You’ve spent weeks getting your video just right. Now, it’s time to get it in your email campaign.
But, here’s the thing. Most email clients, including Outlook and Gmail, don’t support embedded video playback.
So what’s the answer?
Here are a few simple and effective workarounds that make your email look like it has an embedded video, even if it doesn’t!
Use a Thumbnail with a Play Button
The easiest way to get people to click through to your video is to create a thumbnail that looks clickable.
All you need to do is add a simple play button to a static image, then it looks just like an embedded video. Then, when the recipient clicks on the image in the email, they’ll be redirected to the video on your platform of choice—YouTube, Vimeo, your website, wherever!
Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Create a screenshot or export a thumbnail from your video.
Step 2: Load this image into Google Slides or PowerPoint.
Step 3: Add a triangle-shaped play button over the thumbnail. You can find a triangle in the shapes library, or, even easier, type the lowercase letter “u” in Wingdings 3—that’s a quick hack for creating a play button!
Step 4: Download the new image with the play button and insert it into your email. Don’t forget to hyperlink the image to your video so when people click it, they’re redirected to the full video and not just a bigger version of the image!
Create a GIF Preview Using GIPHY
Another engaging way to “embed” video content in an email is to use an animated GIF.
GIFs are supported by most email clients and can give the illusion of a video playing within the email. You can make a short, looping GIF of your video and then add a play button or call-to-action (CTA) over it. Here’s how you can easily create one using GIPHY.
Step 1: Go to GIPHY’s website and create an account (if you don’t have one already).
Step 2: Click on the “Create” button and upload your video file.
Step 3: Trim the video to create a 3–5 second loop—something that grabs attention but doesn’t give away the entire video.
Step 4: Once the GIF is created, download it and insert it into your email. Again, don’t forget to link the GIF to your video’s URL.
Why These Methods Work
Many people think embedding video directly into emails is a thing, but it’s not!
The truth is, simple trickery like adding a play button to a thumbnail or creating a GIF is all you need to make it seem like there’s a video embedded. And it works—on my own Video Marketing Minute mailing list, I’ve tested this out and saw a 47% increase in click-through rates to videos when using a thumbnail image compared to emails without one.
For the best results, make sure you’re using a proper email client like Mailchimp or AWeber. These platforms ensure your email looks great across different devices and email clients, making it more likely your audience will engage with your video content.
