Using Video in Email: The Good, The Bad and The Way to Make it Work.

Have you been contemplating incorporating video into your email marketing program, but were confused by all of the technical aspects, or whether it even made sense for your company? I’ve personally experienced the struggles and challenges incorporating video into email introduces, but found our recent Webinar with LiveClicker helped answer a number of questions.

Email marketers who experiment without a proper understanding of where video works, where it doesn’t, limitations of video inclusion methods and a thorough understanding of video best practices are likely to encounter significant roadblocks. In the webinar, Justin Foster of LiveClicker outlined best practices for incorporating video into email.

How do you know if video makes sense for your campaign?

• Does video have a strong potential to deliver on message objectives?
• Can you envision a video that “makes sense?”
• Do you have the knowledge required to increase the performance of video so it meets objectives?
• Do you understand the limitations of video in email?
• Are you prepared to launch in-email video given the limitations?

What are the benefits to using video in email?

• It creates a renewed interest in the channel
• Contributes to budget increase
• Increases in average order value
• Increases in conversion rate
• Tells a story
• Differentiates the brand
• Humanizes an offer

When is incorporating video in email appropriate?

• When it is relevant
• When it adds value to the subscriber experience
• When it is a primary callout in the email
• When it is used as a “teaser”

When should it NOT be included in email?

• When it’s a distraction
• If it’s not relevant
• If you are unable or unprepared to educate internal stakeholders about limitations of in-email
• If it must be placed below the fold
• If the costs outweigh the benefits video
• If it needs to be longer than ~45 seconds to work in-email

Check out our Webinar resources pages for links to archived Webinars and presentations and information on upcoming Webinars.  Also, stay tuned for upcoming posts that feature a Q&A session with Foster, answering a number of the most frequently asked questions on video and email.