Using video as part of an email marketing campaign is a strategy that more marketers and brands are adopting. In our 2013 Online Video Marketing Survey and Business Video Trends Report, published in partnership with The Web Video Marketing Council and Flimp Media, we look at who is using video for email blasts, how they are doing it and what the ROI is like in terms of lead generation and sales conversion.
2013 Report Highlights: Video In Email Marketing
Of the 600 respondents to the survey, all actively involved in marketing or decision-making about marketing budgets, we established the following:
- 60% of marketers surveyed are using video for email marketing purposes
- 82% viewed video email marketing as effective
- 51% stated that a link to a video was the most effective method
- 60% confirmed that video email improves conversions
- 73% said that video email was most effective for product/service promotions
60% of Marketers Surveyed Using Video in Email
Our survey confirmed that 60% of respondents had used video as part of their email marketing campaigns, which is an increase on the 52% reported in 2012. 37% hadn’t tried this form of marketing yet but 26% said they were considering it.
How Video is Being Used in Email
In many instances, the ability to play a video clip from directly within an email is still hampered by technological limitations. So, it makes sense that over half of the respondents (51%) chose to add a link to the video itself, or to a video landing page. 24% of marketers link directly to a video player.
How Effective is Video in Email?
82% of marketers surveyed indicated that video email marketing has been either very effective (34%) or somewhat effective (48%) for their business or organization. However, 18% of marketers confirmed that video email marketing had not been effective which is an increase compared to 12% reported in 2012.
How Video Email Effects Conversion
Video within a marketing email has had a positive impact on prospect purchases and conversion rates for more than 60% of surveyed marketers, although 35% had yet to be convinced.
In terms of what type of email where the most appropriate and effective for including video content in, 73% of respondents confirmed that product/service promotions, followed by sales lead generation (55%) were the most impressive. Video in email is also being used for internal corporate communications with 41% of those surveyed confirming they had used this method particularly for employee benefits communications (14%), general HR communications (15%) and also for fundraising (18%).