Remember those old, “Hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!” commercials? Video-enhanced email marketing is having one of those moments as integrated marketers realize how much more impactful these two things are together: the unbeatable benefits include a 55% increase in click-through rates and a 24% increase in conversions. Even though most email marketing services provide users with some kind of template, it’s important to get all of the steps right to get the maximum number of eyeballs on your video.
Start With a Good Video
Don’t just make a video for the sake of making a video: make something great that will answer your customers’ questions. Videos don’t have to be expensive, and you may be able to leverage content you’ve created for other purposes.
Host Videos on a Site Like Vimeo or YouTube
Besides giving your audience confidence that you’re not taking them somewhere questionable, hosting your videos on these social platforms enables sharing, commenting and everything else that can boost engagement and get even more eyes on your videos. And more shares can boost your SEO.
Choose an Enticing Thumbnail Image
The thumbnail is like the cover for a book, so a vibrant, intriguing image can get your audience clicking. Go into your video and choose a frame that can stand on its own. Do a screengrab, and take the shot into Photoshop or a similar image editing program to make the image as sharp and crisp as possible. Add some short, compelling text to bring the viewer even more detail. Your thumbnail size will vary, depending on what email hosting service you use.
Manage Your List
It pays to target and be vigilant with your database: If you send your video email to more than one recipient in the same company, the company’s firewall may see these emails as a spam attack. Take a quick refresher to make sure you’re not running afoul of the other rules of canned spam, too.
You Don’t Have to Build It Yourself
Building your video-enhanced emails with HTML5 ensures compatibility with the widest number of users, but there are plug-and-play platforms that combine control, functionality, and ease-of-use so you don’t need a developer to create your emails from scratch. Integrated marketers love Mail Chimp for its ease of use and low costs, and other video-enabled providers include Constant Contact, Tailored Mail, and Infusionsoft.
Another powerful reason to include video is instant access to metrics, so you can see how well the email is working, and refine as necessary. For best results, spread liberally all over your next integrated marketing campaign!