Online Video and Email Marketing: Meant to be Together?

Online Video and Email Marketing: Meant to be Together? July 6, 2010

“ US online video views more than doubled from 14.8 billion/mo in Jan 2009 to 33.2 billion/mo in Dec 2009.” -Comscore Research, February 2010

Video Trends

“ 33% of retailers plan to add video or streaming media to their sites in 2010.” -Internet Retailer/Vovici Group Survey January 29, 2010

“ 68% of the Top 50 Internet retailers use video on their web sites, compared with 18% in 2008.” -Patti Freeman-Evans, VP, Research Director, Forrester Research May 4, 2009 Source: Online Retailers’ Adoption Of Online Video Content Is Ahead Of Consumers’ Preferences, November 24, 2009

“ Video in email can increase click-through rates by as much as 2X – 3X.” -David Daniels, Former VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research May 4, 2009

Video Trends Excite and Entertain

Build Trust

Stir the Imagination

Persuade

When video in email is executed well, it will…
Differentiate the inbox experience
Boost subscriber engagement
Drive clicks and conversions

Annoy subscribers
Create a distraction
Distance a retailer from its customers
When video in email is executed poorly, it will…

Video viewing creates an implied contract between shoppers and retailers.

Time & Attention Value

WHO to engage with video?
HOW can video add value for shoppers?

Introduce shoppers to the brand

Create a magical aura around products

Connect on a more emotional level

SUBJECT LINE: Video: Explore our new virtual tours and videos 2X higher CTR than average campaign 100% higher CTR in-email video v. static image

The universal symbol of video – use it! Reinforce expectations Communicate the value

See who’s engaged already. Subject lines matter – set the expectation for video

Video in Email v. Video with email: Can Dreams Come True?

Most marketers are open-minded toward using video in email n = 287. Registrants attending “Video Email Marketing in 2009” 8/10/2009

Deliverability, rendering and subscriber experience are top concerns. n = 287. Registrants attending “Video Email Marketing in 2009” 8/10/2009

DO NOT USE FLASH IN EMAIL!

How to Incorporate Video Benefit Static Image Animated .GIF Video Flash HTML5 Video Certified Video™ Certified Video .GIF™ Universal Support YES NO NO NO NO NO Broad Support 100% 75% - 90% ~0% ~5% - 10% ~10% >50% Video Plays in Email NO YES YES YES YES YES Image-Block Resistant NO NO N/A N/A N/A YES Spam-Block Resistant YES YES NO YES YES YES

PROS:
Compatible with nearly all mail clients
No learning curve
Established best practices
CONS:
It’s not really video in email
Subscriber must click through for video
and audio
Use strong visual cues to indicate video presence to encourage subscribers to click through to web-hosted video. Static Image Video Callout

Animated .GIF?

PROS:
Compatible with most mail clients
(~75% - 90% for most)
Displays video directly in email
Does not cause ISP blocks
(if not directly embedded)
Does not require the end user to download the video prior to viewing
CONS:
No audio
Works most places, but not everywhere
No player controls in email
Requires enabled images
Poorer quality output than full motion video
Production and delivery expense
Animated .GIF/.PNG Video

“ .GIF Myths” (File) size matters. Longer is better. Bigger (pixel dimensions) are better.

3 million+ iPads sold to date
Selling at 2.5X the rate of the original iPhone
HTML5 Video

51.15 million iPhones sold to date (not counting iPhone 4
Source: Apple Computer earnings report, April 20, 2010. HTML5 Video

What works where?
iPhone mail client
iPad mail client
Apple Mail 4
Thunderbird
Blackberry (BOLT 2.1)
All webmail clients
Outlook Express – 2003
Lotus Notes 6.5 – 8
Entourage
Windows Mail
HTML5 Video Animated .GIF/.PNG

Beware Exception Cases
Outlook 2007 / 2010
Shows static image
Apple Mail 3
Shows static image
Webmail clients opened with HTML5 video compliant web browsers
Video Not Supported Special Requirements
Lotus Notes 6.5 – 8
Webmail clients in IE6 (no compression
Safari (slow render speed)
Mobile clients that do not support HTML5 (bandwidth)
Thunderbird (OGG Theora) v. Apple clients (H.264)

Internal education is key to gaining buy-in for in-email video.

Consider video email automation software to enable a “hybrid” approach.

Best Practice Takeaways
Serve video to those likely to respond
Use the emotional/trust building/persuasive power of video to connect
Focus on creating unique value with video
Choose an inclusion method that meets your goals; be prepared to accept limitations
Strategy Design Technical
Use the word “video” in subject lines
Use “play” button
Place callouts in animated .GIF/.PNG videos
Reinforce expectations of video in the email
Communicate the value of video in the email
Static image = easy but not really video in email
Widespread video in email = consider hybrid approach using HTML5/animated .GIF/animated .PNG
Internal education re: limitations is key
Consider using video email automation software

For more information: [email_address] Follow: @videocommerce

Online Video and Email Marketing: Meant to be Together?

by Liveclicker / Video Commerce Consortium on Jul 06, 2010

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 2

Statistics

Online Video and Email Marketing: Meant to be Together? — Presentation Transcript