Quick video email design tip

Latest posts | Feed | By Mark Brownlow on June 18, 2008

Following on from a previous video email best practices post, here's a quick design tip...

You're probably using a screenshot image of the ready-to-play video to get people to click on through to the web page where the video is actually available to view.

Don't just use the default video still displayed by whatever video player you're using. Instead, superimpose the video's play and menu buttons over a still that does more to entice the click.

For example, here is the default view of the dormant YouTube video from my homemade Xmas message to the email marketers that read this blog:

Compare that image to this one:

As an email marketer, which image are you more likely to click?

Since I have the design talent of a lobotomized hippo, I'm sure the creative types out there can come up with better examples. But you get the point.

Tags: email marketing, video emails

[This post brought to you by Campaigner Email Marketing]
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3 Comments:

I loved that video you did and the lack of flashy design by left brained hippos was part of what made it fun to watch over and over.
By stefan, on 18 June, 2008

Mark, you mind-reader! I was working on adding a video teaser to an email not 10 minutes ago - and doing this very thing.

I'll take clairvoyance (or is it telepathy?) over design skills any day of the week. Lucky you.
By Justin Premick, on 18 June, 2008

Thanks guys. (And "great minds" Justin ;-)

Mind you, perhaps we've got it all wrong about video emails.
By Mark Brownlow, on 19 June, 2008