As one of the best marketing channels to connect with audiences and build your brand, email continues to serve as a valuable tool to communicate with potential customers and move them further along your conversion funnel. That said, all marketers know that high conversion rates don’t appear out of thin air; it takes quality content that informs and inspires to persuade your leads to make those final clicks.

Adding creative videos to your emails is a great way to achieve this. Not only are you catering to the modern audience that prefers to consume information visually, but also you are positioning your product or service in a highly compelling way!

This post will explore how you can leverage video content in the context of email strategies and take your email marketing campaign to the next level.

Why is video email marketing so effective?

Video has become one of the most popular marketing mediums used today because it delivers information efficiently and without overwhelming prospective customers. More often than not, a sea of text is a deterrent in marketing communications—Who wants to scrutinize long-winded paragraphs to see if an offer is worthwhile? Not us, and definitely not your customers!

The evolving digital landscape has given rise to the creation of artistic, engaging video content—including animated explainers and social ads—that allow marketers to highlight their products, services and ideas without taking up too much of a consumer’s time. Linking to these bite-sized content pieces within emails creates a more enjoyable customer experience while still meeting the company’s marketing goals.

And all consumers have to do is sit back and let your video do the talking.

The best way to include videos within emails

In video-based email marketing, it is important to note that you will not be embedding a video in each individual email sent out—few email service providers support embedded video! Instead, you’ll link back to the landing page on which the video is located.

Begin by writing a short, catchy introduction that describes what your video will cover—the shorter, the better! Let your video be the centerpiece. Next, create a thumbnail image for the video and use a photo editor to insert a play button in the center of the image—the idea is to simulate a player environment we all recognize, even if the video itself can’t play inside the email. Lastly, use your fresh “video player” image as the anchor for the link to the video’s URL, and you’re ready to go!

Best practices when pairing videos with email

While the act of including a video in your email isn’t complex, there are some tips that will  ensure a more seamless customer experience and get the most out of this powerful combination:

1. Enable the auto-play feature. Your customer will click on the thumbnail expecting a video to play. They shouldn’t be redirected to a website where they’ll have to click on yet another play button. The video should play automatically, as any additional step increases the chances of your audience clicking away.
2. Video captions are a must. Some users prefer muted videos for a variety of reasons, so captions are crucial to ensure your message gets across even without sound!
3. Ensure your video is cross-platform-friendly. When viewed from either a mobile device or a desktop, the video should play without any difficulties.
4. Include the word ‘video’ in your subject line. Make recipients aware that you’re sending a video by adding ‘[Video] ‘ to the start of your subject line. It can do wonders for increasing open rates.
5. Compress your video’s thumbnail file size. Large image sizes can trigger spam filters. Put it through an online compressor before adding it to the email.
6. Seal the deal with a persuasive CTA. Include a relevant call to action at the end of the video, providing the necessary steps to move your customer along your conversion funnel.

Engaging video ideas for your campaign

There are plenty of types of videos you can use to engage with audiences. That said, for videos that are part of an email campaign, here are popular styles to consider:

1. Promotional videos and service launches. Videos are great for promoting new launches. Instead of including a static product image, your customers can see it in action. More so, you can create a follow-up email featuring a demo video that shows how to use the product.
2. Newsletter videos. Newsletters have also been used to pass on information to leads in a creative, easy-to-digest way. By adding videos, your newsletters become all the more engaging.
3. Showcasing company culture. Company culture videos have become a great CRM tool that gives customers insight into what your brand stands for and a brand personality they can connect with. These videos also help boost brand credibility.
4. Webinar/ event snippets. Recently launched a live or online event? Keep customers in the loop with a few video highlights.
5. CRM videos. Some customers may get confused or stuck before following through with a final purchase. Instructional product videos that inform them of next steps to take and can reassure them that they’re on the right track.

Video-based email marketing is becoming the new normal. Since video content educates and inspires audiences much more easily than written emails, it can help you nurture more leads within a shorter time frame.

And remember: It is essential to use quality video content that is optimized to be as user-friendly as possible. Including engaging videos within your email marketing campaign strategy can be a game-changer and lead to increased conversion rates.

Contributed to EO by Victor Blasco, an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.

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