With email being one of the main tools many businesses use as a means of attracting new customers, it is vital that they stand out in a user’s overcrowded inbox.
It is highly possible that, yes, your email will be opened, but a quick skim through and it is deleted.
So what can you add to your email to entice your reader to keep it open for more than 10 seconds and really interact with your brand?
… Add a video.
In a study by GetResponse of nearly one billion emails, those containing video had a 96% higher click-through rate than those without.
Just think about it for a moment. When you are scrolling through your social media, you are more than likely to stop at the video posts of the cute kittens and take a minute to watch them. So, why wouldn’t you stop and watch a relevant and engaging video within your email?
People DO watch videos. And they love it.
Videos can serve as a stand-in for a real person, so it is the perfect way to interact with your reader on a more personal level, and it’s much more entertaining than text. Video is compelling and is an easy way to digest information. Oh, and it will certainly stand out in the inbox!
There is, though, an obstacle that may prevent some of your recipients being able to open the video; due to technical compatibility on certain devices.
But don’t worry, I haven’t just given you a whole introduction on how fantastic video is in emails, and then told you, “hey, most people can’t watch them anyway.” There is a way around it. (Check out my first point).
So how can you integrate video into your email and make it work its magic for your brand?
Let’s see…
Have a GIF with a play button. In the place of a video, include an animated GIF image with a play button. When your reader clicks the play button, they will be re-directed to a landing page for your company.
Another great thing about this method is that you have just directed them to your page, where they will have the chance to check it out and see what you have to offer.
A great way to get your video to be viewed is to add a naked YouTube link under your video.
Not only does this legitimize your video, there are still people who still prefer to copy/paste the link into their web browser as opposed to clicking directly onto the link.
Next, don’t forget your call to action. The good old faithful call to action comes to the rescue once again. For example, ‘watch this video NOW’ or ‘click here to watch the video’.
Additionally, you can include a call to action during or at the end of the video to suggest a clear next step. This could be in the form of a screen at the end of your video guiding them to the next step.
Also, try adding a button so that they can share the video on social media channels.
Your video can include absolutely anything; as long as it’s of pure value to your reader.
It can be a video full of tips; a humorous video to draw in your reader, educational, promotional – the list is endless.
Just make sure it gives something to the reader that gets them thinking, “WOW, this is cool and I want it.”
A study by Invodo showed that just using the word ‘video’ in your email subject line increases your open rates by 19 percent, click-through rates by 65 percent, and reduces unsubscribes by 26 percent. Worth noting!
Wrapping up, let’s see the three reasons why YOU should include video in your emails:
• Understandable – Videos are important for your marketing campaigns as they grab the viewer’s attention. Potential customers will find them more enticing as opposed to the traditional plain text emails, thus it is more likely that the email will impact your target audience.
• Saves time – This applies for both the sender and the receiver. It is quicker to digest a video, rather than having to read through a text heavy email, wasting time trying to understand intricate subjects.
• Viral – As we all know, videos can go viral, and they can go viral very quickly! This is the perfect way to increase brand awareness and have the opportunity for more and more people to watch your video.
So, it really does make sense to include video in your email marketing plan if you want to increase brand awareness, educate potential and current customers, and of course, last but not least, boost conversions.
