I'm currently testing a method that supports video for the few clients where it's supported, with a fallback GIF for most everyone else, and a fallback JPG for Outlook desktop.
Thanks. I'm not sure a service is needed though. After beating my head for a few days, I've come to find that most of the issue with video in email comes from everyone trying to hide it where it won't play. From what I've found, that's not needed. Currently I'm testing video, with a fallback GIF and a fallback still for Outlook desktop, using ONLY the video tag.
I tested the service and i think when it comes to videos in email generating the code is good. They are making it easy for users that are on a platform like Mailchimp and just have to paste the code in. If thats what you are after then its good. Another thing i found was they use only mp4 and responsive images.
Hey Shameer, Thanks for taking the time to test drive https://playable.video, and yes we are seeking to empower any user to embed video within the email, where no tech are coding skills are required. In terms of formats, we may not have communicated this clearly, but we can use pretty much any source of video content, be it a Youtube or Vimeo URL, or a video file from your CMS or desktop, we are not restricted to just MP4 as you suggest. One of the challenges of self coding a solution will be ensuring the video looks good across all devices and connection types, during our configuration process we create over a 100 versions of the video file to ensure we deliver the best quality video experience within the email irrespective of device and connection quality. Hope this helps, Best regards David
What I meant was the format that is available after the video has been converted and code is generated is MP4. I agree this is one of the best solutions if there is a non technical person involved.
Hi Jaemi, I think it is the best way to do it. I don't know if you are talking about https://www.viwomail.com but I tried it some weeks ago and it's great. Everything is automated in a platform and provide statistics of video views. They have API and partnership with SendGrid, Experian, Benchmarkemail and many other ESPs.
I wasn't talking about any platform. Just coded it myself. Of course, for people without the servers for this kind of thing, a platform could definitely help there.
As far as I'm aware it just isn't possible in any email client apart from Apple Mail. The best option is probably to setup an animated GIF linked to a landing page with a video. There's a good article here with more details about email in video that might be useful to refer to: https://www.campaignmonitor.com/dev-resources/will-it-work/video/
As Edward, pointed out the email clients that support the HTML5 Video tag are limited, though it is possible and we used it for campaigns targeting mobile users on IOS devices in the past. The functionality stopped working in Safari on IOS 8 and we haven't checked again since. If you are going to try it please note it worked for us when it was a direct video source (//YOURDOMAIN/VIDEOS/VIDEO.mp4) and not like a Youtube link (Vimeo allows direct links too). You can always failover to an animated GIF as Edward mentions though some email clients will only display the first frame of the animation so to them it will be static. Good luck
Hi Josh, it opens the link up in the browser/Safari. I had the link wrapping the whole video.
Clicks through if you don't press on the video interface:
Paul, services like LiveClicker and Movable Ink can help you embed videos in emails. They don't work everywhere, but do work across multiple clients. The light integration between YouTube and Gmail can be used to add videos to emails--sort of. It's definitely a patchwork approach at the moment, but you can definitely get video working in more clients that just Apple Mail via HTML5 video.
Hi Paul, joining the discussion 12 months on, during which time things have moved forward significantly in this area with video embedded within email now reaching 95% of email clients, outlook being the problem child which cannot be reached. We've built a platform which is focussed on enabling email marketeers to create video snippets, from longer footage, which can easily be embedded within email campaigns, to be sent via your preferred ESP, Playable plays nice with all the popular email platforms including SendGrid, Campaign Monitor, MailChimp, SalesForce email studio and many more. Details here: https://playable.video/video-email/ Results across a variety of verticals indicate that CTR shift by 30 -300% vs the use of a screenshot of the video, the lower shifts tend to be where the video is published within a newsletter format amongst other content, and the higher shifts are achieved where the video is sent solus.
PA
I'm currently testing a method that supports video for the few clients where it's supported, with a fallback GIF for most everyone else, and a fallback JPG for Outlook desktop.
I recently started testing a new service. Check it out: https://playable.video
Not sure if this will work but try this Invite Code: NB779
Thanks. I'm not sure a service is needed though. After beating my head for a few days, I've come to find that most of the issue with video in email comes from everyone trying to hide it where it won't play. From what I've found, that's not needed. Currently I'm testing video, with a fallback GIF and a fallback still for Outlook desktop, using ONLY the video tag.
We are about to test this platform. Were there many email clients that were not able to see the video? Platform looks great.
Hi Mitchell,
I tested the service and i think when it comes to videos in email generating the code is good. They are making it easy for users that are on a platform like Mailchimp and just have to paste the code in. If thats what you are after then its good. Another thing i found was they use only mp4 and responsive images.
Cheers
Hey Shameer, Thanks for taking the time to test drive https://playable.video, and yes we are seeking to empower any user to embed video within the email, where no tech are coding skills are required. In terms of formats, we may not have communicated this clearly, but we can use pretty much any source of video content, be it a Youtube or Vimeo URL, or a video file from your CMS or desktop, we are not restricted to just MP4 as you suggest. One of the challenges of self coding a solution will be ensuring the video looks good across all devices and connection types, during our configuration process we create over a 100 versions of the video file to ensure we deliver the best quality video experience within the email irrespective of device and connection quality. Hope this helps, Best regards David
Hi David,
What I meant was the format that is available after the video has been converted and code is generated is MP4. I agree this is one of the best solutions if there is a non technical person involved.
Cheers
Hi Jaemi, I think it is the best way to do it. I don't know if you are talking about https://www.viwomail.com but I tried it some weeks ago and it's great. Everything is automated in a platform and provide statistics of video views. They have API and partnership with SendGrid, Experian, Benchmarkemail and many other ESPs.
I wasn't talking about any platform. Just coded it myself. Of course, for people without the servers for this kind of thing, a platform could definitely help there.
video controls not showing in mac 2011 microsoft outlook
Hi Paul,
As far as I'm aware it just isn't possible in any email client apart from Apple Mail. The best option is probably to setup an animated GIF linked to a landing page with a video. There's a good article here with more details about email in video that might be useful to refer to: https://www.campaignmonitor.com/dev-resources/will-it-work/video/
As Edward, pointed out the email clients that support the HTML5 Video tag are limited, though it is possible and we used it for campaigns targeting mobile users on IOS devices in the past. The functionality stopped working in Safari on IOS 8 and we haven't checked again since. If you are going to try it please note it worked for us when it was a direct video source (//YOURDOMAIN/VIDEOS/VIDEO.mp4) and not like a Youtube link (Vimeo allows direct links too). You can always failover to an animated GIF as Edward mentions though some email clients will only display the first frame of the animation so to them it will be static. Good luck
That’s really helpful. Thank you, both. I’ll let you know how I get on!
Hi Paul,
I agree with the guys here, pretty much no support for video in email other than Apple mail.
GIF is your best option.
However even though Apple stopped supporting video playing it does read the <video> tag and supports the Poster Frame and Play button:
https://litmus.com/checklist/emails/public/186951e
Nicholas, when you use the video tag, does it open a browser window to play the video, or a more native experience on iOS?
Hi Josh, it opens the link up in the browser/Safari. I had the link wrapping the whole video.
Clicks through if you don't press on the video interface:
Paul, services like LiveClicker and Movable Ink can help you embed videos in emails. They don't work everywhere, but do work across multiple clients. The light integration between YouTube and Gmail can be used to add videos to emails--sort of. It's definitely a patchwork approach at the moment, but you can definitely get video working in more clients that just Apple Mail via HTML5 video.
Anyone actively use LiveClicker? We use Movable Ink, but I've heard LiveClicker supports video in more clients.
Thanks, Chad! Video is not something I need to work with on email very often, so this really helps.
Hi Paul,
Don't bother using a video in email. Most clients don't support it. I recommend using a moving gif image or a image that links to the videopage.
Hi Paul, joining the discussion 12 months on, during which time things have moved forward significantly in this area with video embedded within email now reaching 95% of email clients, outlook being the problem child which cannot be reached. We've built a platform which is focussed on enabling email marketeers to create video snippets, from longer footage, which can easily be embedded within email campaigns, to be sent via your preferred ESP, Playable plays nice with all the popular email platforms including SendGrid, Campaign Monitor, MailChimp, SalesForce email studio and many more. Details here: https://playable.video/video-email/ Results across a variety of verticals indicate that CTR shift by 30 -300% vs the use of a screenshot of the video, the lower shifts tend to be where the video is published within a newsletter format amongst other content, and the higher shifts are achieved where the video is sent solus.