This is a guest post from Kevin Jan at Animoto.
Video is an effective tool for driving brand awareness, engagement, sales, and traffic. And it’s become more and more popular across all marketing channels, including email.
Research shows that marketers who’ve incorporated video in their campaigns have seen a 66% lift in qualified leads. In addition, video in email marketing can double your engagement rates.
Even with these impressive stats, incorporating video into an email strategy is still met with a fair amount of concern and trepidation. This post will debunk five myths surrounding video-based email marketing.
Check out our in-depth guide on using video in email
Myth #1: You can’t include video in email.
It’s true that most native clients won’t play an embedded video in your email. It’s one of the biggest reasons why more email marketers haven’t embraced the medium. But there are plenty of workarounds to use video to increase the effectiveness of your campaign.
Here are some ways to start delivering video content via email.
Link to a landing page.
Linking to a landing page that hosts a video is a quick and easy way to start using video in your email campaigns. As an added bonus, websites and landing pages that include a video are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google.
Including an image from your video in the email with a play button overlay is a nice way to let people know they can click through to watch. This example from Oribe illustrates this technique.
PRO TIP: Don’t have the time or resources to build a landing page to host your video? You can link out to the video on YouTube or on your business Facebook page.
Use an animated GIF.
Bring the illusion of motion associated with video into your emails by using an animated GIF, created from a short section of your full video. With tools like Ezgif and Giphy, you can turn a snippet of your video into an animated GIF to embed in your email.
GIFs are a great way to grab a reader’s attention and entice them to click through to learn or watch more. Remember to include a clear, CTA so people know there’s more to watch if they click.
Cinemagraphs
Similar to GIFs, cinemagraphs are another way to get your message across effectively. Unlike GIFs, cinemagraphs only have one or two moving components, while the rest of the image remains static.
Source: Really Good Emails
If you’re on the more technical side, you can use HTML5 to embed videos in your email. Currently, it’s the best and most robust option out there, but make sure to check the list of clients that support it. Depending on your subscriber base and where they’re engaging with your email campaigns, it may or may not be the right way to go.
Myth #2: Video marketing is just for lead generation.
If you think video marketing is only good for lead generation, think again. It’s an effective tool at every stage in the customer’s journey.
Studies have shown that including the word “video” in your subject line can boost open rates by 19% and decrease unsubscribe rates by 26%.
Here are some ways to incorporate video into your email marketing strategy, outside of lead generation:
- Tutorial videos: use video to teach customers about how your products or services work. These types of videos can be incorporated into onboarding or used as part of new launch campaigns.
- Educational videos: share video education related to news or trends in your industry. These types of videos give you an opportunity to showcase your expertise while helping your customers feel like they’re in the know.
- Teaser videos: get your customers excited about something that’s coming soon. Build a buzz by including a sneak peek video in your emails that goes behind the scenes to show what you’ve been working on.
- Product launch videos: celebrate the launch of something new with a video. These videos can also be shared on your social media channels to let your followers know about your latest release.
Myth #3: Video requires a lot of resources.
Eighty-three percent of marketers say they’d increase their reliance on video if there were no obstacles like time, resources, and budget. But, with new tools hitting the market each day, video creation has never been easier or less expensive.
Looking to create videos without time, resources, or a big budget? Here are a few tips for getting started.
- Use a DIY video solution: You don’t have to spend a fortune to hire a video producer. Today, there are many options out there for creating videos on your own. You can also save money by shooting on your phone and using natural light.
- Repurpose photos and videos you already have: There’s no need to reinvent the wheel with every video. String together photos you already have of your products, services, or team. Then add text to tell your story and set it to music.
- Use stock imagery: If you don’t have photos and video clips of your own, you still can create a video without taking out a camera. Stock images and video clips have come a long way, and there are lots of free stock options to choose from.
- Use internal talent: Rather than hire actors and actresses, use your team. Today’s consumers are craving authenticity, and using your real employees is a great way for viewers to get to know the people behind your team.
Myth #4: Video is hard to scale.
Adding video into your email calendar and workflow can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.
You don’t have to create a brand new video for every email. In fact, you can repurpose a lot of your existing marketing materials and content that you’re already sharing on your social channels.
Plus, as a rule of thumb, you should only use video in your campaigns if it adds value. Don’t include it just for the sake of using it; it’ll have a greater impact when used appropriately. Always be testing to see what works best for your audience and incorporate video accordingly.
Myth #5: Video is a waste of money.
Another common misconception about video is that it’s only effective for building brand awareness. Videos highlighting the benefits of your products, how they’re made, and demos help customers learn more about you. But creating announcements, product update videos, and testimonials can help turn prospects into paying customers.
Ninety-three percent of businesses using video said it led to a new customer and 57% of consumers also said that videos gave them more confidence to make a purchase online. So, rather than being a waste of money, video can be an effective tool for helping drive sales.
Wrap up
We hope that debunking these myths has made video a little less intimidating. Ready to get started? Start experimenting with some of the ideas in this post. And, remember, always be testing to see what videos resonate most with your audience. Happy video making.
Kevin Jan is an email marketing professional with 8+ years of experience across several industries. Currently, as Animoto‘s email marketing manager, Kevin is helping others unleash the power of video.