Let’s review the statistics.

  • 40 percent. Brands can improve email conversion rates by as much as 40 percent by including video in their email marketing. No wonder 80 percent of brands say they’re planning on increasing their video marketing in 2014!
  • Increased average sales size. Aside from boosting conversion rates, video in email marketing is reported to grow the average sales size of orders by 14 percent. Brands that use videos in their email marketing experience a tangible return on their investment.
  • High click-through rates. Brands that placed videos in their email reported that 58 percent of consumers that opened the email viewed the accompanying video.
  • And much more!

With so many benefits to video in marketing emails, it’s no wonder that the majority of brands are investigating this opportunity. But exactly what kinds of videos are making their way into marketing emails?

FINDING THE RIGHT KIND OF VIDEO CONTENT

Video in email marketing must complement the written content in order to be effective. Instead of simply repurposing existing content, video must add more value that moves consumers to action. The most popular types of videos utilized are training courses, which give clients a better understanding of the products and services they receive. This also has a positive impact on potential clients, who witness a brand that takes care of its customers.

Other popular types of videos include product demos and product promotions. By staying focused on a specific product, video messaging is able to enhance ongoing campaigns to push those deals. Customer testimonials were the 4th most utilized type of video messaging.

WHY VIDEO WORKS IN EMAIL MARKETING

The reason video is so effective in email marketing is because it encourages more user interaction, which leads to an increased conversion rate. Any time there are fallback images and optimized links, brands have an easier time creating buzz and cultivating a more receptive audience.

The most common mistake brands make is trying to cram too much information into the content of their emails. There’s only so much that consumers can digest. By including video, brands are able to add significant content without overwhelming the recipient. In fact, some of the most optimized email campaigns are limited to 400 words of content and a clear call to action. An additional video that recipients can watch boosts interaction and gives brands a larger platform to share their message.

One major issue that has discouraged brands from using video is file size. Lighter emails translate into faster downloads, whereas heavy emails can accidentally be filtered into the spam folder. Now, however, the advent of HTML5 and support by email clients makes it easier to incorporate video content. There’s also been a considerable uptick in the number of brands using hosted or downloaded video files.

Regardless of the method your brand uses to share video with consumers, incorporating them into your email marketing strategy is another opportunity to take advantage of.

Is your brand investing as much as it can and should be in video marketing?