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Text Truncation for Marketing Messages
In digital marketing, every character counts. Whether you’re sending SMS campaigns, WhatsApp messages, push notifications, or email previews, you have limited space to grab your customer’s attention. This is where text truncation plays a crucial role.
Text truncation happens when your marketing message exceeds the allowed character limit, causing it to get cut off or shortened. If not planned properly, truncated text can lead to confusing messages, missed CTAs, and poor engagement rates.
This guide will help you understand text truncation in marketing messages, why it happens, how to avoid it, and best practices to maximize impact.
What is Text Truncation?
Text truncation is the shortening of text when it exceeds the character or display limit in a platform. For example:
- SMS – Limited to 160 characters per message. Anything beyond that is split or truncated.
- Push Notifications – Varies by device (iOS usually 120 characters, Android 150).
- Email Previews – Subject lines are truncated after 40–60 characters depending on the device.
- WhatsApp Marketing Messages – Long messages may get cut off in previews, requiring customers to click “Read more.”
Why Does Text Truncation Matter in Marketing?
- First Impressions Count – Truncated messages may hide your most important offer or CTA.
- User Engagement Drops – Customers may ignore incomplete or unclear messages.
- Wasted Budget – Paid SMS or WhatsApp campaigns with truncated messages reduce ROI.
- Brand Image – Poorly structured messages can appear unprofessional.
Best Practices to Avoid Text Truncation in Marketing Messages
- Keep It Short & Direct
- Focus on one main message per campaign.
- Example: Instead of “Huge discounts across all categories this festive season – shop now and save big!”, use “Festive Sale 🎉 Flat 40% Off – Shop Now!”.
- Focus on one main message per campaign.
- Front-Load Key Information
- Place the most important part of your message in the beginning (offer, CTA, or product).
- Place the most important part of your message in the beginning (offer, CTA, or product).
- Test on Multiple Devices
- Preview your SMS, WhatsApp, or push notification on Android, iOS, and web before sending.
- Preview your SMS, WhatsApp, or push notification on Android, iOS, and web before sending.
- Use Link Shorteners
- Replace long URLs with short links (Bitly, Rebrandly) to save character space.
- Replace long URLs with short links (Bitly, Rebrandly) to save character space.
- Personalize Smartly
- Use placeholders like {Name} or {Offer} carefully to avoid exceeding limits.
- Use placeholders like {Name} or {Offer} carefully to avoid exceeding limits.
- Use Emojis Wisely
- Emojis add impact but can count as multiple characters. Don’t overuse them.
- Emojis add impact but can count as multiple characters. Don’t overuse them.
- Leverage WhatsApp Templates
- Structured, pre-approved templates ensure messages are concise and professional.
FAQs
Text truncation occurs when the message length exceeds the platform’s character or preview limit. SMS has 160 characters, and WhatsApp may truncate long previews.
Keep them short, front-load key information, and use link shorteners to save space.
No, truncation doesn’t stop delivery, but it may affect how the message is displayed and reduce engagement.
Yes, but each emoji may take more than one character space, so use them sparingly.
Because each operating system has different display limits for notifications.
While WhatsApp doesn’t have a strict limit, keep messages under 400–500 characters for higher readability.
Yes, if the main offer or CTA is at the start of the message, truncation won’t hurt conversions significantly.
Text Truncation for Marketing Messages
Text Truncation impacts how users view marketing messages in their chat screens. It shortens, or “truncates,” messages that exceed five (5) lines of text, displaying a clickable ‘Read more’ option. This allows users to view the complete message if they choose.
This update is part of WhatsApp’s commitment to enhancing the user experience with marketing messages, helping clients achieve more value from marketing campaigns. Meta has implemented this change to boost user satisfaction while optimizing click-through rates (CTR). You should expect this update in Marketing Messages campaigns.
Initially, Text Truncation applies to the Single image + text + click-to-action button(s)templates. Over time, it will extend to all formats of Marketing Messages, including group chats.
To maximize the impact of your marketing messages with this update, consider these best practices:
- Make Your Message Engaging: Capture the user’s attention quickly with content that speaks to their interests and interactions with the business.
- Focus on the First 5 Lines: Create a clear and powerful opening with the first five lines. This is the text that will be visible to users, even when the message is truncated.
- Build on Previous Interactions: Use past interactions with the user to craft a message that feels relevant and personalized.
- Structure Longer Messages: If your message requires more than five lines, use distinct sections with clear spacing. Aim to keep your message concise, limiting to 3-4 well-defined sections.
The rollout of the Text Truncation feature is currently gradual, so you may have experienced it during your campaigns. It is expected to reach all users by mid-October 2024.
Conclusion
Text truncation is a common challenge in SMS, WhatsApp, email, and push notification marketing. By keeping your messages short, structured, and audience-focused, you can avoid losing impact and boost engagement. Remember: clarity beats length in marketing messages.