As marketers and creators, we’ve all received and written our fair share of marketing emails. Some of us have received emails that have inspired, awed or confused us. To be honest, I’ve probably written my fair share of emails that have confused people (I was figuring out this whole marketing thing back then...still am).
Most awe-inducing and inspiring emails have one thing in common. Video.
According to Hubspot, 80% of businesses use video and 83% of marketers feel the importance of video is only growing. That growing importance includes it used in email campaigns.
Still not sold? Here are a few more numbers from Vidyard:
- 19% - the increase in opens an email receives with the word “Video”
- 64% - the percentage of consumers that are more likely to buy after watching a video
- 65% - the rate of executives that’ll visit your site
- 50% - the increase in clicks of emails with a video thumbnail
With those numbers, it’s no surprise that more and more marketers include videos in their email campaigns. And why you should too.
Here are a few tips to elevate your email campaigns with video:
GIF it up
GIFs, or Graphics Interchange Format (that’s a hard-G, by the way), have gained popularity over the last several years and are used everywhere from social media to text messages and even emails. It’s the way people, especially younger generations, communicate. Marketers are always looking to expand their reach and audience, why not use it yourself? With WeVideo's video editor, you can use any video you’ve recorded and turn it into a GIF with a few simple clicks. Some email management tools do not let you play videos but most, if not all, allow for GIFs to be on autoplay.
3 reasons why you should be using GIFs
Hook them at the top
A solid email begins with a catchy subject line. Merely adding “Video” can do wonders for your campaign. Just take a look at the statistic we shared above from Vidyard. 19%! That’s a pretty substantial increase in open rates. The best part for all my writers out there is that you don’t need to be sneaky with where you place “video.” Have it be the first thing in the subject line or at the end. Put it in brackets and see your open rates grow.
For example:
[VIDEO] Elevate your emails with this trick
or
Elevate your emails with this trick [VIDEO]
vs
Elevate your emails with this trick
Now, you tell me which email you would open.
A thumbnail worth clicking
Like a great subject line, a video thumbnail can convince customers to click or ignore your video. The best way to make sure viewers click through and watch your video is to design an eye-catching thumbnail. A customized thumbnail is proven to boost CTRs, but something as simple as a blurred image and text can do the trick. WeVideo gives you options for your thumbnail, but there are resources out there that can help you create a compelling thumbnail.
How to create great thumbnails
These are a few ways you can use video to elevate your email campaigns. If you do a series of videos, you can send them as a series of emails and let audiences know that it’s one of however many. You can showcase your brand and let audiences get an inside look into your business. The possibilities with video and emails are endless. All you need is a reliable online video editor and your ideas. Good luck!