Video and Email Newsletters: A Match Made in Marketing Heaven

Are you using video in your email newsletters? 

If not, you could be missing out on a powerful tool to engage your subscribers. In this post, we'll answer some common questions about using video in email newsletters. Learn how video content can add impact and interest, increase click-through rates, and more.

Table of Contents

• Can You Put Videos in Newsletters?

• Are Videos in Emails Effective?

• What Are the Benefits of Video Email?

• What Is One Advantage of Using a Video To Convey Information?

• Why Is Video the Most Effective Way To Communicate?

• Why Shouldn’t You Embed a Video in an Email?

• When Is Video Too Large for Email?

• How Might You Best Use Video in an Email?

• Find Your Inner Spielberg

Can You Put Videos in Newsletters?

In short, yes. Today's newsletters are more dynamic than ever. You can include images, GIFs, and even videos.

Get your audience to extend their engagement with your publication by including a linked thumbnail image of a related video.

Are Videos in Emails Effective?

Video may have killed the radio star, but it only makes email content-preneurs more powerful, improving key metrics across the board.

For example, the University of Minnesota saw as much as a 40% increase in click-through rates in email newsletters that included video.

Even if you're not an aspiring YouTube sensation, the occasional video excites audiences and increases their engagement with your brand.

What Are the Benefits of Video Email?

Email marketers have been preaching the benefits of video for years. It's the most desired form of content — at 66% — for consumers who want to learn more about a company's offerings. But it can be just as useful a tool for newsletter writers as for other types of business.

Why?

1. Video emails can provide a personal touch, letting readers put a face and voice to the name. This also enhances audience trust.

2. Videos receive 12 times the social shares that other forms of content do, extending your reach beyond your current subscribers.

3. Videos also increase other forms of social engagement. Instagram video posts receive twice as much engagement as other posts. On X (Formerly Twitter), that number increases to 10 times as much.

4. Videos are efficient. The medium allows you to present more information in a fuller way in the same amount of your audience's time.

5. Videos improve search engine optimization (SEO) for your web archive.

6. Videos help audiences retain core concepts and understand difficult ones.

7. Videos are fun!

While most of this article focuses on the strategic benefits of incorporating video into your email newsletters, let's not lose sight of that last benefit. Videos are fun, and varying your creative routine can help you stave off writer's fatigue.

What Is One Advantage of Using a Video To Convey Information?

Videos capture the attention of readers and convey information quickly and visually. They enable you to create immersive experiences, feature multiple voices and perspectives, or simply break up lengthy blocks of text. As a unique story format, it opens up new creative and interactive possibilities.

In addition, videos function as aids to comprehension and memory. A video will help readers better understand and retain the core points of your article.

Why Is Video the Most Effective Way to Communicate?

Video is effective across industries and topics. You can show people what you are talking about rather than just telling them, and the visual element increases an audience's ability to make a connection with whatever information is being shared. This connection leads to increased engagement, clearer understanding, and a stronger impact on the audience.

Video improves the immediate retention of content by 9%. Give your readers a few days, and that number soars to 83%. In other words, people will remember the main points of your content better after viewing — and much better after viewing, sleeping, going about life, and then returning to the topic.

Innovative Ways to Use Videos in Email Newsletters

Marketers always look for innovative ways to capture their audience's attention to make a newsletter stand out. 

One of the most effective ways to do this is by incorporating videos into email newsletters. 

Below is a list of innovative ways to use video to showcase your email newsletters.

Product Demonstrations

Using video in email newsletters for product demonstrations is a highly effective strategy for businesses looking to showcase their products to their audience. 

One of the most significant advantages of video is that it allows companies to demonstrate their products in action, which can help the audience better understand how they work and the benefits they offer.

Including a video in an email newsletter can also help increase engagement rates and improve click-through rates. According to Hubspot, adding a video to a marketing email can increase click-through rates by up to 300%.

When creating a video for an email newsletter, it's essential to keep it short and to the point. 

1. The video should be 1-2 minutes maximum and focus on the product's key benefits. 

2. It's also essential to optimize the video for mobile devices, as many people check their emails on their smartphones.

Event Promotion and Follow-ups

Video content has become a powerful tool for event promotion and follow-ups in email newsletters.

When promoting an upcoming event, a video can create hype and excitement. You can showcase the highlights of the upcoming event, provide a sneak peek of what attendees can expect, and even include interviews with speakers or performers.

Similarly, when sending out post-event newsletters, videos can help you provide a recap of the event and keep your audience engaged. You can include highlights from the event, attendee testimonials, and interviews with speakers or performers.

Industry Round-ups

Adding industry round-up videos can provide subscribers with an informative and engaging multimedia experience.

However, ensuring that your chosen video is relevant and valuable to your audience is essential.

To determine the right video to include in your email newsletter, consider the following tips:

1. Identify your audience: Who are your subscribers, and what are their interests? What kind of content would they find valuable and engaging? 

Knowing your audience can help you select a video that resonates with them.

2. Keep it short and sweet: Attention spans are short, so keep your video brief and to the point. Ideally, your video should be 2-3 minutes at maximum.

3. Choose high-quality videos: Poor-quality videos can turn off subscribers. Make sure the video you select is well-produced and visually appealing.

4. Focus on industry trends: Your subscribers are interested in what’s happening in their industry. Choose a video highlighting your industry's latest trends, innovations, and insights.

5. Offer value: The video you choose should offer value to your subscribers. 

Whether it’s a tutorial, a product demo, or an interview with an industry expert, the video should provide helpful information your subscribers can apply to their work.

By following these tips, you can select a video that resonates with your audience and enhances the effectiveness of your email newsletter.

Why Shouldn’t You Embed a Video in an Email?

But wait, didn't we say to include video in your emails? Yes, as a linked image.

Embedding a video in an email often ends up causing problems. For one, some email clients don't support this functionality, so recipients won't be able to view the content you sent. Additionally, emails with embedded video files are significantly larger than normal messages, which leads to compatibility issues and delayed delivery times.

Remember: you want landing in the inbox to be your ultimate priority. If you don’t prioritize email deliverability, no one will see your amazing, video-laden content.

Even if the email does get through, bigger files take longer for your recipient to download. Make it easy for people to open and engage with your newsletters.

When Is Video Too Large for Email?

In terms of best practices, it's almost always a better idea to link than to embed. But there are also certain hard limits on what's possible. Large videos require a lot of storage space and processing power.

To be on the safe side, never send a video that's larger than 15 MB via email. You might be able to get away with up to 25 MB, but why settle for "getting away" with something? Aim higher.

How Might You Best Use Video in an Email?

There are a few tips and best practices to keep in mind when adding video to your email newsletter.

1. Summarize content clearly. Let readers know what they're in for before they click on a link, and incorporate a call-to-action that spurs them on.

2. Keep content short and to the point. You don't want to lose readers' attention with a lengthy video. There's a significant fall-off in retention after the two-minute mark. Viewership continues to decline until about six minutes, after which it holds steady until a second sharp descent once content passes twelve minutes in length.

3. Make sure the video is high quality. No one wants to watch a pixelated, grainy video, so take the time to ensure your video looks great before embedding it in your newsletter.

4. Host your video on a reliable and secure platform. Don't take on unnecessary risks or alienate viewers by sending them to YooHooTuba. (Not a real website.)

5. Create video content that's relevant to the topic of the newsletter. As in all areas of your content, offer more value to readers instead of just more.

6. Use an exciting and attractive image for the preview thumbnail. Entice readers into wanting more.

7. Follow accessibility guidelines. These include measures such as captioning videos and describing visual content. Your rigor will pay off on multiple fronts — many hearing people also watch online videos with the sound turned off.

Practical Tips and Advice on Using Video in Email Newsletters

Incorporating video into your email newsletters can be a powerful way to engage and connect with your audience.

Here are some practical tips and advice on how to effectively use video in your email newsletters:

1. Keep it short and sweet: People have short attention spans, so keeping your videos short and to the point is essential. Try to keep your videos under two minutes in length.

2. Optimize for mobile: Most people now read their emails on mobile devices, so optimizing your videos for mobile viewing is essential. Use a responsive email template and ensure that your videos are mobile-friendly.

3. Use a catchy subject line: Your subject line is the first thing people will see when they receive your email. Make sure it's attention-grabbing and communicates the value of your video content.

4. Thumbnail image: Including a thumbnail image in your email can help to entice people to click and watch your video. Choose an image that accurately represents your video content and captures people's attention.

5. Add a call to action: Encourage people to act after watching your video. This could be as simple as including a link to your website or social media profiles or asking people to share your video with their friends and colleagues.

By following these practical tips, you can effectively incorporate video into your email newsletters and create engaging and compelling content that resonates with your audience.

Choose Relevant Content

When creating engaging email newsletters, video content can be a powerful tool.

However, choosing the right content that aligns with your message and is relevant to your audience is essential.

Whether it's a product demonstration, customer testimonial, or a behind-the-scenes look at your company, your video content should add value to your audience, provide helpful information, and encourage them to act.

Choosing the right video content for your email newsletters can increase engagement, build trust, and strengthen your relationship with your subscribers.

Keep It Short and Engaging

When creating videos for email newsletters, it's essential to remember that most internet users have short attention spans.

Aim for 2-3 minutes per video to ensure your audience remains interested and engaged.

Long videos can be overwhelming and may only keep the viewers' attention for a short time. Short and engaging videos are more likely to be watched in their entirety, making them more effective at delivering your message. 

Additionally, shorter videos are more shareable, which can help you reach a wider audience.

Be sure to include a clear call-to-action at the end of the video to encourage your viewers to act. 

Finally, optimizing your video for mobile devices is essential, as many people access their email on their smartphones.

Use a Fallback Image

When it comes to including videos in email newsletters, it's important to remember that not all email clients support embedded videos.

To ensure that your recipients can still access the video content even if their email client doesn't help it, it's best to include a fallback image that they can click on to view the video on a separate page.

The fallback image should be a static image representing the video's content. It should include a play button or other visual indicator that the image is clickable.

When the recipient clicks on the image, they should be taken to a landing page to view the video.

Including a fallback image ensures that your recipients can access the video content and helps to improve the overall user experience. Instead of seeing a broken or missing video, they will still see an image representing the video's content and can choose to view it if they're interested.

Find Your Inner Spielberg

Your email newsletter is only as good as your content. Text may be your bread and butter, but video sweetens the meal. (Maybe it's the honey?)

Follow the above best practices to take advantage of the medium's ability to instruct and engage. Then let your imagination soar. The sky's the limit when it comes to video content for a newsletter. You might include interviews, tutorials, product demos, or team stories. beehiiv gives you all the tools you need to create beautiful newsletters and grow your brand. What you do with the platform is up to you.

So go ahead — join beehiiv today and brainstorm the next round of content ideas for your newsletter. And this time, add a little oomph with some video content ideas.