e-mails is to encourage them to add your e-mail
address to their address book. This can be donewith a simple line o text near the top o your e-mail.
There are many benets o convincing consumers
to do this:
Your e-mails are white-listed and will gostraight to the users inbox
In most readers, images are displayed by de-ault, making the e-mail more visually appealing
When images are displayed by deault, open
rates can be tracked without the user having toclick a display images button
Keep in mind, regardless o whether your e-mail is
displayed properly by deault, the two items that
will convince a user to open an e-mail the most are
the subject line and a riendly rom address. Stay
away rom generic subjects, and use that space to
call out the most marketable part o your e-mail.
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AboutMicroMass Communications, Inc.
MicroMass personalizes brands. Founded in 1994, MicroMass is a relationship marketing agency
with unrivalled capabilities in using behavioral science to gain and apply deep consumer
insights. The companys approach is ounded on the belie that understanding the critical
actors that infuence individual behavior and creating a dialogue that addresses those actors
is the best way o building enduring relationships between customers and brands.
Unlike traditional agencies that are siloed or structured by discipline, MicroMass brings
together under one roo the expertise and services or building sophisticated, multi-channel
programs that span the ull relationship marketing continuum. We are one teamintegrated
strategically, but able to apply specic nuances depending on the channel we believe will be
most benecial or the brand and its customer.
Headquartered in Cary, N.C., with a second oce in Morristown, N.J., MicroMass is one o the
astest growing agencies in its eld.
For additional inormation on MicroMass, visit www.micromass.com.
About the Author
Benjamin S. Curtis,Digital Strategist
Benjamin Curtis has an extensive technical background ranging many markets, and has worked
in the Internet technologies sector or over 12 years. Ben joined MicroMass Communications, a
pharmaceutical marketing agency, in 2000 and is currently employed as a Digital Strategist. Prior
to this role, Ben led the agencys Web Services group, where he was instrumental in planning,
implementing and managing numerous brand-marketing campaigns.
For more inormation on how MicroMass Communications can help you with your
eMarketing needs, please contact Benjamin S. Curtis at [email protected] , or visit
www.micromass.com.