This article will address what causes Gmail to shorten certain emails.
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When a message is clipped, the entirety of the message is not displayed to the recipient and is instead replaced with three dots. This happens for a number of reasons related to the file size, the subject line, or the content of the email.
The three dots can be clicked to expand and display the entire message. Content is automatically clipped by the email client (i.e. Gmail).
Perhaps the most straightforward reason for email clipping in Gmail is that Gmail automatically shortens messages that have a size greater than 102 kilobytes. Kilobytes—not megabytes. Emails sent through Gmail, as a result, have a premium on available capacity.
File size issues occur due to the message size being the result of the total number of bytes in the email's code. Marketing emails, in particular, have a tendency to accumulate a large file size as more content is added. This content includes:
• Images • URLs and hyperlinks • Body copy | • Headers • Footers • CSS for styling |
As such, be aware of the following:
In addition to file size, Gmail will clip and thread messages sent with identical subject lines.
If you are sending out tests of your emails to confirm they look how you like, they will most likely be sent with the same message. When the same message is sent multiple times, Gmail will thread them into a single chain for the sake of convenience. What you may not realize is that this is contributing additional bulk to the same message, potentially making the email large enough for Gmail to clip it.
The good news is that while you might receive multiple copies of the email in testing, leads will only get it once. As such, the chances of your message getting clipped in their inboxes are not high.
Lead Gen & CRM allows for design freedom. This freedom is available whether using the content editor window for adding content or with the custom HTML template feature.
While these features make it easy to copy-and-paste changes to your email from external sources, there can sometimes be excess code or styling also injected into your email's HTML. When content or code is pasted from a clipboard into the Email Designer, there can be formatting issues. These issues can, in turn, lead to clipping issues.
Avoid these issues by making sure to paste all content as plain text. Solutions are available for both OS X and Windows.
There are some best practices to keep in mind in order to prevent email clipping. While each email is different, adhere to the following:
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When designing with capacity in mind, remember that, for better or worse, everything counts in small amounts.
Again, each email is different. Keeping to best practices may still result in email clipping. Contact Lead Gen & CRM technical support for additional assistance with email clipping issues.
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