Are videos in emails effective for customer outreach?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks states that with the right resourcing and expectations in mind, it's an effective strategy and depends on the business goals, outcomes, and style!
Email marketer from Email Geeks recommends sending the customer/prospect to a landing page from the email where views, heatmaps, and general web analytics can be tracked more thoroughly. They mention that embedding video in email is not worth the effort as you'll have to custom code backup visuals for clients that do not render videos.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor shares that while embedding videos directly in emails can be challenging due to varying email client support, using an animated GIF or a static image linking to the video hosted elsewhere is an effective strategy. This approach helps bypass technical limitations and still provides a rich visual experience to subscribers.
Email marketer from Gmass says that you can embed a video into an email using HTML5 video tag and that embedding video in emails increases clicks and improves results of email campaign, as well as makes your email stand out.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign responds that while embedding video in email used to be tricky, now it's more widely accepted and shares the benefits of video in email: stand out from the inbox, quickly communicate key messages, increase conversions, and make email more accessible.
Email marketer from Neil Patel shares the benefits of using video in email: boost email open rates, drive up click-through rates, and boost conversions.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares to send a video screenshot with play button on it & link to YouTube and provided an example link.
Email marketer from Email Uplers shares that incorporating videos in emails can significantly enhance engagement and click-through rates. Instead of embedding the video directly, which has compatibility issues, recommends using a linked thumbnail to a landing page to ensure a seamless viewing experience and better tracking.
Email marketer from Email Geeks says that just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Email marketer from Email Geeks states that videos in emails annoy the recipients and is not a great way to start out.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains that including video in email marketing can boost click-through rates, increase engagement, and provide a more personalized experience. However, deliverability can be tricky, so it's important to use a static image with a play button that links to the video on a landing page or platform like YouTube or Vimeo.
What the experts say1Expert opinion
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that embedding video in emails can pose deliverability challenges. Advises that linking to a video hosted on a trusted platform is often a more effective and reliable approach.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Sendgrid shares that some email clients and devices do not support video playback within emails. It is still recommended to link to a video hosted elsewhere (like YouTube) using a thumbnail image.
Documentation from Litmus explains that full HTML5 video support is limited across email clients, with only a few supporting direct video playback. Suggests using fallback options such as animated GIFs or linked images for broader compatibility. Provides a detailed breakdown of which email clients support video and which require alternative approaches.
Documentation from Mailjet shares that there are four ways to use videos in emails: linking an image to a video hosted externally, creating an animated GIF, using HTML5 video tag, or embedding video directly into the email.